125. Learn Irish – The Cup Song

The Cup Song ► Amhrán na gCupán

Íoslódáil leagan MP3: http://bit.ly/cupan

Though it is MUCH better to listen to the Laoibhse and the students from Lurgan singing the song and imitate them, these approximations of pronunciations may help some people who want to learn more of the language.

BTW If you are a complete beginner and want to learn a simple way to read and speak the Irish language, please explore: https://ancroiait.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/learn-irish-lesson-1/

Amhrán na gCupán The Cup Song

Here’s how I arranged each line of the song in four parts

Line 1: Correct Irish

Line 2: Approximate sound

Line 3. Word for word translation

Line 4. Translation

Note: Something to learn from this line

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Before you begin, please note: ch is a gentle short gargling sound.

G and C are always hard sounds (never j or s)

o is o as in orange

ó is o as in only

ay is as in day

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Verse 1

Tá      an      ticéad     ‘am     don     bhealach  fada.

taw    on     tikayd     om        dun      valoch     foda

Is      the     ticket      at me    for the   way       long.

I’ve the ticket for the long way.

Note: The adjective follows the word it describes. Long way ► Way long

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Dhá bhuidéal uisce don     thuras.

ghaw vwidayl ishku dun     hurus

Two bottles water   for the trip

Two bottles of water for the trip.

Note: don is a combination of do + an. do = for/to and an = the

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Is        ba        bhreá liom           cara      a    bheith in    éindí     liom.

is       bu          vra  lum              cora       a     ve       in   ayndee lum

And  would   like   with me [a] friend that to be  in   along     with me

And I’d like a friend to be with me.

Note: éindí is typical of one region. The standard word is éineacht

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[Tá] ‘mé     ag fágáil       amárach. [An] ‘mbeidh   tú   liom?

[taw] may eg fawgawil umawroch. [on] may      too  lum

Is      me    at  leaving    tomorrow.          will be  you with me.

I’m leaving tomorrow. Will you be with me?

Note: the word liom is two words in English with me. The me part is indicated by the m at the end of liom. le + mé = liom

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Curfá

Nuair a       táim   imithe X2 Aireoidh tú     uait       mé ‘s       gan     mé   ann.

noor   a      tawm imee X2   aróee     too    wet       may s      gon      may   on

When that am I    gone X2  Feel-will you from you me and without me there

When I’m gone X2 You’re gonna miss me and I not there.

Note: uait is two words in English from you. ó (from) + tó (you) = uait. The t at the end indicates you.

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Aireoidh tú     uait        mé  ‘s     mo   aoibh.

aróee      too    wet       may  s      mu   eev

Feel-will you from you me   and   my   smile

You’re gonna miss me and my smile.

Note: ‘s is short for agus (ogus) meaning and

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Aireoidh    tú uait           mé  [ó]        ‘chuile          thaobh

aróee       too wet          may [ó]        chu-ilu          heev

Feel-will you  from you me, [from] every single side

You’ll miss me every single way

Note: Chuile is two words in English every single. Gach (every) + uile (all) = chuile

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Ó, aireoidh   tú   uait    mé       ‘s      gan     mé   ann

ó     aróee     too   wet   may      s      gon      may   on

Oh feel-will you   from you me, and without me there.

Oh, you’re gonna miss me and I not there.

Note: The ending of aireoidh (idh) indicates its tense (future).

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Véarsa 2

Tá      an      ticéad     ‘am     don     bhealach  fada.

taw    on     tikayd     om        dun      valoch     foda

Is      the     ticket      at me    for the   way       long.

I’ve the ticket for the long way.

Note: ‘am is short for agam which means at me but is used also to indicate have. Something is at me = I have something.

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Tá     an    saol  mór ag   fanacht liom.

taw  on    seel   mór  eg    fonocht lum

Is     the   life    big    at   waiting     with me

The big world is waiting for me.

Note: When a verb has ag before it (ag fanacht), that indicates the …ing form

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Measc na   sléibhte,         taobh na habhann.

mask   na   shlayvtu          teev     na   hown

midst   the of-mountains, side     the of-river

Midst the mountains, by the river.

Note: there are two words for the. An = The (singular) and Na = The (plural). There is no word for a in Irish.

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Áit            a       bhíonns an    t-aer breá            úr.

awit         a       veens      on    tayr bra              oor

[a] place that    does be  the air    nice [and] fresh

Where the air is nice and fresh.

Note: I know does be is bad English. tá means is / bíonn means is on a regular basis (does be).

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Ó bheadh     sé     i   bhfad níos deise leat,       a      stór.

ó   vayuch     shay i     wod    nees deshu lat          a     stór

Oh would be it      in length   more nice  with you, oh treasure (term of endearment).

Oh it would be a lot nicer with you, dear.

Note: Terms of endearment ♥ a stór, a chara (friend), a ghrá (love), a chroí (love), a chuisle (pulse),

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Curfá

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Véarsa 3

Nuair a       táim   imithe X2 Aireoidh tú     uait       mé ‘s       gan     mé   ann.

noor   a      tawm imee X2   aróee     too    wet       may s      gon      may   on

When that am I    gone X2  Feel-will you from you me and without me there

When I’m gone X2 You’re gonna miss me and I not there.

Note: táim = tá mé = is me or am I ► I am. Note how the verb comes first in Irish.

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Aireoidh tú     uait        mé  ‘s   mé  ag caint.

aróee      too    wet       may  s   may   eg  kaeent

Feel-will you from you me   and me   at talking

You’re gonna miss me and my talking

Note: mé = me, tú = you, sé (shay) = he and sí (shee) = she

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Aireoidh tú     uait        mé  ‘s   mé  ag seinnt.

aróee      too    wet       may  s   may   eg  shaeent

Feel-will you from you me   and me   at playing (music)

You’re gonna miss me and my playing

Note: There are different verbs for playing (ag súgradh) for fun, for playing (ag imirt) sports games and for playing (ag seinnt) music

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Ó, aireoidh   tú   uait    mé       ‘s      gan     mé   ann.

ó     aróee     too   wet   may      s      gon      may   on

Oh feel-will you   from you me, and without me there.

Oh, you’re gonna miss me and I not there.

Note: There are two verbs for Feel (emotions):  Airigh and Mothaigh

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