céad míle fáilte

[ceːd̪ˠ ˈmʲiːlʲə ˈfˠaːlʲtʲə]

Literally, “one hundred thousand welcomes”. Compare Scottish Gaelic ceud mìle fàilte.


tá grá agam ort

/t̪ˠɑː ˈɡɾˠɑː ɡʊmˠ ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/

/t̪ˠɑː ˈɡɾˠɑː a(ɡə)mˠ ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/

/t̪ˠæː ˈɡɾˠæː aɡəm ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/

/t̪ˠæː ˈɡɾˠæː ɛjəmˠ ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/

I love you (used with loved ones of all types - family, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, etc.)

is tú mo shearc

you are my lover; used only with a romantic partner

is tú mo rún

you are my secret; used only with a romantic partner

is tú mo chuid

you are part of me; used with romantic partners as well as from parents to children


le do thoil

/lʲɛd̪ˠ(ə)ˈhɔlʲ/


BBB

beir bua agus beannacht
beir bua agus beannacht#Irish


grá mo chroí

[ɡɾˠaː mˠə xɾˠiː]


más é do thoil é

/ˌmˠɑːʃ eː də ˈhɪlʲ eː/


is cuimhin le

head

is cuimhin le (past/conditional ba chuimhin le)

Is cuimhin liom mo cheachtanna.

Is cuimhin le Dónall an lá.
Dónall remembers the day.


is cuma

/əsˠ ˈkʊmˠə/


is féidir

Is féidir liom canadh.

Is féidir le Dónall snámh.
Dónall can swim.

Is féidir Gaeilge a fhoghlaim.


is fearr

/(ə)sˠˈfʲɑːɾˠ/

Is fearr bainne.

B’fhearr liom bainne.

Is fearr le Dónall snámh.
Dónall prefers swimming.


ar oscailt

[ɛɾʲ ˈɔsˠkɪlʲtʲ]


slán agat

slán agaibh

said to two or more people by the person leaving

slán libh

said to two or more people by the person remaining


slán leat

goodbye for now (said by the person remaining)


amach as na muineacha is isteach sna driseacha

Literally “out of the thickets and into the thornbushes”

out of the frying pan, into the fire
out of the frying pan, into the fire

between Scylla and Charybdis
between Scylla and Charybdis

(idiomatic) out of the frying pan, into the fire, between Scylla and Charybdis


go raibh maith agat

/ɡəɾˠəˈmˠahəɡət̪ˠ/

/ɡəɾˠəmˠəˈhaɡət̪ˠ/

/ɡəɾˠəˈma.ad̪ˠ/


gabh mo leithscéal

/ˌɡɔ mə ˈlʲɪʃceːl̪ˠ/


gabhaigí mo leithscéal

excuse me (spoken to two or more people)


is fuath le

is fuath le (past and conditional b'fhuath le, negative ní fuath le)

b'fhuath le (conditional past)
ní fuath le (negative)

/ɪsˠ fˠuə lʲə/

Is fuath le Cáit caifé.


Dia duit

/ˌdʲiə ˈd̪ˠɪtʲ/


Dia dhuit

/ˌdʲiə ˈɣɪtʲ/

hello, literally "God to you" (addressing one person)

Dia dhaoibh

addressing two or more people or a pregnant woman. May also be used addressing a priest with the eucharist


b'fhéidir

/ˈbʲeːdʲəɾʲ/


tiocfaidh ár lá

/ˈtʲʊki aːɾˠ ˈl̪ˠaː/


tá brón orm

[t̪ˠɑː ˈbˠɾˠoːnˠ ɔɾˠəmˠ]


ní móide

/nʲiː ˈmˠoːdʲə/

/n̠ʲiː ˈmˠuːdʲə/

/n̠ʲiː ˈmˠɔːdʲə/

Ní móide dhó teacht.

Ní móide go ndúirt sé é.

Ní móide go n-éireoidh leis.

