My husband is planning on getting a tattoo that says:

Tá tú mo stóirín

how do you pronounce this? We don't want to mispronounce it when people ask. That would be so embarrassing and disrespectful.

Thanks in advance!

Please, do not get that tattooed. It is very grammatically incorrect Irish (similar to saying say, "Is man you" in English).

I'd say it would be better off as "Is tusa mo stóirín" or "Is tú mo stóirín". But wait for someone else to confirm those, please.

As for how to say it, I'd say something like:

"Is tuh-suh muh stow-reen" or "Is too muh stow-reen".

He wants it to say "you are my little treasure" I don't know where he got the translation but if what he has is wrong there is no way he'll get it tattooed until we get the right one. I'm so glad I asked!

Galaxyrocker is absolutely correct. ""Tá tú mo stóirín" is terribly, horribly wrong.

A couple of correct ways to say this:

Is tú mo stóirín (Iss too muh STOHR-een)

Is tusa mo stóirín (iss TUH-suh muh STOHR-een (this one emphasizes "you"..."you and no other are my treasure"

Mo stóirín thú: (Muh STOHR-een hoo) or Is mo stóirín thú (iss muh STOHR-een hoo) (this one emphasizes 'treasure')

Wait for more input, please.

Redwolf

Only without "is". Never ever "Is mo ..."
And also without "Is é", just "Mo stóirín thú".

I have, but oh well.

Redwolf

One other quick thing, lways: While "mo stóirín" literally means "my treasure" or "my little treasure" (the diminutive "-ín" suffix is often used affectionately, without any reference to actual size), it normally wouldn't be translated literally. It's one of many Irish endearments that are usually rendered in English as "my darling" or "my sweetheart."

Redwolf

Thank you all so much! I know you can never take the literal meaning and translate it and have the context correct. Essentially he wants to say our kids are his treasure (or darlings)

Is he talking about/to more than one kid? Because if so, it'd be different again. Tú/tusa is singular, not plural.

He's speaking to two kids