Cabhair! Glaoigh ar an otharcharr!
Kow-ir! Glee on o-har-khar!
Help! Call an ambulance!
Usage
Critical phrase for medical emergencies in Ireland
Grammar Note
Ireland's emergency number is 999 or 112. "otharcharr" = "othar" (patient/sick person) + "carr" (car)
Glaoigh ar na Gardaí, le do thoil.
Glee or na gar-dee, le do hull.
Please call the Gardaí (police).
Usage
Asking someone to call the Irish police (An Garda Síochána)
Grammar Note
"An Garda Síochána" means "Guardian of the Peace" — Ireland's national police. "Gardaí" is the plural form
Caithfidh mé dul chuig an ospidéal.
Ka-hig may dul khig on os-pi-dayl.
I need to go to the hospital.
Usage
Expressing an urgent need to go to hospital
Grammar Note
"chuig" (to/towards) is the Irish preposition for going to a destination — distinct from "go" which also means "to"
Tá mé caillte. An féidir leat cabhrú liom?
Taw may kahl-cheh. On fay-dir lat kow-roo lum?
I am lost. Can you help me?
Usage
Asking for help when lost, especially important in rural Gaeltacht areas
Grammar Note
"caillte" (lost) is the adjective form of "caill" (to lose) — natural expression for being lost
Tá ailléirge bia agam.
Taw al-er-geh bee-a ag-um.
I have a food allergy.
Usage
Essential phrase for communicating food allergies at restaurants or medical settings
Grammar Note
"tá X agam" pattern (I have X). "ailléirge" is borrowed from Greek via English "allergy"
Goideadh mo mhála.
GID-uh muh WAW-la.
My bag was stolen.
Usage
Reporting a theft to police or bystanders
Grammar Note
"goideadh" is the past autonomous (saorbhriathar) of "goid" (steal) — no agent stated, and the past autonomous is not lenited. Do not confuse it with the conditional autonomous "ghoidfí" (would be stolen). "mo" causes lenition: "mála" → "mhála"
Tá tine ann! Imigh leat!
Taw chin-eh on! Im-ig lat!
There is a fire! Get out!
Usage
Alerting others to a fire and urging evacuation
Grammar Note
"imigh" (go away) is used in its imperative form. "leat" (with you) reinforces self-initiated movement
Níl Béarla agam. An bhfuil ateangaire ar fáil?
Neel bay-ar-la ag-um. On will a-tang-ir-eh or fawl?
I don't speak English. Is an interpreter available?
Usage
Requesting an interpreter in an emergency when language is a barrier
Grammar Note
"Béarla" is the Irish word for the English language. "agam" (at me) expresses ability to speak it
Tá tinneas cinn orm.
Taw chin-us kin or-um.
I have a headache.
Usage
Describing a headache to a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
Pain in Irish is placed "on" a person: "orm" (on me). "tinneas cinn" literally means "pain of head"
Cá háit ar féidir liom cógais a fháil?
Kaw hawtch er FAY-dir lum KOH-gish a awl?
Where can I get medicine?
Usage
Finding a pharmacy or asking where to obtain medicine
Grammar Note
"cár" is only used before past-tense verbs, so it cannot introduce present-tense "is féidir". Use "Cá háit ar féidir liom …?" instead. A pharmacy is "cógaslann"; a pharmacist is "poitigéir"
Éirigh as!
AY-ree ass
Stop it!
Usage
Hold it up firmly against pushy touts, harassment or a scam — it works without raising your voice
Grammar Note
"Éirigh as" is the imperative "give it up / cut it out" — deliberately blunt, not a softened request
Ná bain liom!
naw bwin lum
Don't touch me!
Usage
Show it if someone touches you; for your belongings use "Ná bain leis!" (don't touch it)
Grammar Note
"Ná" is the negative imperative particle; "bain le" means to touch or bother someone
Cabhair!
KOW-ir
Help!
