Signs

1. BEALACH ISTEACH

   BAL-akh ish-TCHAKH

   Entrance / Way In

   Usage

   Displayed at building, station and site entrances, paired with "Way In"

   Grammar Note

   "Bealach" (way) + "isteach" (inwards); normally set in capitals on signage

2. BEALACH AMACH

   BAL-akh a-MAKH

   Exit / Way Out

   Usage

   Displayed at exits from buildings, stations and car parks, paired with "Way Out"

   Grammar Note

   "Amach" means outwards; road signage also uses "Slí Amach"

3. BEALACH ÉALAITHE

   BAL-akh AY-la-heh

   Emergency Exit / Escape Route

   Usage

   The green-and-white escape sign in hotel, pub and public-building corridors

   Grammar Note

   Genitive of "éalú" (to escape); "Slí Éalaithe" is also seen

4. AR OSCAILT

   er USK-ilt

   Open

   Usage

   The door card on shops, pubs and visitor sites; covers both "now open" and "open for business"

   Grammar Note

   "Ar" (in a state of) + "oscailt" (opening). Irish signage makes no separate wording for "now opening" versus "open"

5. DÚNTA

   DOON-ta

   Closed

   Usage

   The card shown when a shop or site is shut; covers both "closed" and "not open yet"

   Grammar Note

   Past participle of "dún" (to close); a one-day closure is signed "Dúnta Inniu"

6. FIR

   fir

   Men

   Usage

   On toilet doors; in Irish pubs it is often shown as "Fir" alone with no English

   Grammar Note

   Plural of "fear" (man); not to be confused with the singular "fear"

7. MNÁ

   mnaw

   Women

   Usage

   On toilet doors; "Fir / Mná" is the Irish-only pair you will meet most often

   Grammar Note

   Plural of "bean" (woman); the plural looks nothing like the singular, so learn the sign form as-is

8. LEITHREAS

   LEH-ras

   Toilet

   Usage

   The wayfinding sign for toilets; "Leithris" is the genitive form, as in "páipéar leithris"

   Grammar Note

   "Leithreas" is masculine; the door labels themselves are "Fir" and "Mná"

9. COSC AR DHUL ISTEACH

   kusk er ghul ish-TCHAKH

   No Entry / No Admittance

   Usage

   Displayed on private land, works areas and staff-only doors

   Grammar Note

   "Cosc" (prohibition) + "ar" + lenited "dhul"; a staff-only door is signed "Foireann Amháin"

10. NÁ CAITEAR TOBAC

    naw KAT-char tu-BOK

    No Smoking

    Usage

    The statutory indoor no-smoking notice; Ireland has banned indoor smoking in workplaces and pubs since 2004

    Grammar Note

    Negative imperative of the autonomous form of "caith" — literally "let tobacco not be smoked"

11. STAIGHRE

    STY-reh

    Stairs

    Usage

    Wayfinding to stairs in stations and buildings; an escalator is "staighre beo"

    Grammar Note

    "Staighre" is masculine; "up" is "suas" and "down" is "síos"

12. BRÚIGH

    broo-ee

    Push

    Usage

    On doors and press-buttons

    Grammar Note

    Imperative of "brúigh" (to press); the same word appears on pedestrian-crossing buttons

13. TARRAING

    TAR-ing

    Pull

    Usage

    On doors, paired with "Brúigh" (push)

    Grammar Note

    Imperative of "tarraing" (to pull)

14. OIBREACHA BÓTHAIR

    IB-ra-kha BOH-hir

    Roadworks

    Usage

    The orange roadworks sign, shown as "Oibreacha Bóthair Romhat / Roadworks Ahead"

    Grammar Note

    Plural of "obair" (work) + genitive "bóthair"; the men-at-work sign reads "Fir ag Obair"

15. AS ORD

    as ord

    Out of Order

    Usage

    The notice taped to toilets, ticket machines and lifts

    Grammar Note

    "As" (out of) + "ord" (order) — literally "out of order"

16. GÉILL SLÍ

    gayl shlee

    Yield / Give Way

    Usage

    The inverted-triangle road sign, shown as "YIELD / GÉILL SLÍ" at junctions throughout Ireland

    Grammar Note

    "Géill" (yield) + "slí" (way). The fada is required — "geill" without it is a different word. Stop signs read "STOP" in both languages

17. AIRE

    AR-eh

    Caution / Attention

    Usage

    Warning notices on wet floors, steps and works areas

    Grammar Note

    "Aire" (fem.) means care or attention; the identical word also means "government minister", but on a notice it always means "caution"

18. CONTÚIRT

    kun-TOOR-tch

    Danger

    Usage

    Danger notices at cliffs, strong currents and high voltage — common on Irish coastal paths

    Grammar Note

    "Contúirt" is feminine; the adjective is "contúirteach"

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