Common Gaelic Phrases 

 Greetings

A Chairde Dear Friends

Dia duit! Hi there!

Dia daoibh! Hi there! [plural]

Cead Mile Failte A hundred thousand welcomes!
GOODBYE

Slan! Bye

Slan go foill! Bye for now

Adh mor! Cheers!

Beir bua agus beannacht, Best wishes,
WORDS OF GRATITUDE

Go raibh maith agat! Thank You! [singular]

Go raibh mile maith agaibh as bhur gcunamh! Thank you very much for your help! [plural]

Ta' me' buioch diot as do chunamh. I'm grateful to you for your help. [singular]

Ta' failte romhat! You're welcome! [singular]

Mo ghraidhin go deo thu! Bravo! Good for you!

B'fheidir go bhfuil an ceart agat. Maybe you're right.

An dairire ata tu? Are you serious?

meallach......beautiful
bhur......Y/your
rudha......a blush
rugaire.......drunkard 

feasgar math........good evening
madainn math........good morning
cuir S/sinn toilich........please join U/us
slan leat......fare T/thee well, farewell
socair taisdeal........safe/peaceful travels

e do bheatha........you're welcome
slainte mhath......good health
Go n-éirí leat......All the best
tha, le'r cead........yes Sir or Madam
le'r cead........with Your permission
iarr cead........ask leave 

Happy Birthday....'Lá Breithe Shona dhuit

Words of Love

Gra, Love

Mo chroi, My heart

Cairde, friends

Pog, Kiss

Anam chara, Soulmate

Mo chuisle, My darling:

Graim thu, I love you

An bposfaidh tu me?, Will you marry me?

Cronaim thu, I miss you

Ta tu go h-alainnh, You’re beautiful

Mo anam cara: Soul mate or soul friend

Gra geal mo chroi: Bright love of my heart

Gra go deo: Love forever

Gra dilseacht cairdeas: Love, loyalty, friendship

Cuirle mo croide: Pulse of my heart

Le mo ghrasa mise, agus liomsa mo ghra: I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. 

Love & Terms of Endearment

April 27, 2007 at 2:39 pm · Filed under frequent translations, vocabulary · Back to Articles

Love is one of those complex concepts, isn’t it. Love is abstract so it is no wonder that there are so many ways to express how you feel about another.

1. Types of Love

There are many different nouns.  Here is a rough guide.  Nouns are in nominative form.

Grá – This is the generic word for love. From love of person, an abstract concept, your country, between lovers, neighbourly love…

Grá a bheith agat ar dhuine or Grá a bheith agat do duine – To love someone.
Bheith i ngrá le duine – To be in love with someone.

Grá na fírinne – Love of truth
Ar ghrá ruda or de ghrá ruda – For love of a thing, for the sake of a thing

Fíorghrá – True love
Amhrán grá – Love song
Bheith i bpian an ghrá or Bheith á c(h)loí le grá – To be lovesick

Others: Verbal Noun of Gráigh; Charity; Beloved Person; (Literature) Aos Grá – Confidents, chosen followers.

Cion – Love as in “affection”.

Cion croí a dhéanamh le leanbh – To hug a child to one’s bosom.
Ainm ceana – Pet name.

Other: Regard, Esteem; Effect, Influence

Gean – Affection. Less widely used than Cion.

Also: Gean gáire – Smile.

Searc – Love (between lovers)

Searc a thabhairt do dhuine – To love someone.
Le searc air – For love of him
Céadsearc – First love

Also: Beloved one.

Páirt – Fellowship, friendship, affection.

Lucht gaoil agus páirte – Relatives and friends.
A leanbh na páirte – My Dear Child.

Also: Part, Portion, Region, Participation, Party to a dispute; Partnership, association, alliance.

Cumann – Friendship, love; companionship.

Mo lucht cumainn – My Friends, companions.
Cumann a dhéanamh le duine or dul i gcumann le duine – To associate with or make friends with someone.

Also: Darling, Sweetheart; Company, fellowship, community.

2. Ways to express love

Often times people interchange these expressions. Note the differences.

First person singular I

Tá grá agam duit – I love you, I have love for you
Gráím thú – I love you (Not used often because Irish has been traditionally more of a prepositional language than a verbal one).
Tugaim cion duit – I give you affection
Tá cion agam ort – I have affection for you
Tá mé ceanúil ort – I’m loving/affectionate towards you

Táim i ngrá leat – I am in love with you
Is tú mo ghrá – You are my love

Is breá liom… – I love… (a thing/ activity)

However I must say my favourite is:
Tá mo chroí istigh ionat – My heart is within you

3. Endearments

(This list is not exhaustive)

NB: Mo (the Irish word for My) has been changed to A in places. This often happens with terms of endearment. It is what is known as the vocative form of the noun. This is used when calling people, be in physically or at the start of a letter. At any rate I would pick the A ones over the MO ones.

Lovers:
A Ghrá mo Chroí (ah hraw muh hree) = My Heart’s Beloved, My Darling
A Ghrá Geal (ah hraw gal) = My Bright Love, Boy(/Girl)friend
A Ghrá (ah hraw); Mo Ghrá (muh hraw) = My Love
A Rún (ah ruin); Mo Rún (muh ruin) = My Dear
Mo Mhuirnín (muh wer-neen); A Mhuirnín (ah wer-neen) = My Dear
A Stór (ah store) = My Darling (NOTE, exception to lenition rule)
Mo Shearc (muh hark) = My Love
A Thaisce (ah hash-keh) = My Treasure
A Chumann (ah hom-un)= My Darling, Sweetheart.

Other and/ or Lovers:

Cursing

bi mòr aig a chèile a-rithist........kiss and make up
a-rithist agus a-rithist ........over and over (again)
falbh........leave lean air........go on (continue)
leig tàmh do........leave me alone
teann a-null!........get away from me!
pithean........tart (dish)
strìopach........tart (prostitute)
breineag........slut
galla........bitch
gonadh!........damn!
Focáil leat........fuck off
theirig a-steach gu thu........fuck you
póg mo thón ( pronounced pogue muh ho-in).......kiss my ass 

Is dócha nach bhfuil seans ar bith ann? .....I suppose a ride is out of the question?

Bualadh craicinn ......fucking

Cailleach......old hag/witch

Cac ar oineach.......scumbag

Damnú ort....damm You

Bí ‘do thost.....shut up

Téigh trasna ort féin.....go fuck Yourself

Díul mó bhad.....suck my dick

Tá tú glan as do mheabhair......Your crazy

Táim ag teacht.....i'm cumming

Is cuma liom sa diabhal......I don't give a damm

Go hIfreann leat.....to hell with You

Days of the Week

Months of the Year

Months of the Year in Gaelic

People and Family