Everything You Need To Learn Irish
Irish (Gaeilge) is a Celtic Language spoken by more than 1.5 million people in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It’s is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages, and is closely related to Manx and Scottish Gaelic.
Irish is one of the oldest written languages in Europe, with the first written words appearing as far back as the 4th or 5th century.
Despite the fact that Irish predates English by several centuries, the majority of Irish people today speak English only, and don’t know much Irish. As a result, there are few opportunities to hear spoken Irish when in Eire.
The good news is, native Irish speakers are proud of their language, and are pushing for more people to learn it. As such, more and more learning materials are being made available for learners from all backgrounds. We’ve put together those we think are most useful.
Irish Language Learning Books
An affordable way for beginners to learn Irish is with Irish course/study books. By using one of these books, you’ll learn basic Irish vocabulary and grammar, as well as how to apply it in conversational settings. There are usually practice exercises included, which can help to solidify what you’ve learned.
A concise English-Irish dictionary is essential for any Irish language learner. You’ll be encountering many new Irish words on your journey to fluency, and having a good dictionary that not only gives you meanings but shows you the different contexts in which to use those words, is crucial.
Do you have trouble remembering Irish words? If so, consider getting yourself an Irish word search puzzle book. Not only are these fun to do, you’ll learn a bunch of new vocabulary, and you’re more likely to remember the words.
Irish Children’s Books
A great introduction to easy-to-read Irish material comes in the form of Irish books written for children. These are ideal for beginners, as this type of material is usually written using simple vocabulary and short, easy to parse sentences.
By reading Irish kids’ books, you’ll improve your reading comprehension, and it’ll be easier for you to build your own, basic sentences.
Irish Fiction
When you’re ready to progress from children’s books, you might want to try reading Irish books written for older, more experienced. These will provide you with a greater challenge, will boost your vocabulary considerably, and you’ll experience the language as it’s used in a broader range of contexts.
Irish Movies & TV Shows
If you only study Irish using books, you won’t have the benefit of hearing Irish being spoken. To help you master the sound of Irish, you should try watching movies or TV shows in the language.
Movies with Irish dubbing are great for practicing your listening comprehension skills, plus you’ll learn how to pronounce the language like a native. Irish movies and TV shows are also great for picking up Irish slang, idioms and common turns of phrase.
![The Breadwinner (English + Irish language version) [DVD] [2018]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51f-IbmrYsL._SS520_.jpg)
The Breadwinner (English + Irish language version) [DVD] [2018]
Irish Digital Courses
Not interested in learning Irish with book courses? Well, an Irish e-course might be right up your alley. These are digital courses that use either audio or video or a combination of both to teach the language.
The major benefit of an Irish audio/video course is that you’ll actually learn how to communicate in the language, plus you’ll hear correct pronunciation. Irish digital courses also great for building your listening comprehension skills.
Luckily, you do get your pick of courses. Udemy’s Irish course is video-based, affordable, and gives you lifetime access to future updates.
Both the Michel Thomas Method and Pimsleur offer audio-only digital Irish courses that you can use on almost any device. You’ll get hours of instruction from skilled Irish language teachers, and learn the grammar of the language in an organic way.
IRISH UDEMY COURSES
IRISH AUDIO COURSES
Foundation Irish Revised Edition (Learn Irish with the Michel Thomas Method): Beginner Irish Audio Course
Pimsleur Irish Quick & Simple Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-8 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Irish (Gaelic)
$16.96 in stock
Free Irish Gaelic Worksheets
Irish worksheets are hard to come by, yet they’re extremely important for learners looking to practice their newfound skills.
Our Irish word search puzzles are free, downloadable PDFs that you can print from home and have fun completing while also learning new Irish words.
