We love to talk about the weather, it’s the most common conversation in Ireland! With the hottest summer on record in much of the world “Tá an ghrian ag scoilteach na gloch – The sun is spitting stones” comes to mind! I am personally looking forward to the weather changing soon and expanding my conversations to the many, many ways we have of complaining about the weather. I’ve included a video for pronunciations by the Learn Irish channel on YouTube. Please give him a like and a follow!
Tá go leor focail agam faoin aimsir – I have many words about weather!
| Gaeilge | English |
| aimsir | weather |
| aimsir bhreá | fine weather |
| Lá breá gréine | fine sunny day |
| Tá lá breá ann | It’s a fine day |
| te | hot, warm |
| aimsir the | warm weather |
| Tá sé te | It’s hot |
| grian | sun |
| lá gréine | a sunny day |
| grianmhar | sunny |
| lá bréa grianmhar | a fine sunny day |
| Tá an ghrian ag scoilteach na gloch |
It’s very hot (lit. “The sun is splitting the stones”) |
| fuar | cold |
| Tá sé fuar | It’s cold |
| lá fuar atá ann | It’s a cold day |
| Tá sé fuar fliuch | It’s cold and wet |
| tirim | dry |
| aimsir thirim | dry weather |
| drochaimsir | bad weather |
|
aimsir aimlithe aimsir bhocht aimsir chéasta |
miserable weather |
| lá beag brónach | miserable kind of day |
| fliuch | wet |
| Tá sé fliuch | It’s wet |
| aimsir fhliuch | wet, rainy weather |
| scamall | cloud |
| scamallach | cloudy |
| aimsir scamallach | cloudy weather |
| Tá sé scamallach inniu | It’s cloudy today |
| ceo | fog, mist, haze |
| ceo dlúth / doiléir | thick fog |
| ceo trom | dense fog |
| lá bog braonach | soft misty day |
| Tá ceo ann | It’s foggy |
| Tá an ceo ag druidim isteach orainn | The mist is closing in upon us |
| bogha báistí | rainbow |
| sneachta | snow |
| Tá sé ag cur sneachta | It’s snowing |
| flichshneachta | sleet |
| casairneach | hail, hailstorm |
| gaoth | wind |
| gaofar | windy |
| lá gaofar | windy day |
| stoirm | storm |
| Tá stoirm air | There’s a storm brewing |
Of course we have many words and idioms for rain!
| Gaeilge | English |
| báisteach, fearthainn | rain |
|
Tá sé ag cur báisteach Tá sé ag cur fearthainne |
It’s raining |
| Tá báisteach air | It’s going to rain |
| Tá cosúlacht báistí air | It looks like rain |
| Tá cuma fearthainne air | It looks like rain |
| Tá cló báistí ar an lá | The day shows signs of rain |
| Tá sé ag bagairt báistí | It’s threatening rain |
| lá báistí | rainy day |
| salachar ceo / báistí | drizzling mist, rain |
| draonán báistí | drizzling rain |
| lá buan fearthainne | day of continuous rain |
| ag caidhleadh báistí | driving rain |
| ag cáitheadh báistí | pouring rain |
| ag clagairt báistí | pelting rain |
| ag dallcairt báistí | raining heavily |
| ag spéachadh báistí | spitting rain |
| greadadh báistí | pelting rain; drenching |
| báisteach dheannachtach | cold drenching rain |
| batharnach bháistí | downpour of rain |
| bús báistí | pelting rain |
| cnap báistí | sudden downpour |
| díle bháistí | deluge of rain |
| gailfean báistí | driving rain |
| maidhm bháistí | cloudburst |
| Tá sé ag caitheamh sceana gréasaí | It’s throwing cobblers knives |
| Tá sé an bháisteach ag titim ina tulcaí | The rain is coming down in torrents |