Ní móide go dtiocfaidh sé anocht.
He’ll scarcely come to-night.

it is hardly the case, it is scarcely the case


tá fáilte romhat

/t̪ˠɑː ˈfˠɑːl̠ʲt̪ʲə ɾˠuːt̪ˠ/


a chara

A Phádraig, a chara,...

A chara,...

dear (formal or informal way of addressing the recipient in a letter’s opening line)


a chairde

/ə ˈxɑːɾˠdʲə/

/ə ˈxæːɾˠdʲə/

A Phádraig agus a Mháire, a chairde,...

A chairde,...

dear (formal or informal way of addressing the recipients in a letter’s opening line)


is éigean

is éigean (past and conditional b'éigean, negative ní héigean)

b'éigean (conditional past)
ní héigean (negative)

An éigean dul ann?

B’éigean dom é a scríobh.

Is éigean do mo mháthair labhairt leat.


srl.

Abbreviation of agus araile (“etc. and so on”).


i gceannas

in the driver's seat
in the driver's seat

in command, in charge, in the driver's seat


húm ná hám

the slightest sound, the slightest movement (used with a negative verb)


is mairg

Contracted from is mairg don té (“sorrow is to the one”).

Is mairg a fhaigheann drocheolas.

Is mairg a bheadh thíos den chéad bhuille.

Unlucky is he who is down at the first blow.

Is mairg a chuireann suim sa tsaol.

Those who set their hearts on this world will come to grief.

woe to the one/to those; unlucky is the one/are those; come to grief (followed by a relative clause)


gan chiall

gan chiall (mutation mutation-radical)
ghan chiall (lenition mutation)
ngan chiall (eclipsis mutation)

meaningless, misguided, unmeaning, callow, lunatic, senseless, silly


de ghréas

From Old Irish do grés (“always, perpetually, continually”), from grés (“continuance, practice”) (see greas (“indefinite period of time”)).

inh

(literary) habitually, continually, perpetually


rinn agus airdrinn

(poetry) stressed syllable at end of line rhyming with unstressed syllable of longer word at end of following line


Dia dhaoibh

/ˌdʲiə ˈɣiːvʲ/

/ˌdʲiə ˈɣiːbʲ/

/ˌdʲiə ˈiːbʲ/

hello, literally "God to you" (addressing two or more people or a pregnant woman; may also be used addressing a priest with the eucharist)


cén chaoi a bhfuil tú

(Connacht) how are you? (addressing one person)


de réir dealraimh

apparently, evidently, ostensibly, presumably, purportedly, reputedly, seemingly


de réir cosúlachta

apparently, evidently, ostensibly, presumably, purportedly, reputedly, seemingly (to all appearances)


led'thoil

« Anois, a mháthair », ar sise, « ó tá m’athair faghta bás agus gur fhág sé mo dhóthain do shaidhbhreas an tsaoghail agam-sa, is maith liom mé féin agus an saidhbhreas san do thabhairt do’n gcaptaen óg led’thoil-se ».

1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 194:

“Now, mother,” she said, “since my father has died and has left me enough of the world’s wealth, I wish to give myself and that wealth to the young captain please.”

Alternative form of le do thoil (“please”)


b'éigint

/ˈbʲeːɟɪn̠ʲtʲ/


is éigint

head

is éigint (past and conditional b’éigint, negative ní héigint)

b’éigint (conditional past)
ní héigint (negative)


mar ea

Apparently contracted from mar bha ea (“as it were”).

rí mar ea

— Lá breá atá ann inniu. —Tá mar ea!

—It’s a fine day today. —The hell it is!

Tá mar ea gabhar ar an mbóthar romham.

There is what seems to be a goat on the road before me.

Bhí an aimsir caithte agus nuair a bhí an t-árthach chun cuain a fhágaint ní raibh an máta ábalta ar dhul ar bórd, mar bhí sé breóidhte, mar eadh.

