Bia Traidisiúnta: Traditional Irish Food
Welcome to our guide about traditional Irish food! As beginner Irish speakers, you'll learn vocabulary and phrases to discuss, order, and describe food in Irish. Let's explore the delicious world of Irish cuisine together.
Basic Food Vocabulary
Let's start with essential food terms:
Bia (bee-a) = Food
Béile (bay-la) = Meal
Bricfeasta (brick-fast-a) = Breakfast
Lón (lohn) = Lunch
Dinnéar (din-air) = Dinner
Blasta (blast-a) = Tasty
Ocras (uck-ras) = Hunger
Tart (tart) = Thirst
Cócaire (ko-kir-a) = Cook/Chef
Cistin (kish-tin) = Kitchen
Practice phrase: Tá an bia an-bhlasta. (Taw on bee-a on-vlast-a) = The food is very tasty.
Traditional Irish Dishes
Let's explore some traditional Irish dishes:
Stobhach Gaelach (stow-akh gay-lakh) = Irish stew
Boxty (box-tee) = Potato pancake
Coddle (cod-el) = Dublin coddle (sausage and bacon stew)
Colcannon (kol-kan-un) = Mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage
Bácús (baw-koos) = Baked goods
Arán sóide (ar-awn so-da) = Soda bread
Prátaí (praw-tee) = Potatoes
Cabáiste (ka-bawsh-ta) = Cabbage
Bradán (bra-dawn) = Salmon
Feoil (fyoh-il) = Meat
Practice sentence: Is breá liom stobhach Gaelach le harán sóide. (Iss braw lum stow-akh gay-lakh le har-awn so-da) = I love Irish stew with soda bread.
Mealtime Expressions
Common phrases used during meals:
Before Eating
Tá ocras orm (Taw uck-ras ur-um) = I am hungry
Bain sult as do bhéile (Ban sult ass duh vay-la) = Enjoy your meal
Tá boladh deas air (Taw bul-a jass air) = It smells nice
During Eating
Tá sé go hálainn (Taw shay guh haw-lin) = It's lovely
Go raibh maith agat (Guh rev mah a-gut) = Thank you
An dtabharfaidh tú...? (On dour-ee too...?) = Would you pass...?
Practice dialogue: A: An maith leat an stobhach? (On mah lat on stow-akh?) = Do you like the stew? B: Is aoibhinn liom é! Tá sé an-bhlasta. (Iss ee-vin lum ay! Taw shay on-vlast-a) = I love it! It's very tasty.
Cooking Terms
Vocabulary for cooking and food preparation:
Ag cócaireacht (egg ko-kir-akht) = Cooking
Rósta (row-sta) = Roast
Friochta (free-ukh-ta) = Fried
Bruithte (brih-ta) = Boiled
Bácáilte (baw-kawl-ta) = Baked
Gearrtha (gyar-ha) = Cut
Measctha (mask-ha) = Mixed
Sáile (saw-la) = Salt
Piobar (pib-er) = Pepper
Comhábhair (ko-vaw-ir) = Ingredients
Practice sentence: Tá mé ag cócaireacht arán sóide inniu. (Taw may egg ko-kir-akht ar-awn so-da in-new) = I am cooking soda bread today.
A Food Story
Here's a short story using our food vocabulary:
"Bhí Máirtín ag cócaireacht don teaghlach. Ar dtús, ghearr sé na prátaí agus chuir sé iad san uisce. Ansin, bhruith sé an cabáiste go bog. Ag an am céanna, róst sé píosa maith feola sa hoigheann.
'An bhfuil aon rud agat le cuidiú liom?' a d'fhiafraigh sé dá mhac, Seán.
'Déanfaidh mé an t-arán sóide,' arsa Seán. 'Is é mo rogha bia é!'
Faoi dheireadh, bhí béile traidisiúnta Éireannach réidh acu. Nuair a bhí siad ag ithe, dúirt Máirtín, 'Ná déan dearmad ar do cholcannon!'
Bhí an bia go léir an-bhlasta, agus bhí an teaghlach sásta."
Translation: "Máirtín was cooking for the family. First, he cut the potatoes and put them in water. Then, he boiled the cabbage until soft. At the same time, he roasted a good piece of meat in the oven.
'Do you have anything to help me with?' he asked his son, Seán.
'I'll make the soda bread,' said Seán. 'It's my favorite food!'
Finally, they had a traditional Irish meal ready. When they were eating, Máirtín said, 'Don't forget your colcannon!'
All the food was very tasty, and the family was satisfied."
Ordering Food
Phrases for ordering food in a restaurant:
Ba mhaith liom... (Ba wah lum...) = I would like...
An féidir liom...? (On fay-dir lum...?) = Can I have...?
Cén bia a mholann tú? (Kayn bee-a a vul-un too?) = What food do you recommend?
An bhfuil...agaibh? (On vil...a-giv?) = Do you have...?
Biachlár (bee-a-khlawr) = Menu
Practice dialogue: A: Dia duit. Cén bia atá agaibh inniu? (Jee-a ditch. Kayn bee-a a-taw a-giv in-new?) = Hello. What food do you have today? B: Tá stobhach Gaelach, coddle, agus colcannon againn. (Taw stow-akh gay-lakh, cod-el, ah-gus kol-kan-un a-gin) = We have Irish stew, coddle, and colcannon. A: Ba mhaith liom stobhach, le do thoil. (Ba wah lum stow-akh, le duh hul) = I would like stew, please.
Food Preferences
Expressing likes and dislikes about food:
Is maith liom... (Iss mah lum...) = I like...
Is breá liom... (Iss braw lum...) = I love...
Ní maith liom... (Nee mah lum...) = I don't like...
Is fearr liom... (Iss far lum...) = I prefer...
Mo rogha bia... (Muh row-a bee-a...) = My favorite food...
Practice sentence: Is maith liom bradán ach is fearr liom stobhach. (Iss mah lum bra-dawn akh iss far lum stow-akh) = I like salmon but I prefer stew.
Mealtime Traditions
Common Irish mealtime customs:
Béile mór (bay-la more) = Big meal
Tae (tay) = Tea
Comhrá (cow-raw) = Conversation
Roinnt bia (rint bee-a) = Sharing food
Le chéile (le kay-la) = Together
Practice phrase: In Éirinn, bíonn dinnéar le chéile ag an teaghlach. (In Air-in, been din-air le kay-la egg on tyal-akh) = In Ireland, families have dinner together.
Remember these food words and phrases as you explore Irish cuisine. Food is an important part of culture, and talking about traditional dishes is a great way to practice your Irish!
Bain sult as do bhia! (Ban sult ass duh vee-a!) = Enjoy your food!
Grá Mór!
Caoimhe, OLS Community Manager - Irish