Irish for Beginners

A lán

A lot

A sheinm

To play (as in music)

Áfach

However

Anois is aris

Now and then

Bácáil

Baking (masc., gen. bacála)

Bheith ag

To be

Caitheamh aimsire

Hobbies

Can, v.n. -adh

Sing, -ing

Ceol

Music (masc., gen. -eoil)

Chuaigh

Went

Cócaireacht

Cooking (fem., gen. -a)

Cuir, v.n. cur

Put

Cúpla uair sa^séimhiú/ts

A few times a…

Déan, v.n. -amh

Do

Ealaín

Art (fem., gen. -e, pl. ealaíon(a))

Éist, v.n. -eacht (le)

Listen, -ing (to)

Faigh, v.n. fáil

Get

Faoin

About

Féachaint ar

Watch

Foghlaim, v.n. ~

Learn

Gach

Every

Glac, v.n. -adh

Take, grasp

Go minic

Often

Go rialta

Regularly

Imigh, v.n -eacht

Leave

Imir, -t

Play, ing (of sport/game)

Is fuath liom…

I hate…

Leabharlann

Library

Léamh, léitheoireacht

Reading, doing reading (fem., gen.-a)

Litir

Letter (gen. litreach)

Mí

Month

Popcheol

Pop music

Rinne

Did

Rith, v.n. ~

Running

Scanná(i)n

Film(s)

Scríobh (-nóireacht), v.n. ~

Write, ([doing] -ing), (fen, gen. -a)

Seachas

Aside from

(t)Seachtain

Week

Seinn, seinm

Play, playing (of music)

Siúil, v.n. siúl

Walk

Spórt

Sport (masc., gen.-óirt)

Tabhair, v.n. -t

Give

Taistil, v.n. taisteal

Travel

Tar, v.n. teacht

Come

Téigh, v.n. dul

Go

Tháinig

Came

Tóg, v.n. -adh

Take, raise

Tuig, v.n. tuiscint

Understand

Uair saséimhiú/ts

Every

First conjugation

 Roots of…

·       One syllable

·       Ending in -áil

·       Ending in -áin, -óil, and -úir

To form the present tense

·       1^st sg: root + -(a)im

·       1^st pl: root + -(a)imid

·       2^nd/3^rd sg/pl: root + -(e)ann + pronoun

Second conjugation

Roots of…

·       Ending in –(a)igh

·       Ending in –(a)ir, -(a)il, and –(a)is

·       Multiple syllables not already mentioned

To form the present tense

·       1^st sg: root + (a)im

·       1^st pl: root + (a)ímid

·       2^nd/3^rd sg/pl: root + (a)íonn + pronoun

Habitual present

• Bí has a special inflection: Bím, bímid, bíonn tú/sé/sí/sibh/siad

• For all other verbs, you say bíonn + ag + verbal noun

Past tense

1. Apply séimhiú to any consonant-initial root OR prefix d’ to any vowel- or fh-inital root  

2. Add (pro)noun

Express obligation

Le - “with”

Express near future

Chun - “to”

Abhaile

Home

Ach oiread

Either

Álainn

Beautiful (comp./pl, áille)

Amach

Out

An

The (singular), when starting a sentence, asks a question and takes urú

An maith leat…?

Do you like…?

Ann

There

An…é?

Is it a….?

Anlann

Sauce, condiment, seasoning (masc., gen. -ainn)

Anocht

Tonight

Anraith

Soup (masc., pl. -í, gen. ~)

Aoibhinn

Lovely ~ Love, adore (comp. aoibhne)

Aon rud eile

Anything else

Ar

On, when starting a sentence, asks a simple past-tense question and takes séimhiú

Ar ais

Back, to

Ar mhaith leat…?

Would you like…?

Arán

Bread (masc., pl. -áin, gen. -áin)

Ard

High, tall (comp. airde)

Asal

Donkey

Ba mhaith liom…

I would like…

Bainne

Milk (masc., gen. ~)

Bán

White

Beag

Small (comp. lú)

Beoir

Beer (fem., pl. -oracha, gen. -orach)

Bhó

Cow

Bia

Food (masc., pl. -anna, gen. ~)

Breá

Fine, grand ~ really like (comp. breátha)

Briosca

Biscuit (masc., pl. -aí, gen. ~)

Bríste

Trousers

Buí

Yellow

Cá raibh sé?

Where was he?

Cáca (milis)

Cake (masc., pl. -aí, gen. ~)

Caife

Coffee (masc., pl. -í, gen. -air)

Caipín

Cap

Capall

Horse

Cat

Cat

Ceacht(anna)

Lesson(s)

Ceapaire

Sandwhich (masc., pl. -í, gen. ~)

Ceart

Right, correct (comp. cirte)

Chaora

Sheep

(a) Chodladh

To bed, to sleep

Chonaic

Saw

Cistin

Kitchen (fem., gen. ~)

Clog

A clock

Compordach

Comfortable (comp. compordaí)