Gaeilge for Gaelscoil Parents: 41 Phrases for Home

You don't need fluent Irish to support a child in a Gaelscoil. Here's a free printable sheet of 41 everyday phrases, from questions about the school day to praise and greetings for the múinteoir, each with simple pronunciation.

Sending your child to a Gaelscoil is a wonderful thing, but it can feel daunting if your own Irish is rusty (or you never had much to begin with). The good news: you don't need to be fluent to support them. A few warm phrases at home, said with a smile, do more than you'd think.

So we've put together a free printable sheet, Gaelscoil: Phrases for Parents, with 41 everyday phrases, grouped by when you'd actually use them:

• Asking about the school day: Conas a bhí do lá? (How was your day?) · Cad a d'fhoghlaim tú inniu? (What did you learn today?)
• At home, homework & routine: An bhfuil obair bhaile agat? (Do you have homework?) · Tá sé in am codlata. (It's bedtime.)
• Praise & encouragement: Maith thú! (Well done!) · Tá mé bródúil asat. (I'm proud of you.)
• Feelings & needs: An bhfuil ocras ort? (Are you hungry?)
• Talking to the teacher: Dia duit, a mhúinteoir. (Hello, teacher.) · Go raibh míle maith agat. (Thank you very much.)

Every phrase comes with a simple, sound-it-out pronunciation guide, so you can start using them today.

Why a few words at home matter

Children in a Gaelscoil hear Irish all day, but they mostly speak it at school. When the language turns up at home too, even in small doses, it quietly tells your child that Irish belongs to them beyond the school gate. You're not running a lesson; you're just chatting. A Conas a bhí do lá? over dinner is worth a hundred worksheets.

And here's the lovely part: you'll pick it up right alongside them.

Get the sheet

Download the printable PDF (two pages, grand for the fridge), or find it any time on our Downloads page under Study Sheets.

Start with just one or two. Maith thú! is a lovely place to begin.

Ádh mór, best of luck! 🍀