These phrases below would be used as very simple responses by a person who had little Irish, therefore, they would not generally use full sentences. So, 1, 3, 5 and 6 are pithy phrases which are easy to use, are “conversationally correct” and would be immediately understood. Much better for a person to use these rather than struggling with a full grammatical sentence.

Phrase: I don’t speak Irish
Irish: Níl Gaeilge agam
Pronunciation: kneel gway-il-geh ah-gum (literally “I don’t have Irish”)

Phrase: I only speak a little/very little Irish
Irish: Níl ach beagán/beagáinín Gaeilge agam
Pronunciation: kneel okh bweeuh-gawn/bweeuh-gawn-een gway-il-geh ah-gum

Phrase: Please speak a little more slowly
Irish: Níos moille led thoil
Pronunciation: kneess mwell-eh ledh hell (literally “more slowly please”)

Phrase: I don’t understand you
Irish: Ní thuigim thú
Pronunciation: knee hig-im hoo

Phrase: Could you say that in English please?
Irish: As Béarla led thoil?
Pronunciation: oss bayr-lah ledh hell? (literally “in English please?”)

Phrase: Could you repeat that?
Irish: Arís?
Pronunciation: ah-reesh? (literally “again?”)

Phrase: Did I say that right?
Irish: An raibh sin i gceart agam?
Pronunciation: ah row (as in cow) shin ih gih-ah-rth ah-gum?

Written Communication

While the art of writing letters is sadly becoming a thing of the past, we still have occasions when it is necessary to actually correspond with someone other than verbally or by phone; and even an email should have a proper salutation and sign off. So, herewith a lesson on written personal communication, including related words and phrases.

Word: Letter
Irish: litir
Pronunciation: lih-chir

Word: Card
Irish: cárta
Pronunciation: kawr-thah

Word: (to) Write
Irish: scríobh
Pronunciation: shkreev

Word: Stamp
Irish: stampa
Pronunciation: sthahmp

Word: Paper
Irish: páipéar
Pronunciation: paw-pay-ir

Word: Envelope
Irish: clúdach
Pronunciation: kloo-dhukh

Phrase: Post Office
Irish: Oifig an Phoist
Pronunciation: iff-ig on fwishth

Phrase: Post box
Irish: bosca phoist
Pronunciation: bus-kah fwishth

Many people not familiar with writing letters in the Irish language seem to be under the impression that the ways to start and end a personal letter is with A Chara, and Mise, le Meas. Not so. Although they translate literally as (Dear) Friend and I am, with Respect, they are the forms used by public servants when writing impersonal, official letters and are the equivalent in English of writing Dear Sir or Madam and Yours faithfully. Unfortunately, anyone else using those forms, even unwittingly, tends to provoke giggles.

Where known, the person’s name should always be used at the beginning of the letter, either by first name, or by title, if applicable, in conjunction with a Chara. On other words, never use a chara by itself in personal correspondence.

Salutation: Dear John
Seán, a chara, or A Sheán, a chara
Pronunciation: shawn, a khah-rah or ah hyawn, a khah-rah

Salutation: Dear Mr Brady
Irish: A Bhrádaigh, a Mhic Usail,
Pronunciation: ah vraw-dhee, ah vick oo-sil
There is no actual word for “Mr.” in Irish; a man is always an “honourable son” in greetings.

Salutation: Dear Mrs/Miss/Ms Brady
Irish: A Bhean/A Iníon Ní Bhrádaigh ah vahn/
Pronunciation: ah inn-een ee vraw-dhee, oo-sil

“Mrs” and “Miss/Ms” do have “titles” which are taken from their husband’s or father’s name. “Bean Uí” is a woman/wife of a man whose surmane in Irish is “Ó” and “Iníon Ní” denotes a daughter of her father’s name. Where the man’s surname is a “Mac” those titles become “Bean Mhi” and “Iníon Nic”. When writing the name on an envelope or as a stand-alone name, the names can be written as Máire Uí Bhrádaigh or Máire Bean Uí Bhrádaigh and for single women as Máire Ní Bhrádaigh or Máire Iníon Ní Bhrádaigh and, as relevant for women who take their titles from men whose surname is “Mac”.

Salutation: Dear Loyal Friends
Irish: A Cháirde or A Cháirde Dhílis
Pronunciation: ah khawr-djeh or ah khawr-djeh yee-lish

When writing to a group of people, then the plural of Friends is appropriate and even nicer if the word approximating to Loyal is added.

Salutation: With(sending) Greetings/Blessings or Strength and Greetings/Blessings
Irish: Beir Beannacht or Beir Bua agus Beannacht
Pronunciation: ber bahn-ukth or ber boo-ah ah-gus bahn-ukth

More formal, especially where it’s not a personal friend.

Phrase: I would like to introduce myself to you
Irish: Ba maith liom mé féin a chur in aithne duit
Pronunciation: bah wye li-um may hayn ah khur inn ah-neh gwitch.

Phrase: I would like to announce/tell you that ....
Irish: Ba maith liom a chur in iúl duit go ....
Pronunciation: bah wye li-um ah khur inn oo-il dhitch guh ....

Phrase: A letter of condolence could begin with the sentence
I/We send condolence on your loss (the death) of....
Irish: Is comhbhrón liom/linn éagaoineadh ....
Pronunciation: iss koh-vrohn li-um/linn ay-gwee-ah

Word: Congratulations on ....
Irish: Comhgháirdeas leat/libh (plural) ar ....
Pronunciation: koh-gawr-djahs li-ath/liv err ....

Phrase: Thanks in advance for your help
Irish: Tugaim buíochas leat roimh ré as do chabhair
Pronunciation: thug-im bwee-khus li-ahth rev ray oss dhuh khow (as in cow)-ir

Phrase: Thank you for writing
Irish: Tá buíochas orm gur scríobh tú chugaim or Gabhaim buíochas leat as scríobh chugaim
Pronunciation: thaw bwee-khus urm gur shkreev thoo hug-im or gow(as in cow)-im bwee-khus li-ath oss shkreev hug-im

Phrase: We look forward to hearing from you...
Irish: Tá súil agam/againn cloisint uait....
Pronunciation: haw soo-il ah-gum/ah-ginn (hard “g”) klush-intch wetch ....

Finish with the word which best applies for the urgency/non-urgency/personal/impersonal nature of the word “soon”.
Word: Soon
Irish: go lua
Pronunciation: guh loo-ah
Very soon (impersonal)
Irish: gan mhoill
Pronunciation: gahn well
Whenever/at your personal convenience
Irish: ar ball
Pronunciation: err bahl

Sign-off: With every good wish
Irish: Le gach deá ghuí or deá mhéin
Pronunciation: leh gahkh djah gwee or djah vayn

Sign-off: Bye or goodbye
Irish: Slán
Pronunciation: slawn

Sign-off: Goodbye or Bye for now
Irish: Slán go foill
Pronunciation: slawn guh foh-iLL

Sign-off: Goodbye and Blessings
Irish Slán agus beannacht
Pronunciation lawn ah-gus bahn-uckth

Sign-off: Best of Luck
Irish: Go n-éirí leat or Go n-éirí an t'ádh leat
Pronunciation: guh nye-ree lahth or guh nye-ree on thaw lahth

Sign-off : With respect
Irish: Le meas
Pronunciation: leh mahs
Used only in very formal or official correspondence