Irish has seen a huge surge in popularity around the world – so whether you’re looking to brush up on some long-forgotten vocab or just teach your child a few new words, here are 60+ fantastic Irish words and phrases to get you started. Are you ready for a bit of obair bhaile?

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I am not a native Irish speaker but do find that I use words and phrases that I learned at school in my everyday vocabulary. I have included some of them here along with an attempt at spelling them phonetically to make pronunciation easier. Have fun testing them out at home!

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Irish Words and Phrases to Learn

#1. Obair bhaile

• Meaning: Homework
• Phonetically: ubber waile

#2. Cad is anim duit?

• Meaning: What is your name?
• Phonetically: cod iss anam ditch

#3. Is anim dom

• Meaning: My name is
• Phonetically: iss anam dum

#4. Cén aois thú?

• Meaning: How old are you?
• Phonetically: kane eesh tu

#5. Tá mé x bliana d’aois

• Meaning: I am x years old
• Phonetically: tah may x bleena deeash

#6. Go raibh maith agat

• Meaning: Thank you
• Phonetically: go rawh mah agut

#7. Tá fáilte romhat

• Meaning: You are welcome
• Phonetically: tah fall-che rowth

#8. An bhfaca tú?

• Meaning: Did you see?
• Phonetically: on waca tuh

#9. Conaic mé/Ní fhaca mé

• Meaning: I saw/did not see
• Phonetically: conig mai / knee acha mai

#10. Dia duit/Dia daoibh

• Meaning: Hello (duit singular & daoibh plural)
• Phonetically: jia gwtich / jia yeve

#11. Dia’s Muire duit/Dia’s Muire daoibh

• Meaning: Hello to you too (relpy to dia duit/daoibh)
• Phonetically: jia smuire gwitch / jia smuire yeve

#12, Conas atá tú/Cé’ bhfuil tú?

• Meaning: How are you?
• Phonetically: conas ataw tou / kay will tou

#13. Tá mé go maith go raibh maith agat

• Meaning: I am good thank you
• Phonetically: taw mai gu mah gu row mah agut

#14. Tá mé go dona

• Meaning: I am not good
• Phonetically: taw mai gu donagh

#15. Agus tú féin?

• Meaning: And you?
• Phonetically: ogg-us tuh fein

#16. Slán leat

• Meaning: Goodbye
• Phonetically: slawn lat

#17. Feicfidh mé amárach thú

• Meaning: I will see you tomorrow
• Phonetically: feci mai a-mar-ruck tuh

#18. Ar ól tú uisce inniu?

• Meaning: Did you drink water today?
• Phonetically: er ole tou ischa innew

#19. D’ól / Níor ól

• Meaning: I did drink / I didn’t drink
• Phonetically: dole / near ole

#20. Buidéal

• Meaning: Bottle
• Phonetically: budge-ale

#21. Cén fáth?

• Meaning: Why?
• Phonetically: kane faw

#22. Uafásach

• Meaning: Horrible
• Phonetically: ooo-fas-uch

#23. Ar ith tú do lón?

• Meaning: Did you eat your lunch?
• Phonetically: air ih thoo duh loan

#24. D’ith / Níor ith

• Meaning: I ate / I didn’t eat
• Phonetically: jith / near ith

#25. Bosca Lón

• Meaning: Lunch Box
• Phonetically: busca loan

#26. Ceapaire

• Meaning: Sandwich
• Phonetically: kyapara

#27. Is maith liom

• Meaning: I like
• Phonetically: iss mah lom

#28. An bhfuil cead agam?

• Meaning: Do I have permission/can I?
• Phonetically: on will cad a-gum

#29. Tá cead agat / Níl cead agat

• Meaning: Yes you have permission / No you don’t have permission
• Phonetically: tah cad agut / neil cad agut

#30. Le do thoil

• Meaning: Please
• Phonetically: le duh hull

#31. Go raibh maith agat

• Meaning: Thank you
• Phonetically: gu row mah agut

#32. Breithlá

• Meaning: Birthday
• Phonetically: bre-law

#33. Bronntanas

• Meaning: Present
• Phonetically: brun-tun-us

#34. Grá

• Meaning: Love
• Phonetically: graw

#35. Is breá liom tú

• Meaning: I love you
• Phonetically: ish bra lom thoo

#36. Oíche mhaith

• Meaning: Goodnight
• Phonetically: eeha wah

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Fun and Unusual Irish Words and Phrases

These are some of my favourite Irish words and phrases. I picked them because I like how they sound when you say them.

#37. Cois farraige

• Meaning: Seaside
• Phonetically: cush arriga

#38. Smugairle róin

• Meaning: Jellyfish
• Phonetically: smugorla rion

#39. Dtonnta

• Meaning: Waves
• Phonetically: donta

#40. Fuinneamh

• Meaning: Energy
• Phonetically: funnibh

#41. Bogadh

• Meaning: Move
• Phonetically: buga

#42. Imirt

• Meaning: Play
• Phonetically: im-erch

#43. Spraoi

• Meaning: Fun
• Phonetically: Spree

#44. Súgradh

• Meaning: Game/Play
• Phonetically: sue-gru

#45. Ceoil agus Craic

• Meaning: Music and Fun
• Phonetically: keol ogus crack

#46. Rince

• Meaning: Dance
• Phonetically: rink-ah

#47. Léim

• Meaning: Jump/leap
• Phonetically: lame

#48. Áit le háit

• Meaning: Place to place
• Phonetically: auitch le hautich

#49. Flaithiúil

• Meaning: Generous
• Phonetically: fleadh-huil

#50. Bhí sí/sé an-fhialtach

• Meaning: She/He is very generous
• Phonetically: bee she/shay on fleadh-huil-och

#51. Úlla

• Meaning: Apples
• Phonetically: ooh-la

#52. Ríomhaire

• Meaning: Computer
• Phonetically: ree-ver-ah

#53. Ríomhphost

• Meaning: Email
• Phonetically: reeve-pust

#54. Leabhar

• Meaning: Book
• Phonetically: lau-er

#56. Ag léamh

• Meaning: To read
• Phonetically: egg leibh

#57. Saoirse

• Meaning: Freedom
• Phonetically: seer-sha

#58. Croí

• Meaning: Heart
• Phonetically: cree

#59. Tá sé álainn

• Meaning: It is beautiful
• Phonetically: tah shay ol-yinn

#60. Tá sé uafásach

• Meaning: It is horrible
• Phonetically: tah shay oo-fas-uck

#61. Tá sé ag cur báistí

• Meaning: It is raining
• Phonetically: tah shay egg cur – baois-ti

#62. Draíocht

• Meaning: Magic
• Phonetically: dree-uct

#63. Baile

• Meaning: Town or Home
• Phonetically: bal-ya

#64. Fón póca

• Meaning: Mobile phone
• Phonetically: phone po-ka

#65. Cara

• Meaning: Friend
• Phonetically: karagh

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