It’s not easy to get the hang of Shakespeare’s language, especially if you’ve never spoken it before! In Ireland, the locals all speak English, so you’ll need a minimum of vocabulary to make yourself understood. To make sure you don’t leave with nothing, here’s a small anthology of the most useful keywords to pull out when you need them…
Rather friendly and welcoming, Irish people generally go out of their way to understand tourists and assist them with their requests. So don’t be shy, and take your time to make sure you’re as clear as possible.
Even if your pronunciation isn’t your strong point, the person you’re speaking to should be able to understand a minimum of what you need… provided you’ve mastered the basic vocabulary yourself!
This list is far from exhaustive, of course, but there are a few words that should help you out if you find yourself up against an Irishman… You should then be able to have a real chat, especially as the Irish love to chat with foreigners on the corner of a street, in a pub or in a restaurant! What a great time!
