Language

The State's first official language is Gaelic, colloquially known as Irish, although English is spoken as a first language by the majority of the population.

Irish or Irish Gaelic is among the Celtic languages, which are a subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages. Geographically and historically, this subfamily is divided into a Continental group and an Insular group. Insular languages fall into two groups: the Brythonic (or British), including Breton, Cornish, and Welsh; and the Goidelic (or Gaelic), including Irish, Scottish Gaelic (or Erse), and Manx.

Irish is the oldest of the Goidelic group of Celtic languages. Ogham inscriptions provide ancient examples on about 370 gravestones scattered through southwestern Ireland and Wales. Dating from the 5th to the 8th century, the inscriptions consist almost entirely of proper names.

Irish can be grouped into four periods: Old (circa 800-1000), Early or Early Middle (1200-1500), Middle (1200-1500), and Modern (from 1500). Originally a highly inflected language, Irish retains essentially two noun cases, nominative and genitive, with the dative surviving in the singular of feminine nouns; the language has only two verb tenses in the indicative mood.

Until the early 19th century, Irish was widely spoken throughout the country, but is now mainly confined to Gaeltacht areas along the west coast. Road signs are in Irish and English, as are all State documents. A cultural revival has led to a resurgence in the use of the Irish language and almost 35 per cent of the population now claim to speak Irish. This could be partially due the success of language course run in the Gaeltacht and the strength of broadcast media in the language.

Common Irish words and phrases

Hello - Dia duit
(literally, God be with you)
pronounced
jee-ah ghwich,
dee-ah gwit,
or
jee-ah gwit
The first pronunciation is based on the “rules” that “d” preceded or followed by a slender vowel (i or e) is pronounced like a j, and “t” preceded or followed by a slender vowel is pronounced like a soft ch (like the English word witch)

Duit is the singular form. If you are saying hello to more than one person at the same time, replace duit with dhaoibh, pronounced gwiv or yeev.

How are you? - Conas tá tú?
pronounced
kun-us taw too?

Tá mé go maith - I'm well

Response to hello - Dia's Muire duit
(literally, God and Mary be with you)
Pronounced:
jee-ahs mwir-rah-ghwich,
dee-ahs mir-rah-gwit,
or
jee-ahs mwir-rah-gwit

I am well, thank you - Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat
pronounced
taw may guh moh, gurrah mah hahgut,
or
taw may guh moh, guh row moy ah-gut,
Cad is ainm duit - What is your name?
Seán is ainm dom - Seán is my name
Máire is ainm dom - Mary is my name
Cad as tú? - Where are you from?
Is as Baile Átha Cliath mé - I'm from Dublin
Slán - goodbye
Slán go fóill - goodbye for now
Isteach - In
Tar isteach - come in
Amach - out
Imigh amach - Go out
Fir - Men
Mná - Women
Tabhair aire - Take care
fear - man
bean - women
athair - father
máthar - mother
Mac - Son
Iníon - Daughter
Tá mé - I am
Tá tú - you are
Tá sé - he is
Tá sí - she is
Tá siad - they are
Tá muid - we are
Le do thoil - please
Go raibh maith agat - Thank you
Go raibh mile maith agaibh - A thousand thanks to you
Tá fáilte romhat - You're welcome
Ná r lagaí Dia thú - More power to you
Adh mór - Good luck
Beir bua agus beanacht - Best Wishes
Beir beannacht - Best wishes to you
Beannachtai na Féile Pádraig oraibh - Happy St. Patricks Day to you all
Maith go leor - Good enough/ okay
Good morning - Dia duit ar maidin
(literally God be with you this morning.)
"ar maidin" is pronounced:
er may-jin
or
er mah-jin

Good afternoon - Dia duit tráthnóna
(literally God be with you this afternoon.)
"tráthnóna" is pronounced:
thraw-no-nah
or
traw-no-nah

Oيche mhaith - Good night

Thank you - Go raibh maith agat
pronounced
gurrah mah hahgut,
or
guh row moy ah-gut,

Thank you very much - Go raibh míle maith agat
(literally, 1,000 thanks to you.)
pronounced
gurrah meel-ah mah hahgut,
or
guh row meel-ah moy ah-gut

Good-bye - Slán
pronounced
slawn (rhymes with lawn)
or
slan (rhymes with ran)

More Goodbyes
Good-bye and blessing - Slán agus beannacht
pronounced: slawn awgus ban-ukht

Good-bye for now - Slán go fóill
pronounced: slawn guh foyle

Safe home - Slán abhaile
pronounced: slawn a-wall-ya

Sleep well - Codladh slán
pronounced: kul-a slawn

Good Bye (if you are staying) - Slán leat
pronounced: slawn laht or slawn lat

Good Bye (if you are leaving) - Slán agat
pronounced: slawn ah-gut

Happy St. Patrick's Day! - Lá le Páidrig Agat!
pronounced
La li Paadriik ah-gut