That being said, it’s used widespread in the English language in Ireland. Sláinte (SLAHN-cheh) is related to slán. You might think that “hello” would be more commonly recognized than “goodbye.” The thing is, “hello” is a bit more complicated than “goodbye” in Irish, with regional variations that further complicate matters. If you tell your friends “there was great craic at the session last night!” and they don’t happen to be Gaelophiles, they’re sure to give you a funny look (yes, this is the voice of experience talking). It’s not something that a visitor is likely to say (or want to have said to him! For English words that originated in Ireland from other sources, see, List of English words of Scottish Gaelic origin, Lists of English words of international origin, "bother - Definition of bother in English by Oxford Dictionaries", "Bother definition and meaning - Collins English Dictionary", "slogan - Search Online Etymology Dictionary", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_English_words_of_Irish_origin&oldid=986352500, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with failed verification from February 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 31 October 2020, at 09:26. I finally sat down and worked out a list of Irish words and phrases that most Irish people are likely to know, even if they’re not Irish speakers and have forgotten most of their school Irish. Irish, grouse – In slang sense of grumble, perhaps from, madder, mether – A traditional square-sided wooden drinking vessel, Irish, moiley – An ancient breed of Irish hornless cattle, from. To translate from Irish into English, enter the text into the upper window. Needless to say, after taking an ‘Intro to Irish’ language class at the Irish Arts Center in NYC (where I live) a couple of years ago & then subscribing to BiteSize Gaelic to maintain my interest in at least keeping up my memory of basic phrases, I was ecstatic when, during the marathon, a runner in front of me at one point said to the volunteers passing out water, ‘go raibh meath agat’ – and I knew what he was saying! My assumption is that when your male friend gets cited for driving under the influence you call him an “amadán” and when your female acquaintance asks a Mexican guy if he speaks “Mexican” you call her an “Oinseach” but it would not make sense to call her an “amadán”. People will say the weirdest things, won’t they? Generally, though, it’s all just shortened to slán, and most Irish people will recognize it. Copyright © 2020 Bitesize Irish Gaelic Ltd. Irish Gaelic: Just How Difficult Is It to Learn? A few weeks ago, someone asked me for some common or frequently used Irish words and phrases. If you ever watch Ros na Rún, you’ll hear that one a lot (usually translated in the subtitles as “Oh my God” or “Oh no”). Ok… So I have to clarify… That was not meant for anyone, it was a question…. It … Be careful, though. “A Mhaighdean” as in the virgin Mary. Irish, glib – An obsolete term for a kind of haircut associated with warriors (because it protected the forehead) banned by the English. The free online Irish to English translator for translation of words, phrases, and sentences. The term Old Conky was a nickname for the, coshering – Nothing to do with Jewish dietary law. Slán is such a nice simple word that can be used so often. Hmmm…I’ve heard expressions such as “A Mhaighdean!” and “Ó, a Dhia!” or “Dia ár sabhail!” (though an Irish speaker is just as likely to say “shit” in good old Anglo-Saxon as well…or “feck.”). The funny thing about craic (pronounced “krak”) is that it’s actually a loan word from English slang (originally spelled “crack,” but Gaelicized as craic). Made for a LOT of sleepless nights for her! My mother used to call me that all the time! It’s an addictive little word, and you may find yourself using it when you get home. If you email Eoin, he can help you reset it. Irish oaths have a tendency to be religious. My personal favorite is “Phenamadán”, a mixture of the English word Phenomenal and the Irish word Amadán. Find posts about culture, videos where you find how to say certain phrases, and member interviews to tell you about their experience of learning the language. Slán (pronounced “slahn”) is easier to remember, though not so very long ago, it came with some fairly complicated rules as well. slauntiagh – An obsolete word for sureties or guarantees, which comes from Irish, smithereens – small fragments, atoms. You might find this lesson interesting: http://www.bitesize.irish/lessons/definite-article?from=all-lessons, In this lesson you can hear the pronunciation of the word health: sláinte. I recognize Óinseach… I have found it in dictionaries. In phrases such as ‘to explode into smithereens’. Sadly that was the only time I heard Irish spoken aside from a couple of tour guides, though I did see