Irish Language/Commonly Confused Words
Below is a list of words commonly confused by Irish language students.
Similar Words
editTips on dealing with commonly confused words:
- Focus on pronunciation
- Often these words look similar on the page but sound very different.
- Respect your fadas
- Don't ignore fadas, even though tools like Duolingo might let you get away with it.
- Drill sentences, not just words
- Include sample sentences in your flash card "answers" to get you used to seeing a word in its proper context.
- Concentrate on the most common word
- If you can quickly recognize and produce the most common word in the group, it will be easier to recognize the others
áirithe
editáirigh means to count
áirithe means "certain, particular"
aithin
editaithin means to know or identify
aithne means acquaintance or recognition
aithris means to recite or imitate
áit
editair is the masculine singular compound prepositional form of "ar" ("on him")
áit means "place"
ait means "likeable" or "funny, queer"
beagnach
editbeagnach means "almost"
bealach means "trip", "route", or "way"
buíocan
editbuíocán means "yolk"
buíochas means "gratitude"
cathair
editcathaoir means "chair".
cathair means "city".
ceathair means "four".
cathain means "when".
cabhair means "help".
comhair menas "count".
ceann
editceann means "head", "roof", "end" or "one".
céanna means "same".
cheana means "already" or "previously".
ceannaigh
editceannaigh means "buy"
coinnigh means "keep"
cíor
editcíor means comb
cíos means rent
comh-
editThe prefix comh- means mutual, joint, or common, and words with this prefix can be hard for English speakers to distinguish:
comhairle means advice or a (town, city) council
comhaltas (comh + altas, foster-sibling) means a body of persons, a brotherhood (usually an organization), or a membership
comhartha means a sign or symbol
comhlacht (comh + lucht, cargo or crowd) means a company
cos
editcaol means slender
cos means foot or leg
col means sin, incest, or something prohibited
clog
editclog means bell or clock
cloch means stone
deis
editdeas means "(to the) south" or "nice"
deir is the present tense of abair ("say")
deis means "right (side)"
déag is used in numbers between 10 and 20 ("-teen")
fear/fuar
editfear means "man".
féar means "grass".
fearr means "better".
fuar means "cold".
fuair means "got".
feil
editfuil is the dependent form of "bí", usually seen eclipsed as "bhfuil"; it also means "blood"
feil means "suit, be suitable for"
ge
editga means spear, dart, or ray
gá means need
gé means goose
imir
editimir means to play (a game)
imigh means to leave
labhair
editlabhair means "speak"
leabhar means "book"
leaba means "bed"
leanbh means "baby"
lámh means "hand"
léamh means "reading"
leannán means "lover"
léirigh means "explain"
leathuair
editleathuair means half an hour
leathreas means toilet (literally derived from "leithleachas," separateness)
muintir
editmuinteoir means "teacher".
muintir means "people".
nó
editnó means "or".
ná means "nor", "neither".
na is the article in the plural and feminine singular genitive.
post
editpost means "job" or "post".
pós means to marry.
pósta means "married".
siúl
editsáil means "heel"
saol means "life"
seol means "send" or "sail"
saor means "free" or "cheap"
siúl means "walk".
súil means "eye".
seo
editseo means "this"
seó means "show"
só means "joy"
timpeall
edittimpeall means "circuit"
timpeallacht means "environment"
timpeallán means "roundabout" or "carousel"
trá
edittrá means "beach"
tráth means hour or occasion
trácht means beach, base, or journey
Words with Multiple Meanings
editAnother source of confusion is words with multiple meanings. A word like "a" can be hard to distill into a simple flash card, and if your flash cards only have one meaning of a word like "ann" on them, it can be hard to recognize when context calls for a different meaning.
a
edita is used before a noun (e.g., a name) to address someone or something.
A Sheáin... Seán,... A chara... (Dear) Friend,... Féach, a Mhamaí! Look, Ma!
a is also used before a noun to indicate possession.
a chara his friend a cara her friend a gcara their friend
a is also used before a number when counting.
a haon, a dó, a trí... one, two, three...
a is also used before a verbal noun when the direct object precedes it.
Tá mé sásta míle a shiúl. I am willing to walk a mile.
a is also used before a verb in a relative clause.
Feicim an fear a bhí sásta. I see the man who was satisfied. Feicim an bord a bhfuil an leabhar air. I see the table which the book is on.
an
editan can mean "the".
Feicim an sagart. I see the priest.
an is also used to form a question.
An bhfuil sí anseo? Is she here?
an- is a prefix meaning "very", "excellent", or "great".
Tá Máirtin an-mhór. Máirtin is very big. Tá an-charr ag Máirtin. Máirtin has an excellent car.
ann
editann can mean "there" or "in it", or simply to complete a sentence with the verb tá.
Tá teach ann. There is a house (there). Tá sé seomra ann. There are six rooms in it.
ann can also mean "able".
Tá an crann in ann fás. The tree is able to grow.
aon
editaon can mean "one" or "any".
Tá aon charr amháin ag Cáit. Cáit has one car. Níl aon charr ag Cáit. Cáit hasn't any car.
dá
editdá (dhá) is used in the conditional mood to mean "if".
Dá mbeadh Máirtín anseo... If Máirtín were here...
dá (dhá) can also mean "to/for his/her/its/their".
Thug sé dá cháirde iad. He gave them to his friends. Thug sé dá cáirde iad. He gave them to her friends. Thug sé dá gcáirde iad. He gave them to their friends.
dhá can also mean "two", when followed by a noun.
dhá chapall two horses
do
editdo can mean "your".
do chóta your coat
do is also used to "to" or "for".
Tá mé ag scríobh litir do Cháit. I am writing a letter for Cáit.
dó can also mean "to/for him/it".
Tabhair an leitir seo dó. Give this letter to him.
dó can also mean "two" (without a noun, e.g., when counting).
a haon, a dó, a trí... one, two, three...
dó also means "burning".
is
editis means "is", "am", "are".
Is mé an dochtúr. I am the doctor.
is can also be a contraction for agus("and").
sé
editsé can mean he, it, or six.
Tá sé láidir. He is strong. Tá sé chapall anseo. There are six horses here.