Page:Simple Lessons in Irish, Part 1 - O'Growney.pdf/16

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sound from a speaker of Irish. Note that “s” is never pronounced “z,” or “zh,” as in the English words “was,” “occasion,” etc.

§ 34. THE IRISH LETTERS r AND s:

r broad is sounded like r in § 33, above
r slender[1] r
s broad s
s slender sh

§ 35. VOCABULARY.

ag (og)[2], preposition, at fós (fōs), yet, still, also
bog (bug), soft (shae), he
bróg (brōg), a shoe (shee), she
dún (dhoon), noun, a fort stól (sthōl), stool.
fada (fodh-ă). long te (te[3]), hot, warm
fág (faug), verb, leave (thou) tír (teer), country, land
tirim (tir′-im), dry

§ 36. The verb atá often corresponds to the English “there is,” “there are;” as atá bo ag an tobar, there is a cow at the well; atá bó agus asal ag an tobar, there are a cow and an ass at the well.

§ 37. Translate into English:—Atá tú óg fós. Atá sé óg agus árd. Atá an gort fada agus glas. Atá bó ag an tobar úr. Atá an tobar tirim. Atá an tobar


  1. At the beginning of a word r is never pronounced r.
  2. Before a consonant, or a slender vowel, ag is usually pronounced (eg).
  3. Almost like che in chess