a number of signs that I could decipher. ), http://www.bitesize.irish/lessons/definite-article?from=all-lessons. The literal meaning of the word is “healthy/sound.” Once upon a time, it was part of a longer phrase, go dté tú slán (guh jay too slahn), literally “may you go with health” (you’ll still hear this phrase in songs, such as the well-known “Siúl, A Rún“). She was going to be visiting Ireland soon, and she thought it would be fun to have a few words in Irish before she got there. As you know, if you’ve been following this blog, while Irish is definitely still to be found, if you know where to look for it, it’s not exactly “common” outside of the Gaeltacht. Bitesize Irish Gaelic Ltd., While sláinte is the equivalent of the English “cheers,” it doesn’t actually MEAN “cheers” — you don’t use it, for example, as a stand-in for “thanks.” But say it in a pub, and everyone will know what you mean. This is the Irish word, Fláithiúil (Excessively/uncommonly generous), Grá (Great love or affection for someone/something), Meas (High regard/respect for someone/something), Plámás (Excessive/Insincere praise or flattery), Sceach (Any thorny bush, sceach gheal (Hawthorn)), Slán (Safe, whole, healthy, complete) (Shortened version of, This page was last edited on 7 November 2020, at 00:20. ha ha… fíor-amadán/óinseach, i like that. Sidhe (Modern Sí) – the fairies, fairyland. In Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas, you’ll still hear vestiges of this. (Note: If you listen to the recording above, you’ll hear a mhuirnín — my darling — inserted into the phrase: go dté tú, a mhuirnín, slán.). Even though, sadly, most Irish people don’t speak Irish in their day-to-day lives anymore (for more on this see our post on “Why Do the Irish Speak English“), knowing a few words in Irish (or, as they say in Ireland cúpla focal (KOOP-luh FUK-ul)) it is still very much a part of the culture, and knowing a bit can greatly enhance your visit. Youch! I can see specifying “Mexican Spanish” if you need to distinguish it from, say, Castillian, but I agree…anyone who asks “do you speak Mexican” is fíor-amadán/óinseach é/í! You’ll even hear your English-speaking Irish friends using it: “What’s the craic?” (what’s going on? Sláinte. ), “The craic was mighty” (“it was a REALLY good time”), etc. People will say slán leat (slahn lyat) — “health with you” — to the person who is leaving. Sometimes you’ll hear it used as part of a longer phrase: sláinte is táinte (SLAHN-cheh iss TAHN-cheh) — “health and wealth.”. For the longest time, she thought our Leitrim cousins were drug addicts! Someone asked me if I would be singing, and without thinking, I replied “No, I’m just going for the craic.” Definitely got some funny looks! /{{ pronunciation }}/. My sister spent a lot of time with them during the short time they had with us. Seems strange… O maiden? Mexicans would NOT take very well to that… Extremely Catholic. You’ll see/hear fáilte used all over, in words and in phrases, such as Céad Míle Fáilte (kayd MEE-luh FAHL-cheh): “A Hundred Thousand Welcomes.”, Just remember…it means “welcome,” not “hello.” You can use fáilte to greet a visitor or someone you’re hosting, but not as a generic stand-in for “hi.”. Craic sure is a funny word, and most Irish people probably don’t realize that it is a word taken from Irish. Learn how your comment data is processed. Anyway, when she asked them how Boston was, they all replied with enthusiasm, “The craic was fierce there!” A double whammy for her: we Americans don’t use that Cavan/Leitrim term of “fierce” for emphasis and she had never been indoctrinated in the concept of the craic! And, if we’ve piqued your interest, consider taking our free, one-month course Irish for Beginners delivered by email, if you’re not already a Bitesize Irish Gaelic member. It means “health,” and is used as a toast. I’m afraid “craic” has gotten me into trouble more than once! 69 Céide Chloch an Mhéara, People recognize this one even outside of Ireland. Your email address will not be published. LOL! This is another one that just about anyone will recognize: Fáilte (FAHL-cheh) — “welcome.” In fact, the Irish Tourism Board used to be called Bórd Fáilte. {{ translation }} Likewise, the one leaving might say slán agat (slahn AG-ut) — “have health” — to the person staying behind. Required fields are marked *. I must admit, I had to wrack my brain for a bit. It’s one of those words that defies a precise definition, but can generally be taken to mean “a good time.” Sometimes it’s used in a more general sense to mean “what’s happening,” as in “I’ll just walk up the street and see what all the craic is about.”, Walk past a pub, and there’s a good chance you’ll see ól, ceol, agus craic (ohl, kyohl, AG-uss krak) — “drink, music, and a good time.”.
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