The time was up, and when the vessel was about to leave the harbor, the mate was not able to go aboard because he was ill, he claimed.

used to express skepticism or doubt about the accuracy or veracity of a claim


Dia's Muire dhuit

hello, literally "God and Mary to you" (addressing one person), answer to Dia dhuit


Dia is Muire dhaoibh

hello, literally "God and Mary to you" (addressing two or more people), answer to Dia dhaoibh


nach cuma

Tá sé níos airde ná mise, nach cuma?


in inmhe

/əˈn̠ʲɪnʲəvʲ/

teacht in inmhe

growing up, maturation, puberty, coming of age


slán abhaile

come home safely (used to bid farewell to someone who is going home)

slán agat

used to bid farewell to someone is staying where they are

slán leat

used to bid farewell to someone is leaving, but not necessarily going home


as go brách le

Do thug sí rainnt airgid don mbuachaill is as go bráth leis.

1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 196:

She gave the boy some money and off he went.


faoi leith

Do thug sí léi an t‑éadach-so agus do chuaidh sí féin i n‑áit fe leith, is do chuir sí uirthi é.

1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 198:

She took this vestment and went to a separate place, and put it on.


cad is ainm duit

/kad̪ˠ əs ˈanʲəmʲ d̪ˠɪtʲ/


gabháil cheoil

/ɡɔlˠ ˈçɔːlʲ/


ná trácht air

/n̪ˠɑː ˈt̪ˠɾˠɑːxt̪ˠ ɛɾʲ/

don't mention it, you're welcome (to one person)


níl a bhuíochas ort

/ˈn̠ʲiːlʲ ə ˈwiəxəsˠ ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/


ná tráchtaigí air

/n̪ˠɑː ˈt̪ˠɾˠɑːxt̪ˠɪɟiː ɛɾʲ/

don't mention it, you're welcome (to more than one person)


níl a bhuíochas oraibh

/ˈn̠ʲiːlʲ ə ˈwiəxəsˠ ɔɾˠiː/


go ndéana a mhaith duit

/ɡənʲiːnəˈwaɣɪtʲ/


mo ghrá thú

/mˠə ɣɾˠɑː huː/


go ndéana a mhaith daoibh

/ɡə nʲiːnə ˈwa ɣiːbʲ/


Dé do bheatha

From Middle Irish dia do betha or dé do betha, from Old Irish rot·bia do bethu (“you shall have your life”) or rot·bé do bethu (“may you have your life”). Compare is é do bheatha and Scottish Gaelic 's e do bheatha (“don’t mention it, you are welcome”).

cog

welcome, hail (used as a greeting, addressed to one person)


is é do bheatha

From Dé do bheatha with é ‘he, it’ substituted for dé, dia reinterpreted as meaning ‘god’; ultimately from Middle Irish dia do betha or dé do betha, from Old Irish rot·bia do bethu (“you shall have your life”) or rot·bé do bethu (“may you have your life”). Compare Scottish Gaelic 's e do bheatha (“don’t mention it, you are welcome”).


is mise le meas

(idiomatic) formula to end a letter, yours truly (literally: 'I am yours, respectfully')


Dia's Muire duit

/ˌdʲiəs ˈmˠɪɾʲə ˈd̪ˠɪtʲ/

Reply to Dia duit, literally "God and Mary to you".


aon scéal

Níl aon scéal nua agam ach gur airigh mé go mbeadh báire iomána ina leithéid seo d'áit amárach. [Leabhar Stiofáin Uí Ealaoire 1981: 15] Níl mórán dóchais aige as seo ach go mbainfidh sé triail as. Ní fhaca sé duine ná daoine ná aon[…]

2015 June 3, Seosamh Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Impreasin na Gaeilge A – H: (Fuaim na Gaeilge), AuthorHouse, →ISBN:

I do not have any new news except that I felt that there would be a hurling keeper in such a place tomorrow. [Stiófán Ó hEalaoire's book 1981: 15] He doesn't have much hope for this except that he will try it. He did not see a person or people or any …

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see aon, scéal.


