Basic Expressions in Irish

In Brief

A few fixed Irish phrases let you greet someone, introduce yourself, ask how they are, and speak politely from your first conversation. Begin with Dia duit (“hello”), Conas atá tú? (“How are you?”), ___ is ainm dom (“my name is ___”), and Go raibh maith agat (“thank you”). Learn each expression as a complete unit first; the grammar inside it will become clearer as you progress.

Overview

Basic expressions are among the first things you meet at A1 because they make real interaction possible before you know how to construct many sentences. Irish does not always package ideas in the same way as English. For example, Irish literally says that a name is “to me,” while thanks take the form of a wish that good may be “at you.” These are normal Irish patterns, not word-for-word puzzles that need correcting into English order.

Many common expressions contain a prepositional pronoun (a single Irish word combining a preposition with a pronoun): duit means “to you,” agat means “at you,” and dom means “to me.” English usually uses a separate preposition and pronoun, so recognizing these compact forms will help you far beyond greetings.

At first, aim to recognize and produce whole phrases naturally. You do not need to analyze every verb form or spelling change yet. The essential skill is choosing the right phrase for one person or several people and knowing the reply a speaker is likely to expect.

How It Works

Greeting one person

The standard greeting Dia duit is traditionally understood as “God to you,” but in everyday use it simply functions as “hello.” It is not restricted to a religious setting. A traditional reply expands the greeting:

• Dia duit. — Hello. (said to one person)
• Dia is Muire duit. — Hello in reply; literally, “God and Mary to you.”

In a real exchange, learners may also hear Dia is Muire duit shortened or followed by ordinary conversation. It is useful to know the conventional response, but speakers do not always perform the full formula.

When addressing more than one person, use daoibh rather than duit:

Irish	English	Note
Dia duit.	Hello.	To one person
Dia daoibh.	Hello.	To two or more people
Dia is Muire duit.	Hello.	Traditional reply to one person
Dia is Muire daoibh.	Hello.	Traditional reply to a group

Asking how someone is

Conas atá tú? means “How are you?” The word tá is the form of “be” used for a state or condition, while tú is singular “you.” A simple answer starts with Tá mé... (“I am...”):

• Tá mé go maith. — I’m well.
• Tá mé ceart go leor. — I’m okay / all right.
• Níl mé go dona. — I’m not bad.
• Tá mé tuirseach. — I’m tired.

To return the question, add Agus tú féin? (“And yourself?”). When speaking to a group—or politely to one person in varieties that maintain formal singular address—sibh replaces tú: Conas atá sibh? and Agus sibh féin? In much everyday modern speech, tú is the usual way to address one person regardless of status.

Irish has regional alternatives for “How are you?” You may hear Cén chaoi a bhfuil tú?, especially associated with Connacht, or Cad é mar atá tú?, especially in Ulster. A beginner can actively use Conas atá tú? while learning to recognize the others.

Saying your name

A common introduction follows this pattern:

[Name] + is ainm dom.

Here ainm means “name” and dom means “to me.” The sentence Seán is ainm dom is therefore structured roughly as “Seán is name to me,” but natural English says “My name is Seán.” Insert your name at the beginning; do not translate “my name is” word by word.

You can ask someone’s name with Cad is ainm duit? (“What is your name?”). Notice the matching pair:

Irish	English	Note
Cad is ainm duit?	What is your name?	duit: to you
Aoife is ainm dom.	My name is Aoife.	dom: to me
Cad is ainm daoibh?	What are your names?	To two or more people

Another frequent way to identify yourself is Is mise Aoife (“I’m Aoife” or “I am Aoife”). Mise is an emphatic form of “I/me”; here it naturally presents your identity. Both introduction patterns are useful.

Politeness essentials

The following expressions work as ready-made conversational units:

Irish	English	Note
Le do thoil.	Please.	To one person; widely used as a general “please”
Le bhur dtoil.	Please.	To more than one person
Go raibh maith agat.	Thank you.	To one person
Go raibh maith agaibh.	Thank you.	To two or more people
Tá fáilte romhat.	You’re welcome.	To one person
Tá fáilte romhaibh.	You’re welcome.	To two or more people
Gabh mo leithscéal.	Excuse me / pardon me.	Gets attention or apologizes
Tá brón orm.	I’m sorry.	Expresses apology or regret

The polite request marker usually comes after the request, much like English “please”: Cupán tae, le do thoil (“A cup of tea, please”). The expression Go raibh maith agat contains a verb form that beginners do not need to generate independently. Treat the entire phrase as the normal way to thank one person.

Leaving and closing a conversation

Slán is the core everyday farewell. It can stand alone, and several fuller forms are also common:

• Slán! — Goodbye!
• Slán agat. — Goodbye (to one person staying behind).
• Slán agaibh. — Goodbye (to several people staying behind).
• Slán leat. — Goodbye (to one person leaving).
• Slán go fóill. — Goodbye for now / see you later.
• Oíche mhaith. — Good night.

The distinction between slán agat and slán leat reflects who is staying and who is going. Beginners can safely use Slán without making that distinction.

