Grand, Sure Look It: The Most Common Irish Phrases Explained
Ah here. If you’ve ever spent more than five minutes in Ireland, you’ll know this: we don’t just speak English… we decorate it. And when Irish (Gaeilge) gets involved? It becomes a whole other level of poetic chaos.
Here’s your guide to the most common Irish phrases — in both English and the Irish language — with a bit of explanation so you don’t accidentally agree to something you don’t understand.
1. “What’s the craic?”
Irish: Cad é an craic?
Pronounced: kad ay on crack
Despite how it looks, this has absolutely nothing to do with illegal substances.
“Craic” means fun, gossip, news, general life happenings. It’s both a greeting and a question.
“What’s the craic?” = What’s going on?
“Any craic?” = Any news?
“It was mighty craic.” = It was great fun.
If someone answers “Ah, sure you know yourself,” that means nothing and everything at the same time.
2. “Ah sure, look it.”
Irish equivalent vibe: Ah, bhuel… (Ah well…)
This is less a phrase and more a national coping mechanism.
Spilled tea?
Missed bus?
Mild apocalypse?
“Ah sure, look it.”
Translation: I have emotionally processed this in 0.4 seconds and chosen acceptance.
3. “Grand”
Irish: Go breá (well/fine)
In Ireland, “grand” does not mean magnificent. It means… fine.
“How are you?”
“Grand.” (Could mean happy, tired, mildly dying, or emotionally neutral. Context is everything.)
It’s the Swiss Army knife of Irish responses.
4. “Go raibh maith agat”
Meaning: Thank you
Pronounced: guh rev mah ah-gut
This is proper Irish Gaeilge and still widely known. You’ll hear it in schools, at events, and from anyone who did their homework in primary school.
Bonus response:
“Tá fáilte romhat” — You’re welcome.
5. “Sláinte!”
Meaning: Cheers / Good health
Pronounced: slawn-cha
Used when clinking glasses, but also when someone sneezes.
You’ll hear it everywhere from a quiet rural pub to a wedding dance floor. It literally means “health,” which feels appropriate given the context.
6. “Sure it’ll be grand.”
Ireland’s unofficial national slogan.
Broken boiler?
Storm coming?
Life decisions made with no planning?
“Sure it’ll be grand.”
Optimism? Denial? Spiritual resilience? All three.
7. “Céad Míle Fáilte”
Meaning: A hundred thousand welcomes
Pronounced: kayd mee-la fall-cha
This one’s proudly Irish and beautifully dramatic. It reflects that famous Irish hospitality — and yes, we do mean it.
You’ll see it on signs, in tourist shops, and occasionally shouted at Americans who look slightly lost.
8. “I will, yeah.”
This is advanced-level Irish English.
Said sincerely? It means yes.
Said with a certain tone? It means absolutely not.
For example:
“Will you be up at 6am for the gym?”
“I will, yeah.” (He will not.)
Tone is everything.
9. “An bhfuil tú ceart go leor?”
Meaning: Are you alright?
Pronounced: on will too kyart guh lore
Used in Irish (especially in Gaeltacht areas), but you’ll also hear “You alright?” constantly in English.
Important: in Ireland, “You alright?” is a greeting — not a medical assessment.
10. “Eejit”
Technically English. Spiritually Irish.
Means idiot — but softer. It’s affectionate.
“You absolute eejit.”
Translation: I love you, but you’ve made a questionable decision.
11. “Dia dhuit”
Meaning: Hello (literally “God be with you”)
Pronounced: dee-ah gwit
Traditional Irish greeting. The response is:
“Dia is Muire dhuit” (God and Mary be with you).
It sounds very formal, but it’s still taught and used, especially in Irish-speaking areas.
12. “G’wan!”
Short for “Go on!”
Used to encourage someone to:
Take another drink
Tell the story
Do something mildly chaotic
It’s support. It’s pressure. It’s friendship.
13. “Tá sé go hálainn”
Meaning: It’s beautiful
Pronounced: taw shay guh haw-lin
Used about:
The weather (rarely)
A baby
A sunset
A well-poured pint
14. “Story?”
This is a greeting.
Not asking for literature. Just checking in.
“Story?”
“Ah nothing much, yourself?”
Entire conversations can happen with five words total.
15. “Mise le meas”
Meaning: Yours sincerely (formal sign-off in Irish letters)
Pronounced: mish-uh leh mass
Still used in formal Irish-language correspondence. Sounds poetic even if you’re just emailing about bin collections.
Why Irish Phrases Are So… Irish
What makes Irish expressions special isn’t just the words — it’s the rhythm, the understatement, the humour.
We soften everything.
We exaggerate everything.
We contradict ourselves mid-sentence.
Irish English carries the influence of Gaeilge — that musical structure, the slightly sideways logic, the fondness for storytelling.
And that’s the beauty of it.
You could live here 20 years and still not be entirely sure whether “I will, yeah” means yes or no.
Sure look — that’s half the fun.
G’wan.