Usage
A single-word emergency card that works even when a sentence would be too slow to read
Grammar Note
"Cabhair" is the noun "help" (fem.); the verbal imperative is "cabhraigh liom"
gadaí
GAD-ee
Thief
Usage
Show it to point out the person who stole from you
Grammar Note
"Gadaí" is a 4th-declension masculine noun; the plural is "gadaithe" and a petty thief is "mionghadaí"
robáil
ROB-awl
Robbery
Usage
Taking property by force or threat; point at it when reporting the crime
Grammar Note
"Robáil" is a 3rd-declension feminine noun; armed robbery is "robáil armtha"
peasghadaí
PYAS-ghad-ee
Pickpocket
Usage
The pickpocket himself; show it when reporting a theft in a crowd
Grammar Note
"Peasghadaí" is a 4th-declension masculine noun; "piocaire pócaí" is another word for it
fuadach
FOO-a-dakh
Kidnapping
Usage
Carrying a person off by force; the same word is used for hijacking an aircraft
Grammar Note
"Fuadach" is a 1st-declension masculine noun and also the verbal noun of "fuadaigh"
dúnmharú
DOON-wa-roo
Murder
Usage
Murder; point at it when reporting or calling it in
Grammar Note
"Dúnmharú" is a masculine noun and the verbal noun of "dúnmharaigh": "dún" + "marú" (killing)
círéib
KEER-ayb
Riot
Usage
A violent disturbance by a crowd, as in "Círéib Soweto"
Grammar Note
"Círéib" is a 3rd-declension feminine noun; to quell a riot is "círéib a chur faoi chois"
buama
BOO-a-ma
Bomb
Usage
A bomb; a bomb attack is "ionsaí buama"
Grammar Note
"Buama" is a 4th-declension masculine noun, plural "buamaí"; the verb "buamáil" means to bomb
Gadaí! Beir air!
GAD-ee! Ber er!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
Shouted to call bystanders for help right after a theft
Grammar Note
"Beir ar …" means "to catch …"; the imperative "beir" is followed by "air", the prepositional pronoun for "ar + é" (on him)
Glaoigh ar an inneall dóiteáin, le do thoil.
Glee or on IN-yal DOH-tyawn, le do hull.
Please call a fire engine
Usage
Asks someone to call out a fire engine; the emergency number is 999 or 112
Grammar Note
The "Glaoigh ar an + emergency vehicle" pattern, here with "inneall dóiteáin" (fire engine); the t- prefix does not appear inside this prepositional phrase
Cá bhfuil stáisiún na nGardaí?
Kaw will STAW-shoon na NGAR-dee?
Where is the police station?
Usage
Asks the way to the Garda station; the Irish police force is An Garda Síochána
Grammar Note
The "Cá bhfuil …?" (where is …?) frame with "stáisiún na nGardaí" (police station). After the genitive plural article "na", "Gardaí" is eclipsed to "nGardaí"
Ba mhaith liom gadaíocht a thuairisciú.
Ba wah lum gad-EE-ukht a HOOR-ish-kyoo.
I want to report a theft
Usage
Used at a Garda station to report a theft; the paperwork an insurer needs comes from this report
Grammar Note
The "Ba mhaith liom + object + a + verbal noun" (I would like to …) frame. After the particle "a" the verbal noun is lenited to "thuairisciú"
An bhfuil Seapáinis ag duine ar bith anseo?
On will shap-AW-nish eg din-eh er bih on-shuh?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
Show this at a hospital or Garda station to look for a Japanese speaker
Grammar Note
Irish says "language + ag + person" for "speaks that language"; here "agam" (at me) is replaced by "ag duine ar bith" (at anyone)
Tá an duine seo gan aithne.
Taw on din-eh shuh gon AH-nyeh.
This person is unconscious
Usage
Show this to emergency services when someone has collapsed
Grammar Note
The "Tá + subject + state" frame with "gan aithne" (unconscious); "gan + noun" expresses being without something
Tá duine á bhá!
Taw din-eh aw waw!
Someone is drowning
Usage
Raises the alarm when someone is drowning at sea, in a river or in a pool
Grammar Note
A "Tá + subject" presentation. "Á" plus the lenited verbal noun ("bá" → "bhá") gives the progressive passive, i.e. being drowned
Buaileadh mé.
BOO-al-uh may.
