Flirting

1. Tá tú go hálainn.

   Taw too goh haw-lin.

   You are very beautiful.

   Usage

   A natural compliment expressing someone's beauty

   Grammar Note

   "go" (very) before adjectives triggers h-prefixation: "álainn" (beautiful) → "go hálainn" (very beautiful)

2. Cad is ainm duit?

   Kod is an-im ditch?

   What is your name?

   Usage

   Natural way to ask someone's name when meeting them

   Grammar Note

   Irish uses a copula structure for names: "Cad is ainm duit" literally means "What is a name to you"

3. Ar mhaith leat deoch a ól liom?

   Or wah lat dyokh a ohl lum?

   Would you like to have a drink with me?

   Usage

   Inviting someone for a drink at the pub — rooted in Irish pub culture

   Grammar Note

   "ar mhaith leat" is the question form of "ba mhaith leat" (would like) — essential in an Irish pub setting

4. Tá do shúile go hálainn.

   Taw doh hoo-il-eh goh haw-lin.

   Your eyes are very beautiful.

   Usage

   A gentle, sincere compliment on someone's eyes

   Grammar Note

   "súile" (eyes, plural) becomes "shúile" after the possessive "do" (your) — standard Irish lenition

5. An féidir liom d'uimhir theileafóin a fháil?

   On FAY-dir lum DIM-ir hel-eh-FOH-in a awl?

   Can I have your phone number?

   Usage

   Asking for someone's phone number to arrange to meet again

   Grammar Note

   The possessive "do" contracts to "d'" before a vowel ("do uimhir" → "d'uimhir"). "uimhir" is feminine, so the following genitive "teileafóin" is lenited to "theileafóin"

6. Is maith liom do chuid ceoil.

   Is mah lum doh khwid kyoh-il.

   I like your music.

   Usage

   Expressing appreciation for someone's music, common at traditional Irish sessions

   Grammar Note

   "do chuid" (your part/share of) expresses ownership. "ceol" → genitive "ceoil" in this construction

7. Ar mhaith leat siúl ar an trá liom?

   Or wah lat shool or on traw lum?

   Would you like to walk on the beach with me?

   Usage

   A romantic invitation for a walk along the beach

   Grammar Note

   "ar an trá" (on the beach) — "t" does not eclipse after "ar an" — only certain consonants eclipse

8. Tá tú an-spéisiúil.

   Taw too on spay-shool.

   You are very interesting.

   Usage

   Expressing genuine intellectual interest in someone

   Grammar Note

   "an-" (very) is a common intensifier prefix in Irish. "spéisiúil" is "spéis" (interest) plus the suffix "-iúil"

9. Ar mhaith leat dul chuig an bpictiúrlann liom?

   Or wah lat dul khig on BIK-tyoor-lon lum?

   Would you like to go to the cinema with me?

   Usage

   Asking someone out to the cinema on a date

   Grammar Note

   The old note claimed that "pictiúrlann" lenites after "an" because it is feminine; that rule applies to a feminine noun in the nominative singular with no preposition. After a simple preposition plus "an" ("chuig an") the Caighdeán uses eclipsis, so pictiúrlann becomes bpictiúrlann. Eclipsis is also the majority pattern in this repo's ga data (14 against 2)

10. Tá mé i ngrá leat.

    Taw may i ngraw lat.

    I am in love with you.

    Usage

    The most direct Irish expression of romantic love

    Grammar Note

    "grá" (love) eclipses to "ngrá" after "i" (in) — eclipsis is a key Irish mutation where g → ng

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