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Irish for free
Why learn Irish?
Irish is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Irish is written in the Latin script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Irish is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Irish forms its own branch - learners commonly study it alongside English or French.
50 essential Irish words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Irish sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | mé | may | I |
| 2 | tú | too | you |
| 3 | sé | shay | he |
| 4 | sí | shee | she |
| 5 | muid | mwij | we |
| 6 | siad | SHEE-ahd | they |
| 7 | seo | shoh | this |
| 8 | sin | shin | that |
| 9 | cad | kahd | what |
| 10 | cé | kay | who |
| 11 | ní | nee | not (negation) |
| 12 | agus | AH-guhs | and |
| 13 | nó | noh | or |
| 14 | ach | ahkh | but |
| 15 | i | ih | in |
| 16 | le | leh | with |
| 17 | ar | er | on |
| 18 | as | ahs | from |
| 19 | duine | DIN-eh | person |
| 20 | uisce | ISH-keh | water |
| 21 | lá | law | day |
| 22 | bliain | BLEE-in | year |
| 23 | am | awm | time |
| 24 | teach | chahkh | house |
| 25 | obair | OH-bir | work |
| 26 | saol | seel | life |
| 27 | focal | FOH-kuhl | word |
| 28 | bí | bee | be |
| 29 | déan | dyayn | do |
| 30 | abair | AH-bir | say |
| 31 | feic | fek | see |
| 32 | téigh | chay | go |
| 33 | tar | tahr | come |
| 34 | tabhair | TOO-ir | give |
| 35 | tóg | tohg | take |
| 36 | faigh | fahy | get |
| 37 | ith | ih | eat |
| 38 | ól | ohl | to drink |
| 39 | anois | ah-NISH | now |
| 40 | anseo | un-SHOH | here |
| 41 | ansin | un-SHIN | there |
| 42 | cá | kaw | where |
| 43 | fáth | faw | cause |
| 44 | gach | gahkh | every |
| 45 | mór | mohr | big |
| 46 | beag | byug | small |
| 47 | maith | mah | good |
| 48 | nua | NOO-ah | new |
| 49 | ceann | kyown | head |
| 50 | dó | doh | two |
Useful phrases in Irish
- Dia duit · DEE-ah gwitch · Hello / Good day
- Conas atá tú? · KUN-as ah-TAW too · How are you?
- Go raibh maith agat · guh rev mah AH-gut · Thank you
- Le do thoil · leh duh hull · Please
- Is mise... · iss MISH-eh · My name is...
- Cá bhfuil...? · kaw will · Where is...?
- Slán · slawn · Goodbye
- Gabh mo leithscéal · gav muh leh-SHKAYL · Excuse me
- Ní thuigim · nee HIG-im · I don't understand
- An féidir leat cabhrú liom? · un FAY-dir lat KOW-roo lyum · Can you help me?
- Cé mhéad atá air? · kay VAYD ah-TAW er · How much is it?
- Feicfidh mé amárach thú! · FEK-hee may ah-MAW-rukh hoo · See you tomorrow!
Learn Irish with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Irish, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Irish learning community
Collaborate with native Irish speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Irish online · Create an online Irish school · Build a Irish curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Irish
How difficult is it to learn Irish?
How difficult Irish is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Irish is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Irish?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Irish?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Irish within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 2 million people across 2 countries speak Irish, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Irish vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Irish pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Irish pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Irish speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Irish alphabet first?
If Irish uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.