Two Practical Ways to Learn Irish Grammar

Gramadach na Gaeilge

Both of these methods I used to go from knowing basically nothing about Irish grammar to teacing Irish grammar to colleagues and teachers. 

Both are practical 

I'd like to skip the grammar book part, thanks - click here

The Page-by-Page Grammar Book Method 

Step 1

Find an Irish grammar book you like. 

How?

Open it up to a page and don't try to understand everything, but do you like the layout, is it too hectic?

Grammar is complicated enough without adding a hectic layout and text everywhere to the mix. 

I Recommend;

I've never found a grammar book I like as much Nollaig Mac Congáil's 'Irish Grammar Book' or 'Leabhar Gramadaí Gaeilge'.

It is available in both English and Irish. I bought my 3rd version a few weeks ago, I'll never be without it. 

This is available from most Irish language bookshops online or in store. You can click here to see; nollaig mac congáil irish grammar book

Step 2

1. Start with page 1 and read it. 
2. Read it over and over until you understand it a bit more. 
3. Write out your own notes to summarise what you've learnt on that page. 
4. Added bonus; find/ learn a useful phrase to put into practice what you've learnt. You can use focloir.ie to easily find phrases using your new grammar knowledge. 
5. Added, added bonus; If you can use that phrase in your day-to-day life. 

Step 3

Simply repeat, repeat, repeat. 

I did this until I reached the end of that grammar book. While there are more complicated grammar terms to understand, if you finish that grammar book, you'll know more about Irish grammar than most Irish teachers out there. 

The Practical Method 

While I spent time reading and summarising the grammar book, I mostly learnt Irish grammar from learning practical everyday phrases. 

Every time you learn a sentence in Irish, even 2 words together, like 'maidin mhaith' (Good morning), you are learning about Irish grammar. 

If your aim is to speak the language, then all you need is the phrases, the 'how do I say this in Irish correctly' information, and then you can use the language. 

Bit by bit, the more you learn, the more grammar you will know. 

After all, isn't this how you learnt how to speak English properly? 

Your parents didn't sit you down and make you learn off verbs in different tense. They just spoke to you in English and you learnt. You made mistakes now and again and they repeated the correct version back to you, and voila, you never opened an English grammar book but you are fluent in English. 

Steps

1. Learn a phrase or word you can actually use 
2. Use it as often as you can 
3. Repeat 

What Irish do you want + How to start

• Irish for parents; if you'd like to be able to learn and use Irish that you can use everyday at home, then check out all the free videos on Insta or Youtube to get you started, AND, keep an eye out for our Quickstart Guide to Speaking Irish at Home coming REALLY soon. 
• Everyday Gaeilge; make sure you are signed up to the daily translation challenge because you get these phrases you need every day and learn Irish grammar and structure from them. You can sign up here and see all the past ones. AND, keep an eye out for our Rusty to Fluent Series coming next year because it is going to revolutionise the way you can learn Irish. 

To Learn More Irish, Start Here 👇

👪 Irish for Parents Here

👪 Free Quickstart Gaeilge Guide for Parents 

📖 Irish for Beginners

🗣️Everyday Gaeilge

🗣️Free Daily Translation Challenge 

📙Free pronunciation guide to the Irish Language Here