Writing Irish with a pen, paper, and your choice of dictionary, is the best way to practice your writing skills. But if you’re writing on your computer, there’s a couple of solutions available. You may find that there is no fast free solution for word processing…
(On the linked page, select Irish/Gaeilge dictionary install.)
Frontman of the band Hothouse Flowers, Liam Ó Maonlaí, published a 2-CD set for learning conversational Irish. The CDs were published with the Sunday Independent in 2007.
This course has been created to help you learn, or re-learn, a range of simple words, phrases and expressions on everyday topics that can be easily used within your own daily life. There are no accompanying textbooks, so simply listen, repeat and enjoy an cúpla focail for yourself!
The PDF transcripts and MP3 files are now available online, hosted by the Sunday Independent. Get them while they’re still there!
It’s pretty easy to be scared away by any language’s grammar system.
If you are a native English speaker, what doesn’t help is that the English language became much more simplified during the last millenium. It lost many aspects that you’ll see in other languages, such as the gender of nouns (le or la in French), and declensions (e.g., in German).
But there’s no avoiding grammar if you are learning a new language. While maybe complex, grammar does makes sense. Obvious patterns will emerge when you study how Irish sentences are formed. You will have lightbulbs going click! over your head when you figure out different rules.
There’s no easy and fast way to learn Irish grammar. Over at Irish Gaelic Translator.com you can pick up your free PDF download (no registration required) of Wombat’s Irish Grammar Guide. Wombat goes through the basics of Irish grammar, in a style that’s aimed towards non-linguists.
