(Hello. I'm new here. I'm looking for a pronunciation guide.)

Mé ná fhios Gaelgé, ach mé léann. (I don't know Irish, but I'm learning.)

I know my grammar is probably terrible. :P Anyways, I'm just starting to learn Irish. I'm an Irish-American who's always been interested in Irish culture and history. I was going to try to write this whole post in Irish, but then I realized it would take forever looking up each word in my Irish-English dictionary, and I wasn't sure if I would even be understood with my horrible grammar, etc. :P So, feel free to correct my grammar in what I said above.

Anyways, I think what I'm really stuck on while trying to learn the language is that I have no idea how to correctly pronounce the words I'm reading. Being an audio thinker, I have a hard time comprehending what I'm reading unless I can hear it being said in my head. I've looked all over for a good guide on how to pronounce Irish words. Does anyone have any good resources on this? Preferably one with audio clips if possible. I don't have much money to spend on training course or anything.

Also, any other newbie advice you all can give would be appreciated.

Hi, welcome to ILF.

For a quick start guide to learning Irish, have a look at mhwombat's corner: viewforum.php?f=34

In general, pronunciation varies from region to region. If you have a connection with a particular part of Ireland, it is best to learn the dialect of that region.

A good place to look up native pronunciation of Irish words is Forvo: http://www.forvo.com/languages/ga/

If a word isn't there, you can add it and someone will pronounce it for you. (Forvo is mostly single words - they've only recently started allowing phrases to be added.)

Bríd also has a word of the Day thread going here: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1095

Try looking up specific words in our forum search engine and if you can't find a particular word or phrase you can post a request here on our forum and we can do a sound file for you.


For the grammar, the phrases you are trying to translate are very idiomatic (i.e., not easy for beginners to put together, so fair play to you for trying). I'd say:

Dia dhaoibh/daoibh. "Hello." (to everyone - whereas Dia dhuit/duit is to one specific person
Is ball nua mé "I'm new here." literally "I am a new member"
Tá mé ag iarraidh eolaí fuaimnithe. "I'm looking for a pronunciation guide."

Níl mórán Gaeilge agam, "I don't know (much) Irish,"
ach tá mé ag foghlaim "but I'm learning."

Others may have different ways to express the same things.

Note that the word order tends to be quite different in Irish.

Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. That's what we are here for.

_________________
Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

You should just get a course and start from there, a free course is available here http://www.bbc.co.uk/irish/articles/view/625/gaeilge/ your grammar makes no sense you will be better off just learning the language there are plenty of free courses. Ádh mór - good luck

Thanks for the feedback, it was very helpful.



I'm not sure. I know my mother's side is O'Neal, which I believe is mostly from nothern-ish Ireland, but I'm not positive. And I'm not sure where my father's side (Freeman) is from. I guess I'd like to learn whatever variant or dialect is most commonly spoken. I understand there's a "standardized" Irish so I guess I'd start with that.



Ahh, so the modifier comes after the noun? Is it sort of like Spanish where they might say "guía de pronunciación" (only without the of/de)?



Ok, I think I'm starting to see the word order... Looks to me like the word order would be like "Not (having much) Irish I", as in the verb comes first (with it's modifier) then the subject and the object last? Is this typical language structure, or is it idiomatic?



I appreciate all the help you've already given. Go raibh maith agat.

You're getting the idea. Typical word order in Irish is VSO (verb subject object). It is slightly confusing for English speakers at first because that is the question word order in English. (Irish uses question particles and negative particles before the verb to distinguish questions and negation.)


Yep, the "de" is included in the genitive case of the noun. Most adjectives also follow the noun.


The course Somhairle pointed you to is standard Irish with a Northern Irish flavour.

_________________
Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).