Texting in Irish

Love it or hate it, modern technology and texting has given rise to a new sort of language, and that is language of texts and emojis to quickly communicate your thoughts, needs, and emotions.

In Irish it’s no different – and it’s especially exciting because it means that the language is really living and being used often by young speakers. So let’s take a look at some ways to text as Gaeilge. 

Photo from Pixabay, CCO.

Here are some basic ones to get you started.

You’ll see the common English abbreviation, meaning, Irish abbreviation, meaning:

• LMFAO = laughing my — ass off = ABMTAG = Ag briseadh mo thóin ag gáire
• LOL = laugh out loud – GOA = gáire ós árd
• ROFL = rolling round the floor laughing = RTUG = Rolladh timpeall an urlair ag gáire
• OMG = Oh my God = OMD = Ó Mo Dhia
• YOLO  = You only live once = NASAA = Níl ach saol amháin agat
• Thnx = Thanks  = Grma = Go raibh maith agat
• Tn = Tonight =  An8 = Anocht
• Wer r u? = Where are you? =  Cá wil 2? = Cá bhfuil tú?
• Plz = please =LDT = le do thoil
  Ok = CGL =  ceart go leor

This a great YouTube video of Ciara Ní É who posts videos every week answering people’s questions about the Irish language. In this one she goes through her commonly used Irish text abbreviations.

Her list of text speech covered in the video: 

GRMA – go raibh maith agat (thank you)
GRMMA – go raibh míle maith agat (thanks a million)
(a)GOA – (ag) gáire os ard (LOL)
ABMTAG – ag briseadh mó thóin ag gáire (ROFL, literally “breaking by arse laughing”)
NASAA – níl ach saol amháin agat (YOLO)
CF – cén fáth (why)
NBB – ná bí buartha (don’t worry)
GML – gabh mo leithscéal (excuse me)
DS – deireadh seachtaine (weekend)
TBO – tá brón orm (I’m sorry)
OMD – Ó mo Dhia (OMG)
SGF – slán go fóill (CYA)

V – bhí (past tense of ‘bí’)
AN8 – anocht (tonight)
7n – seachtain (week)
CCAB2 – cén chaoi a bhfuil tú (how are you)
CCAB6 – cén chaoi a bhfuil sé (how is he)
J mar? – caidé mar atá tú? (how are you)
A # – a thaisce (my dear)
K – cé (who)
FAB – fadhb ar bith (no problem)
7 = & (this is called a ‘tironion et’)

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Have you ever texted as Gaeilge? Let’s try to start a conversation in the comments below, I’ll start:

Tá mé go maith, GRMMA. CCAB2? GOA, NASAA. SGF!