Irish Gaelic Engraving Phrases
Looking for the perfect words to engrave inside your Claddagh ring, wedding ring or Celtic wedding band? Browse our collection of Irish (Gaeilge) words, terms of endearment, promises and proverbs below. Every entry shows the correct spelling with its accent marks, an easy pronunciation guide, the English meaning, the number of characters it takes up, and the source we checked it against.
Want the stories behind the words? Read our guide, Irish Gaelic Ring Engravings: Words, Phrases and Meanings.
Jump to: Single Words · Forever and Together · Terms of Endearment · Vows and Declarations · Irish Proverbs · Ireland and the Claddagh · Use with care · Gaelic lettering · How to order · Sources
How to Use This Page
- Copy, don't retype. Copy the Irish exactly as shown, including the accent marks (fadas), and paste it into your engraving request.
- Keep the fadas. The accent changes the sound and sometimes the meaning. Fear means "man", but féar means "grass".
- Count the characters. The character count includes spaces and punctuation. Shorter phrases suit narrow bands; longer ones need a wide band.
- Pronunciation is approximate. Our guides are written for English speakers. Irish has three main dialects (Connacht, Munster and Ulster), so you will hear some variation. To hear native speakers, search the word on teanglann.ie.
About the Gaelic Lettering
Every phrase on this page is shown in Gaelic-style lettering, the look of Irish manuscripts and of the traditional Irish typeface, an cló Gaelaċ (the Gaelic type), which was used to print Irish until the mid-20th century. Under each one you'll find the standard modern spelling and its English meaning.
- The dot means h. In the traditional script, a dot above a consonant (an ponc séiṁiṫe, the lenition dot) does the job of the letter h in modern spelling. So ċ is the same as ch: mo ċroí and mo chroí (standard spelling) both mean "my heart".
- Both are correct. Choose the Gaelic lettering for a traditional look, or the standard spelling for an engraving that any Irish speaker today reads at a glance.
- What to type in the engraving box. Paste the standard spelling shown in small type. If you'd like the Gaelic lettering on your ring, contact our team before you order to ask whether it's available.
Single Words
One word says a lot, and short words fit even the narrowest band.
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grá Standard spelling: Grá |
GRAW | Love | 3 | focloir.ie |
|
Croí Standard spelling: Croí |
KREE | Heart | 4 | focloir.ie |
|
Anam Standard spelling: Anam |
AH-num | Soul | 4 | focloir.ie |
|
Cairdeas Standard spelling: Cairdeas |
KAR-jus | Friendship | 8 | focloir.ie |
|
Dílseaċt Standard spelling: Dílseacht |
DEEL-shokht | Loyalty | 9 | focloir.ie |
|
Dóċas Standard spelling: Dóchas |
DOH-khus | Hope | 6 | focloir.ie |
|
Creideaṁ Standard spelling: Creideamh |
KREJ-uv | Faith | 9 | focloir.ie |
|
Muinín Standard spelling: Muinín |
MWIN-een | Trust | 6 | focloir.ie |
|
Síoċáin Standard spelling: Síocháin |
SHEE-uh-khawn | Peace | 8 | focloir.ie |
|
Síoraí Standard spelling: Síoraí |
SHEER-ee | Eternal | 6 | focloir.ie |
|
Fáinne Standard spelling: Fáinne |
FAWN-yuh | Ring | 6 | focloir.ie |
Forever and Together
The promises at the heart of a wedding ring.
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Go deo Standard spelling: Go deo |
guh JOE | Forever | 6 | focloir.ie |
|
Go bráċ Standard spelling: Go brách |
guh BRAWKH | Forever, for all time | 8 | focloir.ie |
|
I gcónaí Standard spelling: I gcónaí |
ih GOH-nee | Always | 8 | focloir.ie |
|
Le ċéile Standard spelling: Le chéile |
leh KHAY-luh | Together | 9 | focloir.ie |
|
Go deo na ndeor Standard spelling: Go deo na ndeor |
guh JOE nuh NYORE | For ever and ever | 15 | focloir.ie |
|
Grá go deo Standard spelling: Grá go deo |
GRAW guh JOE | Love forever Two dictionary words combined. |
10 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
|
Le ċéile go deo Standard spelling: Le chéile go deo |
leh KHAY-luh guh JOE | Together forever Two dictionary phrases combined. |
16 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
|
Grá síoraí Standard spelling: Grá síoraí |
GRAW SHEER-ee | Eternal love Two dictionary words combined. |
10 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
|
Le grá mór Standard spelling: Le grá mór |
leh GRAW more | With great love | 10 | focloir.ie |
Terms of Endearment
What Irish speakers actually call the people they love. Phrases that begin with a are said directly to someone, like "my darling".
