Directions

1. Cá bhfuil...?

   kaw will

   Where is...?

   Usage

   The most basic location question. Used as "cá bhfuil an stáisiún?" (where is the station?)

   Grammar Note

   "Cá" (where) takes the dependent form "fuil", eclipsed to "bhfuil" of the verb "bí." Irish VSO word order: interrogative → verb → subject. "Cá bhfuil" is essential for navigation.

2. Téigh díreach ar aghaidh

   chay JEE-ruhk er EYE

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Instructing to go straight ahead

   Grammar Note

   "Téigh" is the imperative of the irregular verb "dul" (to go). "Ar aghaidh" (forward) = "ar (on) + aghaidh (face/front)" — literally "on the face/front."

3. Cas ar dheis

   kass er YESH

   Turn right

   Usage

   Directing someone to turn right. "Deas" (right) lenites to "dheis" after the preposition "ar"

   Grammar Note

   "Deas" (right) lenites to "dheis" after preposition "ar" (dh is pronounced /j/ or /ɣ/). Lenition inserts "h" after consonants: d→dh. Directions: ar dheis (right), ar chlé (left), ar aghaidh (ahead).

4. Cas ar chlé

   kass er klay

   Turn left

   Usage

   Directing someone to turn left. "Clé" (left) lenites to "chlé" after "ar"

   Grammar Note

   "Clé" lenites to "chlé" (cl→chl, /xl/). "Chlé" (left) is also used politically for the "left wing."

5. Tá sé gar

   taw shay gar

   It is near / close

   Usage

   Indicating that a destination is nearby

   Grammar Note

   Irish structure: "tá (existence verb) + subject + adjective." "Gar" (near) also appears in "i ngar" (nearby). Its antonym is "fada" (far). This structure differs from English's subject-verb-adjective.

6. Tá sé i bhfad

   taw shay ih wad

   It is far away

   Usage

   Indicating that a destination is far away. "I bhfad" is an adverbial phrase meaning "far"

   Grammar Note

   "Fad" (distance) is eclipsed to "bhfad" (f→bhf, /w/) after preposition "i." Eclipsis pairs: f→bhf (/w/). "I bhfad" (far) contrasts with "i ngar" (near).

7. Tar liom

   tar lyum

   Come with me / Follow me

   Usage

   Used when leading someone to a destination

   Grammar Note

   "Tar" is the imperative of the irregular verb "teacht" (to come). Irish has 11 irregular verbs; "teacht" is one. "Liom" = "le (with) + mé (me)" fused into a prepositional pronoun.

8. Ag an gcrosbhóthar

   egg un GROS-woh-hur

   At the crossroads / At the junction

   Usage

   Using a crossroads as a landmark in directions. "Crosbhóthar" means "crossroads"

   Grammar Note

   "Crosbhóthar" (cross-road compound) is eclipsed to "gcrosbhóthar" (c→gc, /g/) after "ag an." "Cros" (cross) + "bóthar" (road). Crossroads are iconic in Irish culture and folklore.

9. Stopann sé anseo

   STUP-un shay un-SHUH

   It stops here

   Usage

   Indicating where a bus or train stops

   Grammar Note

   Irish present tense: add "-(e)ann" to the verb root: "stop → stopann." VSO word order: "stopann (verb) + sé (subject) + anseo (adverb)." Demonstratives: anseo (here), ansin (there), ansiúd (yonder).

10. Trasna an bhóthair

    TRASS-nuh un WOH-hir

    Across the road / Cross the road

    Usage

    Indicating something is across the road or directing someone to cross

    Grammar Note

    "Bóthar" (road) lenites to "bhóthair" (b→bh, /w/) in the genitive case. Irish nouns have a genitive case used in compound and possessive structures, requiring morphological changes.

11. ar dheis

    er yesh

    To the right

    Usage

    A one-word card to show a driver mid-journey — faster than a sentence

    Grammar Note

    "Deas" alone also means "nice" and "south", so the directional sense is shown as the phrase "ar dheis"

12. ar chlé

    er khlay

    To the left

    Usage

    A one-word card to show a driver mid-journey

    Grammar Note

    "Clé" (left) lenites to "chlé" after the preposition "ar"

13. díreach ar aghaidh

    DEER-akh er eye

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Show it at a junction to mean "keep going"

    Grammar Note

    "Díreach" alone can mean "just/exactly", so "ar aghaidh" (forward) is added to fix the directional sense

14. Téigh ar ais

    tay er ash

    Go back

    Usage

    Use it when you have gone too far and need to turn back

    Grammar Note

    "Téigh" is the imperative of "to go"; "ar ais" means "back"

15. Stad anseo

    stod un-SHUH

    Stop here

    Usage

    Show it in a taxi or bus to say where you want to get out

    Grammar Note

    "Stad" is the imperative "stop", the same word seen on road signs

16. ó thuaidh

    oh HOO-ee

    North / northwards

    Usage

    Point at it when showing a direction on a map

    Grammar Note

    "Ó thuaidh" is northwards; the North as a region is "an tuaisceart", and "located in the north" is "thuaidh"

17. ó dheas

    oh yass

    South / southwards

    Usage

    Point at it when showing a direction on a map

    Grammar Note

    The South as a region is "an deisceart"; "located in the south" is "theas"

18. soir

    sorr

    East / eastwards

    Usage

    Point at it when showing a direction on a map

    Grammar Note

    "Soir" is eastwards; "thoir" means located in the east, and the East as a region is "an t-oirthear"

19. siar

    SHEE-ar

    West / westwards

    Usage

    Point at it when showing a direction on a map

    Grammar Note

    "Siar" is westwards; "thiar" means located in the west, and the West as a region is "an t-iarthar"

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