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gaelic words you need to know

One of the tricky things that tourists have to face when traveling in Ireland is understanding Gaelic, the language native to the country. Of course people in Ireland speak English as well, but their own version of the English language can be a little confusing, with some terms and phrases meaning differently from what an American or an Englishman may be accustomed to. And so, here are some Gaelic terms that you as a person going to travel in Ireland must know.

1. Failte. When you enter a shop and are greeted "Failte," pronounced as fall-sha, by the attendant, the attendant is only bidding you welcome. Another helpful tip: if the attendant asks you if you are okay, he only means that he is ready to serve you and is asking you for your order. He is not really asking how your current state, whether physically, mentally or emotionally, is.

2. Seirbhis. The term "seirbhis" means service and is pronounced as such. When you see the sign "as seirbhis" on the door of a shop, it means the shop is out of service.

3. Fir and Mna. If you are about town seeing the sights or shopping, you will eventually need to go to the bathroom. When you seen the words "fir" or "mna" on the bathroom doors, do not be confused. Fir means man in Gaelic while mna means woman.

4. Garda. If it is your first time to travel in Ireland, it is not impossible for you to get lost and unable to find your way. In which case, the first person you ought to approach to ask for directions is the garda. The garda is just the Gaelic term for a person serving in the police force.

5. Slan abhaile. If you are leaving someone's home and the host greets you "slan abhaile," pronounced as "slaan aval," he or she is wishing you a safe journey homeward. Slan is the word for safe or healthy in Gaelic. Terms meaning the same thing are "slan agat" and "slan leat." These latter terms can also be taken to mean "goodbye" in Gaelic.

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