Cúpla Focal: A few words of Irish language

Birmingham Irish • June 21, 2026

Cúpla Focal – Meitheamh 2026

Dia daoibh – Hello


How did ye get on with making sentences about food?

Here are the answers:


I like jam but I hate butter.

Is maith liom subh ach is fuath liom im.


I love wine but I do not like beer.

Is breá liom fíon ach ní maith liom beoir.


I like cake, but I prefer biscuits.

Is maith liom cáca (or císte) ach is fearr liom brioscaí.


I don’t like chicken.

Ní maith liom sicín.


I love fish and chips.

Is breá liom iasc agus sceallóga.


Recently in our class at The Irish Centre we have been looking at numbers. Numbers in Irish are fun!


When we are counting or telling the time we use the basic numbers you’ve already learned:


A haon - 1

a dó - 2

a trí - 3 

a ceathar - 4

a cuig - 5

a sé - 6

a seacht - 7

a hocht - 8

a naoi - 9

a deich - 10


However, if we are counting people that changes a bit!


This is how we count people:


duine amháin - 1 person

beirt - 2 people

triúr - 3 people

ceathrar - 4 people

cuigear - 5 people

seisear - 6 people

seachtar - 7 people

ochtar - 8 people

naonúr - 9 people

deichniúr - 10 people


Try these: I’ve done the first one for you!


There are 5 people in my family.     Tá cúigear i mo theaghlach.

There are 7 people in my family.

There are 10 people in my family.

There are 2 people in my family.


Saying how old someone is can be seen in the table - click here


Tá Dara trí bliana - Dara is three

Tá Siobhán seacht mbliana - Siobhan is seven

Tá Eimear bliain amháin - Eimear is one


Now try translating these to English:

1. Tá Seán dhá bhliain

2. Tá Máire ocht mbliana

3. Tá Stiofán cúig bliana


And these to Irish:

4. Orla (Órla) is nine

5. Anne (Áine) is one

6. Paul (Pól) is seven


Beir bua,

Terri

two people studying a book

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