5 Ways To Say Thank You In Irish Gaelic

Do you want to learn how to say thank you in Irish Gaelic for less than ten minutes?

Irish is a Celtic language related to Welsh, Breton, and Scottish Gaelic, but not identical to any of them.

While many people believe the Irish speak Gaelic, the phrase refers to Scottish Gaelic, which is spoken by the Gaels of Scotland.

The modern Irish language, sometimes known as Irish, has evolved over hundreds of years, initially appearing in the margins of Latin texts in the 6th century.

This eventually became the Irish Gaelic that is still taught in schools and spoken in many parts of the country today. 

If you want to get a true sense of Ireland when you visit, learn a few phrases in the native tongue. Start with the basics, such as greetings and common courtesy, like “thank you.”

Most of these have a uniquely Irish meaning that reflects the country’s beautiful tradition and affinity to their faith. 

5 Ways To Say Thank You In Irish Gaelic

Read on to find out several ways on how to say thank you in Irish Gaelic. 

Giving Thanks in Irish

Ireland’s proverbs and blessings frequently express gratitude and optimism. Despite a turbulent history littered with trials and tribulations, our Irish forefathers’ wise old words are full of simple gratitude for life.

People express thanks in many ways depending on their culture, and the Irish, of course, have some pretty unique ways of doing so.

In this handy guide, we will discuss the different ways to say “thank you” in Irish Gaelic, their pronunciation and their meaning.

Ways to Say Thank You in Irish Gaelic

1. Buíochas

Buíochas is pronounced bwee-kus and is the Irish Gaelic way of expressing gratitude. The direct translation of this word in English is “thanks”.

However, it is not used as frequently as its variation míle buíochas, which is a more popular expression in Ireland.  The latter phrase, on the other hand, literally translates to “many thanks”.

2. Go raibh maith agat

Pronounced gur-uv mah ah-guth, “go raibh maith agat” is the phrase the Irish use to express their gratitude for something or simply “thank you”.

An example of a situation where you can use this phrase is that when someone passes you a platter of boxty you’d say “go raibh maith agat”.

The poetry behind these Irish phrases is what makes them so lovely. “Go raibh maith agat,” for example, literally means “may you have goodness.”

This is essentially wishing that the other person have goodness in exchange for their generosity, no matter how modest.

3. Go raibh míle maith agat

Pronounced as gur-uv mee-la mah ah-guth, this is another way to express your deep gratitude for what another person did for you. 

The literal translation of this phrase is “May you have a thousand good things.” This is somehow a variation of the  popular term for expressing gratitude among the English-speaking Irish, which is “thanks a million.”

There is a joke among the Irish about how the Gaelic for profuse thanks becomes a million among the English-speaking Irish. 

English historians say it is a result of switching from speaking Irish to English,  when people thought one person would  bestow a million goodnesses, rather than just a mere thousand when they say thanks.

4. Go méadaí Dia thú

This way of saying “Thank you” in Irish Gaelic is pronounced as gu may-dee dee-ah thu. It’s more of a religious expression than anything else, but it’s still delightfully Irish.

Go méada Dia thu literally translates to “may God increase you” or “may God prosper you.”

This is another kind remark that expresses gratitude by wishing goodness and blessings to another person.

5. Go raibh maith agaibh

This one is an Irish Garlic way of saying “Thank you” that is pronounced as guh ruh mah UG-iv. This is what you say when you want to convey your gratitude to a group of people.

The literal translation of this Irish Gaelic phrase is “may there be good in you.”