Codanna an Choirp (Parts of the Body)

Understanding body parts in Irish helps us describe how we feel, what we look like, and discuss health matters. This vocabulary is essential for everyday conversations about well-being and physical descriptions.

Basic Body Parts

Head Area

• Ceann (kyown) = Head
• Gruaig (groo-ig) = Hair
• Éadan (ay-dan) = Forehead
• Súil (sool) = Eye
• Súile (sool-a) = Eyes
• Cluas (kloo-as) = Ear
• Cluasa (kloo-sa) = Ears
• Srón (sroan) = Nose
• Béal (bail) = Mouth

Upper Body

• Gualainn (gool-in) = Shoulder
• Scornach (skor-nakh) = Throat
• Cliabhrach (klee-vrakh) = Chest
• Droim (drim) = Back
• Bolg (bulug) = Stomach
• Lámh (lawv) = Hand
• Lámha (law-va) = Hands
• Méar (mair) = Finger
• Méara (mair-a) = Fingers

Lower Body

• Cos (kus) = Foot/Leg
• Cosa (kus-a) = Feet/Legs
• Glúin (gloo-in) = Knee
• Glúine (gloo-in-a) = Knees
• Rúitín (roo-teen) = Ankle
• Méar coise (mair kush-a) = Toe

Useful Phrases for Health and Feelings

Describing Pain or Illness

• Tá tinneas cinn orm (Taw tin-as kin or-um) = I have a headache
• Tá tinneas fiacaile orm (Taw tin-as fee-ak-il-a or-um) = I have a toothache
• Tá mo scornach tinn (Taw muh skor-nakh tin) = My throat is sore
• Tá pian i mo ___ (Taw pee-an i muh ___) = I have pain in my ___

Describing Feelings

• Tá áthas orm (Taw aw-has or-um) = I am happy
• Tá tuirse orm (Taw tir-sha or-um) = I am tired
• Tá brón orm (Taw broan or-um) = I am sad
• Tá ocras orm (Taw uck-ras or-um) = I am hungry
• Tá tart orm (Taw tart or-um) = I am thirsty

Describing Appearance

• Tá gruaig ___ aici/aige (Taw groo-ig ___ ah-ka/ah-ga) = She/He has ___ hair
  • Gruaig fhada (groo-ig ah-da) = Long hair
  • Gruaig ghearr (groo-ig yar) = Short hair
  • Gruaig dhonn (groo-ig down) = Brown hair
  • Gruaig rua (groo-ig roo-a) = Red hair
  • Gruaig fhionn (groo-ig fyun) = Blonde hair
• Tá súile ___ aici/aige (Taw sool-a ___ ah-ka/ah-ga) = She/He has ___ eyes
  • Súile gorma (sool-a gor-ma) = Blue eyes
  • Súile glasa (sool-a glas-a) = Green eyes
  • Súile donna (sool-a down-a) = Brown eyes

Sample Conversation

A: Conas atá tú inniu? (Kun-as a-taw too in-new?) = How are you today?

B: Níl mé go maith. Tá tinneas cinn orm. (Neel may guh mah. Taw tin-as kin or-um.) = I'm not well. I have a headache.

A: Tá brón orm a chloisteáil sin. Ar chóir duit dul chuig an dochtúir? (Taw broan or-um a khlish-tawl shin. Ar khor ditch dul hig an dokh-toor?) = I'm sorry to hear that. Should you go to the doctor?

B: B'fhéidir. Tá mo scornach tinn freisin. (Baid-ir. Taw muh skor-nakh tin fresh-in.) = Maybe. My throat is sore too.

Exercise: Practice Body Vocabulary

Share your knowledge of body parts by:

1. Naming five body parts in Irish
2. Creating a sentence about how you feel
3. Describing someone using body part words
4. Using "Tá ___ orm" in a sentence

Example answer:

1. Ceann, súile, srón, béal, lámha
2. Tá mo ghlúin tinn inniu.
3. Tá súile gorma agus gruaig fhionn ag mo dheartháir.
4. Tá tuirse orm tar éis lá fada.

(1. Head, eyes, nose, mouth, hands. 2. My knee is sore today. 3. My brother has blue eyes and blonde hair. 4. I am tired after a long day.)