Writing a Letter in Irish
How to Write a Letter Properly as Gaeilge
(You can also use some of this for emails and pen pals!)
Vocabulary - 1:
Letter -Â Litir
Write -Â ScrĂobh
Stamp -Â Stampa
Paper - Påipéar
Envelope -Â ClĂșdach
Post Office -Â Oifig an Phoist
Post Box - Bosca Phoist
Salutations:
Many seem to be under the impression that starting a letter with âA Charaâ is the way to go, however, this is a form used by public servants. This greeting is only used when writing official business letters that are rather impersonal. In English, this would be similar to writing âDear Sir (or Madam)â. âA Charaâ by itself is never used in personal correspondence. Example list below.
A personâs name should always be used at the beginning of a letter. You can use their first name or a title if they have one.Â
As an example, if someone were to write âDear Paul,â in Irish, it would be: PĂłl, a chara,
There is no Mr. in the Irish language. When someone has the title, you say âhonourable sonâ instead. So âMr. Learyâ would be written as âA Laoghaire, a Mhic Usail,â
Women are slightly more complicated because Mrs/Ms/Miss have titles. They are basically either wife of lastnamehere or daughter of lastnamehere.Â
If the Irish surname starts with an O/Ă:Â
âBean UĂâ is the title of a woman/wife of a man whose surmane in Irish is âĂâ.Â
âInĂon NĂâ is the title of a daughter of her fatherâs name (so unmarried women would be addressed with their own last name, for example).
If the manâs surname is a âMacâ:
âBean Mhicâ is the title of a woman/wife of a man whose surname in Irish is âMacâ.
âInĂon Nicâ is the title of a daughter of her fatherâs name.
Example List:
Dear Madam - A Bhean Uasail,
Dear Paul - PĂłl, a chara,Â
Dear Sir or Madam - a chara, or a dhuine uasail,
Dear Seån - A Sheåin, a chara,
Dear SiobhĂĄn - A ShiobhĂĄn, a chara,
Dear Mrs O'Shea - A Bhean Uà Shé, a chara,/A Bhean Uà Shé uasal,
Closing:
There are so many ways to close a letter in Irish.Â
Bye/goodbye - SlĂĄn,
Goodbye for now - SlĂĄn go foill,
Goodbye and Blessings - SlĂĄn agus beannacht,
With every good wish - Le gach deå ghuà or deå mhéin,
With respect - Le meas, (NOTE: more formal)
You could even use âbest of luckâ as a closing. There are many different way to say this, depending on region I believe, but I know the two most popular are:
Best of Luck - Go n-Ă©irĂ leat,/Go n-Ă©irĂ an t'ĂĄdh leat,
Let me know if Iâve forgotten anything!
