Even been stumped by something an Irish person has said before? Then look no further! Keep reading to find out what these classic Irish phrases mean.
Most people think that because we speak English in Ireland that they will understand everything we say once they get here but that is not always the case! In Ireland the English we speak is very different to other versions spoken around the world, as it is influenced by our remote location and our native language Irish, not to mind our strong accents! Irish was spoken by everyone in Ireland only 175 years ago so it’s influence is still very prominent today!
Here we’ve given you a quick guide to everything you need to know to understand the locals of the Emerald Isle, and even a few phrases as Gaeilge (in Irish)!
What’s the craic? What’s the story? How are you getting on? Any news?
Although these questions may sound daunting they all just translate to ‘What’s up?’ or ‘How are you?’. We enjoy using our fair share of decorative language here in Ireland 😁
Your man / Your one
This can cause a lot of confusion and maybe a bit of awkwardness depending on the situation, as it actually doesn’t include any reference to one’s partner / significant other. Despite the phrasing, ‘your man’, does not mean that the person in question has any ties to you. ‘Your man’ simply means ‘that guy’ and ‘your one’ means ‘that woman’.
Sláinte
This is the Irish for ‘Cheers’ and is pronounced ‘slawn-cha’. You may hear it in pubs or the similar Slán (pronounced slawn), which just means ‘goodbye’. Nowadays many Irish people integrate some Irish words like this into their day-to-day language to keep the language alive.
Fella / Lad
These two words are quite straightforward once you get to know them. ‘Fella’ and ‘lad’ just mean ‘dude’, ‘guy’, or more generally ‘man’. Sometimes you can use the female counterpart of ‘lad’ which is ‘lassie’, but its not all that common.
Bain taitneamh as!
This is another lovely Irish phrase to incorporate into your vocabulary during your time in Ireland. ‘Bain taitneamh as‘ (pronounced bwin ta-niv os) means, ‘Enjoy!’, ‘Have fun!’, ‘Have a good one!’ and works as a lovely pairing with Slán mentioned above.
So there you have it, your very own cheat sheet to understanding the Irish lingo spoken over here. If there’s any other phrases or words that have stumped you in the past, please let us know in the comments down below! Or if there’s anything you still don’t understand, don’t hesitate to drop it down below and we can all learn a little something!