Joe’s Jotter: Useful Vocabulary and Phrases for an Exam in Gaeilge
Hello students of Irish,
The key to excelling in languages is to learn a new word or phrase every single day and record it in a hardback (so my Irish teacher colleagues keep telling me). Here are some everyday phrases that can be used by students from Leaving Cert all the way down to First year. The great thing about knowing you vocab is that you can bring it into an essay, an appraisal of a poem or even an analysis of a piece of text; It works for everything. In my opinion, it is definitely an area worth investing your time into. Here is your list:
ag cabhrú le daoine bochta = helping poor people
I gcuinne mo thola = against my will
do thola – your will (singular)
a thola – his will
a tola – her will
ár dtola – our will
bhúr dtola- your will (pl.)
a dtola – their will
Is féidir leis rith ar nós na gaoithe.
de réir dealramh = apparently
de réir cosúileachta = apparently
níl ann ach ráiméis = it’s rubish
Tá sé ina chac! = It’s messed up!
Thar gach ní eile = above all else
Ní mór a admháil = it must be admitted
Is baolach = unfortunately
Dála an scéil = anyway..
Pé scéal é = anyway.
Ar an iomlán = on the whole
I gcomhthéacs an lae inniú = in the context of today’s world (handy for essays)
Ar amhraí an tsaoil = luckily
I ndeireadh na Dála = At the end of the day(NOT Ag deireadh an lae)
Idir an dá linn = in the meantime
Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile = Takes one to know one
Tá sé de bhua ag an tír seo = this country has the advantage
Téann sé i bhfeidhm orthú = it affects them
Réitím leis an tuairim sin = I agree with that opinion
Níl de rogha air ach = there’s no alternative but
Go bunúsach = basically
Níl lá lochta agam orthu = I don’t blame them in the least
Ní gearánta dúinn = we shouldn’t complain
D’fhéadfaí a rá = one could say
Ní féidir a shéanadh = it cannot be denied
Tá róbhéim ar = There’s too great an emphasis on
Ní teorainn le = there’s no end to
Is léir don saol é = everybody knows
De réir na fianaise = according to the evidence
Is é fírinne an scéil = the truth is (in point of fact)
I gcian is i gcóngar = far & near
Níl aon dabht faoi = There’s no doubt about that
Aontáim go huile agus go homlán leis = I agree whole heartedly with it..
Ní gá ach sracfheachaint a thogail chun an fhírinne a fheiceail = It isn’t necessary but to take a glimpse to see the truth
Rinne mé an taighde agus tá an t-eolas agam chun an fhírinne a thaispeaint = I have done the research and I have the research to show the truth
Is léir go bhfuil/nach bhfuil = It’s clear that/that it isn’t..
Á mhalairt ar fad = far from it
Corp díchéile = the height of folly
Ina theannta sin = furthermore
Sa todhchaí = in the future
Bíodh sé lenár leas nó lenár n-aimhleas = let it be for good or for ill
Ní mór dúinn bheith san airdeall = we must be on out guard
Tuigim a thábhachtaí is atá sé = I understand its importance
Tá dul amú orthu sa mhéad seo = they are incorrect in this regard
Chuaigh sé i gcian ormsa = it influenced me
Go bhfios domsa = as far as I know
Is maith is eol dúinn = we know (only too) well
Ní lia duine ná tuairim = everybody has his own opinion
Tá clú agus cáil ar (Sheán) mar pheileadóir = (Seán) is very famous as a footballer
Mo áit dúchais = my native place
Tá sé ar dhuine de na cainteoirí is fearr = he is one of the best speakers
Cuireann sé le háilleacht na háite = it adds to the beauty of the place
Cuimhní taitneamhacha = pleasant memories
Dea-thréithe na ndaoine = the good charachteristics of the people
Bhí fonn taistil orm i gcónaí = I always wanted to travel
Is fada mé ag smaoineamh ar seo = I’ve long been thinking of this
Ó shin i leith = hence forth/from then on
Cleachtadh a dhéanann máistreacht = practice makes perfect
Ní lia tír ná nós = every country has it’s own customs
Nósanna na tíre = the cutoms of the country
Teastaíonn uaim é in a dhéanamh = I want to do that
Na háiteanna clúiteacha = the famous places
Is í mo thuairim mheáite = It’s my considered opinion
Rogha an dá dhíogha = The lesser of two evils
Tháinig an lá mór i ndeireadh na dála = the big day came at long last
Bhíomar go léir ar bior = we were all on edge
Bhí an áit plódaithe = the place was packed
An lucht féachána = the spectators
An lucht éisteachta = the audience
An lucht leanúna = the followers
Caighdeán ard = high standard
Chuir mé aithne air = I got to know him
Comórtas scoile = school competition
Daoine difriúla = different people
Féith an ghrinn = sense of humour
Bua na cainte = the gift of the gab
Ag pleidhcíocht = messing
Oibríonn sí go dian dícheallach = she works very hard
Bíonn aoibh mhaith air i gcónaí = he’s always in good form.
críochdheighilt = partition(as in political)
cinedheighilt = apartheid
comhrialtas = coalition government
reachtaíocht = legislation
poiblíocht = publicity
fuarchúis = apathy
Tá buntáistí agus míbhuntáistí ag baint leis – there are advantages and disadvantages connected with it
Thar a bheith tábhachtach = very important
Teagmháil leis an bpobal = contact with the people
Taithí = experience
Riachtanach = necessary
fite fuaite = interwoven
rinne mé staidéar orm féin = I steadied myself
chun an fhirinne a rá = to tell the truth
Tá mé as mo mheabhair = I’m crazy (lit. I’m out of my mind.)
Tá mé trí chéile = I’m in a (bad) state.
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