Vocabulary of Irish (Gaeilge)

Nouns, definite articles, plurals
Adjectives masculine, feminine

1.    mother           máthair, an mháthair, máithreacha
2.    father           athair, an t-athair, aithreacha
3.    sister           deirfiúr, an deirfiúr, deirfiúracha
4.    brother           deartháir, an deartháir, deartháireacha
5.    daughter           iníon, an iníon, iníonacha
6.    son           mac, an mac, mic


Óir ghráigh Dia an domhan chomh mór sin gur thug sé a Aonghin Mic uaidh i dtreo,
gach duine a chreideann ann, nach gcaillfí é ach go mbeadh an bheatha shioraí aige.


For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The Bible, John, 3, 16

Click on the words to learn more


1.    water           uisce, an t-uisce
2.    fire           tine, an tine, tinte
3.    sun           grian, an ghrian
4.    moon           gealach, an ghealach, gealacha
5.    wind           gaoth, an ghaoth
6.    rain           fearthainn, an fhearthainn


1.    one           aon
2.    two           dhá
3.    three           trí
4.    four           cheithre
5.    five           cúig
6.    six          


Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu.

Give us today our daily bread.
The Bible, Matthew, 6, 11

Click on the words to learn more


1.    cat           cat, an cat, cait
2.    dog           madra, an madra, madraí
3.    horse           capall, an capall, capaill
4.    cow           bó, an bhó, ba
5.    fish           iasc, an t-iasc, éisc
6.    bird           éan, an t-éan, éin
7.    tree           crann, an crann, crainn
8.    flower           bláth, an bláth, bláthanna


Tosach Shoiscéal Íosa Críost, Mac Dé.

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Bible, Mark, 1,1

Click on the words to learn more


1.    white           bán, bhán
2.    black           dubh, dhubh
3.    red           dearg, dhearg
4.    green           glas, ghlas
5.    yellow           buí, bhuí
6.    blue           gorm, ghorm
7.    grey           liath, liath
8.    brown           donn, dhonn

National languages in bold

Early Irish

Recent Irish (pre-1948)
Old Irish (700 A.D. - 850 A.D.)


Back to menu