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mo ġrá Standard spelling: Mo ghrá |
muh GHRAW | My love | 7 | focloir.ie, Transparent Language |
|
A ġrá Standard spelling: A ghrá |
uh GHRAW | My love (said to them) | 6 | Transparent Language |
|
Mo ċroí Standard spelling: Mo chroí |
muh KHREE | My heart | 8 | focloir.ie |
|
A ċroí Standard spelling: A chroí |
uh KHREE | My dear, my heart (said to them) | 7 | Transparent Language, focloir.ie |
|
Mo ċuisle Standard spelling: Mo chuisle |
muh KHWISH-luh | My pulse, my darling The source of the English word "macushla". |
10 | Wikipedia / OED |
|
A ċuisle mo ċroí Standard spelling: A chuisle mo chroí |
uh KHWISH-luh muh KHREE | Pulse of my heart | 18 | Transparent Language, Wikipedia / OED |
|
A ġrá mo ċroí Standard spelling: A ghrá mo chroí |
uh GHRAW muh KHREE | Love of my heart | 15 | Transparent Language |
|
A stór Standard spelling: A stór |
uh STORE | My darling, my treasure The source of the English "asthore". |
6 | focloir.ie, Transparent Language |
|
A stór mo ċroí Standard spelling: A stór mo chroí |
uh STORE muh KHREE | Treasure of my heart | 15 | focloir.ie |
|
A ṫaisce Standard spelling: A thaisce |
uh HASH-kuh | My treasure, my dear | 9 | focloir.ie, Transparent Language |
|
A rún Standard spelling: A rún |
uh ROON | My dear, my beloved | 5 | Transparent Language |
|
A ṁuirnín Standard spelling: A mhuirnín |
uh WUR-neen | My darling, my sweetheart The source of the English "mavourneen". |
10 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
|
Grá geal Standard spelling: Grá geal |
GRAW gyal | Sweetheart, true love (literally "bright love") | 8 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
Vows and Declarations
Longer messages for wider bands, or for a ring and band read together.
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tá grá agam duit Standard spelling: Tá grá agam duit |
taw GRAW AH-gum ditch | I love you | 16 | focloir.ie |
|
Grá mo ċroí ṫú Standard spelling: Grá mo chroí thú |
GRAW muh KHREE hoo | You are the love of my heart | 16 | focloir.ie |
|
Grá, dílseaċt, cairdeas Standard spelling: Grá, dílseacht, cairdeas |
GRAW, DEEL-shokht, KAR-jus | Love, loyalty, friendship The three meanings of the Claddagh, in Irish. |
24 | focloir.ie, focloir.ie, focloir.ie |
|
Mo ḃean ċéile Standard spelling: Mo bhean chéile |
muh van KHAY-luh | My wife | 15 | focloir.ie |
|
M'ḟear céile Standard spelling: M'fhear céile |
mar KAY-luh | My husband The f is silent, and mo becomes m' before it. |
13 | focloir.ie |
|
Fíorċara Standard spelling: Fíorchara |
FEER-khar-uh | True friend | 9 | focloir.ie |
|
Cara dílis Standard spelling: Cara dílis |
KAR-uh DEE-lish | Loyal friend | 10 | focloir.ie |
Irish Proverbs (Seanfhocail)
Old sayings, called seanḟocail (SHAN-ok-il), carry generations of wisdom. Most are long, so they suit wide bands, the inside of a matching pair, or a gift card.
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Giorraíonn beirt bóṫar Standard spelling: Giorraíonn beirt bóthar |
GYUR-ee-un bertch BOH-har | Two shorten the road A favorite for couples starting life's journey together. |
23 | Omniglot, Bóthar |
|
Ar scáṫ a ċéile a ṁaireann na daoine Standard spelling: Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine |
er SKAW uh KHAY-luh uh WAR-un nuh DEE-nuh | We live in one another's shelter Quoted by President Michael D. Higgins at Windsor Castle in 2014. |
39 | seanfhocail.ie, President of Ireland |
|
Ní neart go cur le ċéile Standard spelling: Ní neart go cur le chéile |
nee NYART guh kur leh KHAY-luh | There is no strength without unity | 25 | All About Irish, LetsLearnIrish |
|
Níl aon tinteán mar do ṫinteán féin Standard spelling: Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin |
neel ayn TCHIN-tchawn mar duh HIN-tchawn fayn | There's no hearth like your own hearth | 36 | Omniglot, LetsLearnIrish |
|
Níl aon leiġeas ar an ngrá aċ pósaḋ Standard spelling: Níl aon leigheas ar an ngrá ach pósadh |
neel ayn LYE-us er un NGRAW akh POH-suh | There's no cure for love but marriage | 38 | Omniglot |
|
Is maiṫ an scáṫán súil ċarad Standard spelling: Is maith an scáthán súil charad |
iss MAH un SKAW-hawn sool KHAR-ud | A friend's eye is a good mirror | 31 | Omniglot |
|
Ní léir loċt don leannán Standard spelling: Ní léir locht don leannán |
nee LAYR lokht dun LAN-awn | A lover sees no fault | 25 | LetsLearnIrish |
Ireland and the Claddagh
Celebrate where the ring comes from.
