"An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?" ... "Do you speak Irish?" You have more than you think! Getty
Think you don't have a word of Irish? We bet you recognize more of these words than you'd think!
Aodhán O'Dea, Stiúrthóir Forbartha/ Director of Development with Conradh na Gaeilge, Glór na nGael and Comhluadar, is passionate about the Irish language.
He's come up with an interesting test for those who think they don't know a word of the Irish language that he's kindly given us permission to share.
Do you know the meaning of these 101 words as Gaeilge?
“Ah sure I don’t have a word of Irish” is one of those throwaway phrases we hear regularly about an Ghaeilge, O'Dea says.
My response to this is to challenge them to think about it and they normally have lots of Irish; hundreds of words in fact, and can put basic sentences together.
If you studied Irish through school and think you have forgotten it all you might just surprise yourself by having a read of the list below. I bet you will know most of them if not all:
- Tá
- Níl
- Mé
- Tú
- Sé
- Sí
- Agus
- Isteach
- Amach
- Dia Duit
- Fáilte
- Beag
- Mór
- Nua
- Sásta
- Brón
- Grá
- Mná
- Fir
- Cailín
- Buachaill
- Bia
- Cóipleabhar
- Bainne
- Siúcra
- Uisce
- Tae
- Caifé
- Bricfeasta
- Cáca milis
- Cupán
- Milseán
- Conas atá tú?
- Go maith
- Go raibh maith agat
- Slán
- Abhaile
- Craic
- Sláinte
- Lá
- Seachtain
- Lámh
- Bróg
- Súil
- Béal
- Croí
- Fiacla
- Hata
- Geansaí
- Aon
- Dó
- Trí
- Ceathar
- Cúig
- Sé
- Seacht
- Ocht
- Naoi
- Gaeilge
- Béarla
- Éire
- Raidió
- Teilifís
- Liathróid
- Bainisteoir
- Ticéad
- Dearg
- Bán
- Dubh
- Glas
- Gorm
- Oráiste
- Nuacht
- Aimsir
- Sneachta
- Fliuch
- Garda Síochána
- An Post
- Scoil
- Coláiste
- Taoiseach
- Tánaiste
- Dáil
- Pictiúrlann
- Snámh
- Rith
- Leaba
- Doras
- Fuinneog
- Leithreas
- Bosca
- Brúscar
- Ceol
- Leabhar
- Siopa
- Rothar
- Tacsaí
- Bóthar
- Cnoc
- Madra
- Capall
So how did you get on? Find out what each Irish word means in our answer list here.
Now all you need to do is start making sentences with them and you will be back speaking Irish in no time! Be positive about the language, and try out your “cúpla focal” – you will be surprised how fast it comes back to you!
For more Irish language information, visit CNAG.ie.
* Originally published in March 2014. Updated in 2023.