Éirinn go brách

→ English: Erin go bragh

Dialectal form of Éire go brách (“Ireland forever”)


c'ainm atá ort

cad é an t-ainm atá ort?
cad é an t-ainm atá ort#Irish

Contraction of cad é an t-ainm atá ort? (“what is your name?”).


cad é mar atá tú

/kəˈdʲeː mˠəɾˠ əˈt̪ˠaː t̪ˠuː/


sin é

that's it, that's that, etc (said at the end of a task or event)


i ndeireadh na dála

when all is said and done
when all is said and done

at the end of the day
at the end of the day

finally, when all is said and done (in the end), at the end of the day (in summary; ultimately)


ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Literally, “may his soul be to the right of God”


tháinig sé de mhitheas

Tháinig sé de mhitheas dó dul.


ar chuma

ar chuma leat?

past/conditional interrogative of is cuma


ar nós chuma liom

/əɾˠ ˈn̪ˠõːs ˈxʌmˠə lʲɨ̞mˠ/

Alternative form of ar nós cuma liom (“indifferent(ly)”)


ar nós cuma liom

From ar nós (“in the style of”) + is cuma liom (“I don't care”)

af

Tá sí ar nós cuma liom faoina post.

indifferent, apathetic, lackadaisical, negligent, nonchalant (predicative only)

D'fhreagair sé ar nós cuma liom.
He answered indifferently.

indifferently, apathetically, negligently, nonchalantly


cad é an t-ainm atá ort

/kəˈdʲeː ənˠ ˈt̪ˠanʲəmʲ əˈt̪ˠaː ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/


caidé an dóigh atá ort

cad é an dóigh atá ort?
cad é an dóigh atá ort#Irish

Alternative spelling of cad é an dóigh atá ort?


cad é an dóigh atá ort

/kəˈdʲeː ənˠ d̪ˠoːj əˈt̪ˠaː ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/


cad é mar tá tú

cad é mar atá tú?
cad é mar atá tú#Irish


ar do sheanléim

bʹɛ mʹə ərʹ mə hæNʹLʹeimʹ əmα:rαχ

1906, E. C. Quiggin, A Dialect of Donegal (overall work in English), Cambridge University Press, page 91:

feeling like oneself, in form, recovered


cén bhail atá oraibh

how are you? (addressing two or more people)


chífidh mé thú

"Chífidh me thú," were my parting words, sadly the next time I saw him was in a coffin in the company of his wonderful wife, Máire, his children and the great ó Sé footballers.

2012 December 23, Seán Kelly, “A man for all seasons who drove Kerry back to football's summit”, in Irish Independent (in English):


idir cleith agus ursain

Idir cleith is ursain d'imigh sé

He escaped by the skin of his teeth/by a hair’s breadth.

by the skin of one's teeth
by the skin of one's teeth

by the skin of one's teeth, by a hair's breadth


mustar gan ghustal

delusions of grandeur
delusion of grandeur

delusions of grandeur, all show and no go


th'anam don diucs

/ˌhɑn̪ˠəmˠ ənʲˈdʲɯks/

“Hanaman diucs! a Cháit, an cístí mísle atá déanta agat?”

1919, Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha, Jimín Mháire Thaidhg, Dublin and Cork: Comhlucht Oideachais na hÉireann, page 27:

“What the deuce, Cáit, have you made cakes?”

Munster form of d'anam don diucs (“what the deuce”)


caor thine ort

/ˈkiːɾʲ hɪnʲu ɔɾˠt̪ˠ/


más ionúin an chráin is ionúin an t-ál

Literally, "If the sow is beloved, the litter is beloved".

Love me, love my dog (i.e. be prepared to accept everything about me)


beir bua agus beannacht

/bʲɛɾʲ bˠuə ɑɡəsˠ ˈbʲan̪ˠəxt̪ˠ/


a thuilleadh

(chiefly in the negative) any more, no longer