Often a short vowel in an Irish word will sound to an American somewhat like the (uh) in “unfit”. We have represented the sound by (uh) in some cases, because Americans will find the (uh) sound closer to their pronunciation experience. The Irish word “clog” is an example. We represent it by (kluhg), but as your pronunciation improves, you will learn to pronounce it with a short (oh) sound, rounding your lips more than for (uh).

Irish makes less use of the (uh) sound than does English, and this is important to remember as you refine your pronunciation.

The síneadh fada can indicate significant pronunciation differences. For example, “Seán” is a name, but “sean” means “old”. “Fear” (far) is “man”, but “féar” (fay*r) is “grass”. The word “Éire” (AY-re) means “Ireland”, but “eire” (E-re) is “burden”. On Irish stamps a few years ago, Ireland was called “Eire”, through either ignorance or malice.

In Irish, nearly all adjectives follow the noun, and if the noun is feminine, the initial consonant of the adjective is aspirated. Learn these examples thoroughly:

First, masculine nouns:

an lá mór (un law* mohr), the big day

an fear beag (un far byuhg), the little man

bus dearg (bus DYAR-uhg), a red bus

an bord mór (un bohrd mohr), the big table

mo bhord mór (muh vwohrd mohr), my big table

do bhord beag (duh vwohrd byuhg), your little table

do bhád beag (duh vwaw*d byuhg), your little boat

Next, feminine nouns:

bean mhór (ban vwohr), a big woman

an bhean mhór (un van vwohr), the big woman

fuinneog bheag (fwin-YOHG vyuhg), a little window

an fhuinneog bheag (un in-YOHG vyuhg), the little window

tír fhliuch (teer lyuk*), a wet country

an tír fhliuch (un teer lyuk*), the wet country

cos fhada (kuhs AH-duh), a long foot

an chos fhada (un k*uhs AH-duh), the long foot

oíche mhaith (EE-hye vwah), a good night

an oíche mhaith (un EE-hye vwah), the good night

A few adjectives come before the noun. “Sean” (shan), meaning “old”, is one of these. It aspirates the initial consonant of the noun. Learn these examples:

sean-bhord (shan vwohrd), an old table

an sean-bhord (un shan vwohrd), the old table

an sean-fhear (un shan ar), the old man

“Tá … sa chistin (taw* … suh HYISH-tin) means “… is in the kitchen”.

With this as the basic sentence, go through the progressive drill that you learned in Lesson 4, inserting these word groups for “…”:

bean mhór (ban vwohr), a big woman

an bhean bheag (un van vyuhg), the little woman

cailín álainn (kah-LEEN AW*-lin), a beautiful girl

an fhuinneog mhór (un in-YOHG vwohr), the big window

mo bhord íseal (muh vwohrd EE-shuhl), my low table

do chat ramhar (duh k*aht ROU-wuhr), your fat cat

Start with: An bhfuil bean mhór sa chistin? (un VWIL ban vwohr suh HYISH-tin), Is there a big woman in the kitchen? Níl bean mhór sa chistin. Tá an bhean bheag sa chistin. An bhfuil an bhean bheag sa chistin? And so on. The last two sentences will be: Níl do chat ramhar sa chistin. Tá bean mhór sa chistin.

You should now know some basic pronunciation of the simpler words. The words that you have learned were given chiefly to illustrate pronunciation. We will devote more space henceforth to vocabulary and grammar. The emphasis will always be on building your speaking ability, with phrases rather than separate words as the basic units. You should also be able to initiate a conversation by now, if you have studied the conversation for each lesson.

Brian (BREE-uhn): Dia duit, a Phádraig (DEE-uh git, uh FAW*-drig). Hello Patrick.

Pádraig (PAW*-drig): Dia’s Muire duit, a Bhriain (DEE-uhs MWIR-uh git, uh-VREE-in). Conas tá tú? (KUN-uhs taw* too); Hello, Brian. How are you?

Brian: Tá mé go maith (TAW* may* goh MAH). Agus conas tá tú féin? (AH-guhs KUN-uhs taw* too fay*n); I am well. And how are you yourself?

Pádraig: Tá mé go maith, freisin (FRESH-in). Tá báisteach air anois (taw* BAW*SH-tuhk* er uh-NISH). I am well, too. It looks like rain now.

Brian: Bhí sé ag cur báistí aréir (vee shay* uh kur BAW*SH-tee uh-RAY*R). Féach! Tá an t-sráid fluich fós (FAY*-ahk*! taw* un traw*d flyuk* fohs). It was raining last night. Look! The street is still wet.

Pádraig: Tá an aimsir fuar fliuch, go cinnte (taw* un EYEM-sheer FOO-uhr flyuhk*, goh KIN-te). The weather is cold and wet, certainly.