Examples in Context

Irish	English	Note
Dia duit!	Hello!	Greeting one person
Dia daoibh, a chairde.	Hello, friends.	Greeting a group
Conas atá tú?	How are you?	Everyday singular question
Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat.	I’m well, thank you.	Answer plus thanks
Níl mé go dona. Agus tú féin?	I’m not bad. And you?	Returns the question
Cad is ainm duit?	What is your name?	Literally asks what name is “to you”
Seán is ainm dom.	My name is Seán.	Name comes first
Is mise Nóra.	I’m Nóra.	Direct self-identification
Cupán caife, le do thoil.	A cup of coffee, please.	Polite request
Go raibh maith agat as do chabhair.	Thank you for your help.	as introduces the reason for thanks
Tá fáilte romhat.	You’re welcome.	Reply to thanks, one person
Gabh mo leithscéal, cá bhfuil an stáisiún?	Excuse me, where is the station?	Politely gets attention
Tá brón orm, ní thuigim.	I’m sorry, I don’t understand.	Useful repair phrase
An féidir leat é sin a rá arís?	Can you say that again?	Keeps a conversation going
Slán go fóill!	Goodbye for now!	Friendly farewell

A short first meeting might therefore run like this:

A: Dia duit. Cad is ainm duit?
B: Dia is Muire duit. Eoin is ainm dom. Agus tusa?
A: Is mise Máire. Conas atá tú?
B: Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat. Agus tú féin?
A: Tá mé go maith freisin.

Here tusa is the emphatic form of tú. Agus tusa? naturally means “And you?” when contrasting the other person with the speaker.

Common Mistakes

Translating “My name is...” word for word

• Wrong: Mo ainm is Seán.
• Right: Seán is ainm dom.
• Why: The standard introduction places the name first and uses dom, “to me.” Learn the pattern rather than copying English possessive structure.

Mixing singular and plural forms

• Wrong: Dia duit, a chairde.
• Right: Dia daoibh, a chairde.
• Why: duit addresses one person; daoibh addresses more than one. The same contrast appears in agat/agaibh and romhat/romhaibh.

Answering a greeting with an English translation

• Awkward: treating Dia duit as a theological statement that needs a literal response.
• Natural: Dia is Muire duit or simply continuing the greeting and conversation.
• Why: In modern interaction, Dia duit functions as a conventional hello. Its literal origin does not determine the topic or tone of the exchange.

Building “thank you” from separate dictionary words

• Wrong: Maith agat for “thank you.”
• Right: Go raibh maith agat.
• Why: The whole expression is fixed. Omitting go raibh removes an essential part of the phrase.

Using English word order in a name question

• Wrong: Cad do ainm?
• Right: Cad is ainm duit?
• Why: Irish asks what name is “to you.” The prepositional pronoun duit is required in this pattern.

Confusing apology and attention-getting

• Less suitable: Tá brón orm merely to attract a stranger’s attention.
• Better: Gabh mo leithscéal.
• Why: Tá brón orm expresses sorrow or apology. Gabh mo leithscéal covers “excuse me” and is the more direct way to get attention politely.

Usage Notes

Irish varies considerably by region, and everyday greetings make that variation easy to hear. Conas atá tú? is broadly understood, but local speakers may prefer Cén chaoi a bhfuil tú? or Cad é mar atá tú? Pronunciation also varies. Choose one reliable pronunciation model for speaking practice, while treating other forms as equally valid rather than as mistakes.

Maidin mhaith (“good morning”) and tráthnóna maith (“good afternoon/evening”) are transparent and useful, but Dia duit is a general greeting and is not limited by the time of day. In casual settings, especially among bilingual speakers, you may also hear English greetings mixed into conversation; that does not make the Irish formulas old-fashioned or unusable.

English uses “you” for singular and plural, but Irish distinguishes tú (“you,” one person) from sibh (“you,” more than one). This difference continues inside combined forms: agat versus agaibh, duit versus daoibh, and romhat versus romhaibh. Paying attention to the number of listeners makes your Irish clearer.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master the grammar behind these phrases at A1, but several forms point toward larger Irish systems.

First, prepositions combine with pronouns throughout the language. The pieces in greetings are members of full sets: ag (“at”) gives agam (“at me”), agat (“at you”), and aige/aici (“at him/her”); do (“to”) gives dom, duit, and dó/di. Later, these forms express possession, feelings, abilities, and relationships—not just politeness.

Second, the go raibh in Go raibh maith agat belongs to a verb pattern used in wishes. A literal gloss such as “may good be at you” helps explain the structure, but it is not how an English speaker should translate the phrase in conversation. Likewise, Tá fáilte romhat is literally closer to “a welcome is before you,” yet idiomatically means “you’re welcome.” Literal glosses reveal Irish structure; natural translations reveal actual use.

Third, emphatic pronouns add contrast. Compare Agus tú? (“And you?”) with Agus tusa? (“And you yourself?/And what about you?”). Is mise... similarly highlights the speaker. These forms are common and natural, not necessarily dramatic, but their exact force depends on context and intonation.

Finally, traditional farewell formulas can encode movement. Slán agat is associated with addressing someone who remains, while slán leat is associated with someone who departs. Actual usage varies, and Slán avoids the distinction. At a more advanced level, listen to what speakers in your chosen dialect use rather than forcing every goodbye into one rigid rule.

Practice Tips

1. Rehearse mini-dialogues, not isolated words. Pair each prompt with its likely reply: Cad is ainm duit? — Bríd is ainm dom and Conas atá tú? — Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat. This trains timing as well as memory.
2. Make singular–plural pairs. Say Dia duit / Dia daoibh, Go raibh maith agat / Go raibh maith agaibh, and Tá fáilte romhat / Tá fáilte romhaibh. Highlight the changed endings rather than memorizing each phrase as unrelated.
3. Record one 30-second introduction. Greet the listener, state your name, say how you are, ask a return question, and close with Slán go fóill. Repeat until the phrases come without translating from English.

Related Concepts

• Next step: Food and Drink — use le do thoil, go raibh maith agat, and simple conversational patterns while ordering or talking about meals.