Love learning, love ISI: Grá ag foghlaim, grá ISI (Love the Irish Language)

Did you know that Grá (pronounced “ggrawh”) is the Irish word for love, darling, or sweetheart? French might be deemed the language of love, but we think Irish could give it a run for its money (idiom — meaning “keen competition”)! Just like any other language, Irish (or Irish Gaelic) has ump-teen (informal — meaning “a lot of”) unique and beautiful ways to refer to the one you love, and some enchantingly affectionate ways to speak about those closest to your heart.

The romantic nature of the language lends more than a handful of ways to address someone that means a lot to you. While exact translations of English terms of endearment into the Irish language are not always possible, Irish terms of endearment are unique in themselves, and here at ISI we thought that some of the best deserve a special mention!

Grá go deo — Love forever.
(Pronounced — Ggrawh gu-joe.)

Grá mo Chroí — Love of my heart.
(Pronounced — Ggrawh mu-khree.)

A chroí — Heart.
(Pronounced — uh khree.)

Tá grá agam duit — I love you.
(Pronounced — Taw ggrawh-agum ditch.)

Mo ghrá — My love.
(Pronounced — Mu ggrawh.)

A rúnsearc — secret love.
(Pronounced — uh roon-shark; a very passionate way of saying “beloved.”)

“A mhuirnín — Darling.
(Pronounced — uh wuur-neen.)

A chuisle — Pulse.
(Pronounced — uh khush-leh.)

A leanbh — My child.
(Pronounced — un lan-uv; an affectionate term of endearment.)

Mo shíorghrá — My eternal love.
(Pronounced — muh heer-ggrawh; a modern translation of “soul mates”.)

M’fhíorghrá — My true love.
(Pronounced — meer-ggrah; another translation of the modern “soul mate” concept.)

Is ceol mo chroí thú — You’re the music of my heart.
(Pronounced — Is cyoal mu-khree who; meaning “you’re the music of my heart.”)