I was beaten
Usage
Tells the Gardaí or a doctor that you were assaulted
Grammar Note
The autonomous past: the Irish passive that states what was done without naming an agent
Sádh mé.
Saw may.
I was stabbed
Usage
Reports a stab wound
Grammar Note
The autonomous past of "sáigh" (to stab), which is "sádh"
Briseadh isteach i mo sheomra.
BRISH-uh ish-TYAKH ih muh HYOHM-ra.
My room was broken into
Usage
Reports to a hotel or the Gardaí that your room was broken into while you were out
Grammar Note
The autonomous past. After the possessive "mo", "seomra" is lenited to "sheomra"
Sin é an duine a rinne é.
Shin ay on din-eh a RIN-yeh ay.
That person is the culprit
Usage
Point at the offender while showing this to the Gardaí
Grammar Note
Irish has no single established noun for "culprit", so it uses the relative clause "an duine a rinne é" (the person who did it)
Cuireadh dallamullóg orm.
KIR-uh dal-a-mul-OHG OR-um.
I was deceived
Usage
Used when reporting a scam or being overcharged
Grammar Note
"Dallamullóg a chur ar …" means "to deceive …"; the autonomous past makes it passive. The prepositional pronoun "orm" (on me) is used
Goideadh mo sparán.
GID-uh muh spar-AWN.
My wallet was stolen
Usage
Reports a stolen wallet; mention card cancellation at the same time
Grammar Note
Here "sparán" (wallet) takes the place of "mhála". S is not lenited in the cluster sp-, so it stays "sparán" after "mo"
D'fhág mé mo mhála i mo dhiaidh.
Dawg may muh WAW-la ih muh YEE-ug.
I left it behind
Usage
Says that you left your bag behind in a shop or on a vehicle
Grammar Note
"Fág i do dhiaidh" means "to leave behind"; with a first-person subject the possessive becomes "i mo dhiaidh"
Bhuail carr mé.
Wool kar may.
I was hit by a car
Usage
Tells emergency services or the Gardaí that a car hit you
Grammar Note
Irish is VSO, so the sentence reads "hit car me"
Imigh amach tríd an mbealach éalaithe.
Im-ig a-MOKH treed on MAL-akh AY-la-heh.
Please escape through the emergency exit
Usage
Directs people to the emergency exit
Grammar Note
The imperative "Imigh" (go away) followed by "BEALACH ÉALAITHE" (emergency exit). After a simple preposition plus the article "an", b is eclipsed to mb
Bí cúramach!
Bee koo-ram-akh!
Watch out!
Usage
Warns of immediate danger
Brostaigh ort, le do thoil.
BRUST-ee ort, le do hull.
Please hurry
Usage
Asks emergency services to hurry
Grammar Note
The "imperative + le do thoil" (please …) pattern with "brostaigh ort" (hurry up); this verb idiomatically takes the prepositional pronoun "ort"
Tar anseo láithreach, le do thoil.
Tar on-shuh LAW-ree-akh, le do hull.
Please come right away
Usage
Asks someone to come at once, on the phone or in person
Grammar Note
The imperative "Tar" (come) followed by "anseo" (here) and "láithreach" (immediately), closed with "le do thoil" (please)
Tá sé práinneach.
Taw shay PRAWN-yakh.
It's an emergency
Usage
States that the situation is urgent, e.g. when you cannot wait your turn
Grammar Note
The "Tá + subject + adjective" frame with "práinneach" (urgent)
Tabhair chuig an ospidéal mé, le do thoil.
TOW-ir khig on os-pi-dayl may, le do hull.
Please take me to a hospital
Usage
Asks a taxi driver or a bystander to take you to hospital
Grammar Note
Combines "chuig an ospidéal" (to the hospital) with the imperative of "tabhair" (to take)
Tharla timpiste bhóthair.
HAR-luh TIM-pish-tuh WOH-hir.
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
Tell 112 or the people around you that a road accident has happened
Grammar Note
"Tharla timpiste" (an accident happened) followed by the genitive "bhóthair" (of the road). "Timpiste" is feminine, so the following genitive is lenited: bóthair → bhóthair
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