| Irish (Gaelic lettering) | Say it | English meaning | Characters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
An Cladaċ Standard spelling: An Cladach |
un KLOD-ukh | The Claddagh ("the seashore") The Irish name of the Galway village the ring is named after. |
10 | Wikipedia |
|
Éire Standard spelling: Éire |
AY-ruh | Ireland | 4 | focloir.ie |
|
Éire go bráċ Standard spelling: Éire go brách |
AY-ruh guh BRAWKH | Ireland forever | 13 | focloir.ie |
Use With Care
- Anam cara (soul friend). This phrase is loved in English thanks to John O'Donohue's 1997 book Anam Cara. In Irish, anamċara traditionally means a spiritual guide or confessor, and it comes from early Irish monasticism, not romance (Wikipedia). If you love the phrase, engrave Anam Cara (9 characters) knowing it is the popular English-world usage. Avoid "Mo Anam Cara": in Irish, mo shortens to m' before a vowel. For a romantic message, Mo ċroí or A ċuisle mo ċroí are the more natural Irish choices.
- Mo chuisle, not "mo cuishle". The film Million Dollar Baby made the phrase famous with a non-standard spelling. The correct Irish is Mo ċuisle.
- Mo and a change the next word. After mo (my) and a (when speaking to someone), most words take an h: grá becomes mo ġrá, croí becomes mo ċroí, cuisle becomes a ċuisle. Leaving out the h is a common engraving mistake.
- Avoid machine translation. Online translators often get Irish grammar wrong. Choose from this list, or ask a fluent speaker to check a custom phrase before you order.
How to Order Your Engraving
- Choose a ring that offers engraving. We offer engraving on selected rings and bands only. If a ring can be engraved, you'll see an engraving box on its product page. If there's no engraving box, that ring isn't available with engraving.
- Check the length. Compare the character count in our tables with the space on your ring. Narrow bands and smaller sizes fit fewer characters; single words and two-word phrases suit almost any band, while proverbs need a wide one.
- Copy and paste the standard spelling (shown under each phrase in small type) into the engraving box, fadas included (á, é, í, ó, ú). Pasting is safer than retyping.
- Check it letter by letter before you add the ring to your cart. Remember that after mo (my) and a, many words take an h, as in mo chroí.
Browse our Claddagh wedding rings, Celtic wedding rings, titanium and tungsten Claddagh bands and sterling silver Claddagh rings.
Sources
We checked every word and phrase on this page against the sources below. Dictionary entries come from the New English–Irish Dictionary published by Foras na Gaeilge, the statutory body for the Irish language. Combined phrases such as Grá go deo join dictionary words without changing them.
- Foras na Gaeilge. New English–Irish Dictionary, entries for love, heart, soul, friendship, loyalty, hope, faith, peace, eternal, ring, forever, always, together, darling, treasure, sweetheart, beloved, friend, wife, husband, grass. focloir.ie
- Róislín. "Let Me Call You … Stóirín (Storeen) (Irish Terms of Endearment)." Transparent Language Irish Blog, February 7, 2014.
- "Macushla." Wikipedia, citing the Oxford English Dictionary.
- "Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine." seanfhocail.ie
- Office of the President of Ireland. "Toast by President Higgins at State Banquet, Windsor Castle," April 8, 2014. president.ie
- Omniglot. "Irish proverbs (Seanfhocail Ghaeilge)." omniglot.com
- Bóthar. "A gift that 'shortens the road'." bothar.ie
- All About Irish. "Strength in Unity: Ní neart go cur le chéile." allaboutirish.ie
- LetsLearnIrish. "55 Irish 'Seanfhocail' (Proverbs) and How To Say Them." letslearnirish.com
- "Anam Cara." Wikipedia.
- "Claddagh." Wikipedia.
- An Gúm / Foras na Gaeilge. teanglann.ie dictionary and pronunciation library (for listening to native speakers).
