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English speakers learning Irish
— the mistakes your language makes you commit

Your native language (English) quietly pushes you into specific Irish errors. Here are the ones to watch — and the fix for each. This is exactly how WordSlick coaches you, every day.

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from your first language

Verb first, not subject first

English trains you to open with "I…". Irish opens with the verb: "Ólaim tae", never "Mé ólann tae". Say the action first and let the subject follow.

from your first language

One "to be" becomes two

English "I am" covers everything; Irish splits it. States and places take tá ("Tá mé tuirseach"), jobs and identities take is ("Is dochtúir mé"). "Tá mé dochtúir" is the classic English-speaker slip.

from your first language

Stop reaching for "yes" and "no"

Neither word exists. "An bhfuil tú réidh?" is answered "Tá" or "Níl" — you hand the verb back. It feels strange for about a week, then it clicks.

from your first language

Drop "a", keep "an"

English needs "a book"; Irish just says "leabhar". Only the definite "an" exists — so "Is múinteoir í" contains no word for "a" at all.

from your first language

No "have" — things are AT you

Never build a "have" verb. Say "Tá deirfiúr agam" (a sister is at me) and "Tá ocras orm" (hunger is on me). Learn agam/orm/liom as vocabulary, not as grammar.

from your first language

The first letter changes

English words never change their opening sound; Irish ones do constantly — cat → mo chat → ár gcat. Learn the trigger word (mo, ár, i, trí, an) with its mutation attached.

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Other languages Irish learners come from

Spanish → IrishFrench → IrishGerman → IrishPortuguese → IrishHindi → IrishItalian → IrishArabic → IrishRussian → Irish
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