Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh agus welcome to the gourment version of The Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
“Food, glorious food” as the cast of Oliver! sang so what Irish would you need if you were a bit peckish and headed to a local eatery.
Well, you have a choice of what type of establishment you want to feed your face in.
It could be a caife - a cafe or a bialann - a restaurant or maybe even a beár - a bar.
We tend not to translate words like pizzeria bistro, brasserie or biker bar.
So you can say to your nearest and dearest ar mhaith leat dul amach fá choinne dinnéara? Do you fancy going out for dinner?
Ignoring the “Why? Have you won the lottery?” jibe, you could then venture, cad é an cineál bia ba mhaith leat? - what kind of food would you like?
You can then enjoy watching the ice queen melt as she considers her options.
“Bhí bia Síneach againn aréir,” we had a Chinese last night (after the disco and the Tequila Slammers) but you could also say it was bia Indiach - Indian food, bia Iodálach - Italian food and we don’t bother translating Tex-Mex for all you nachos and guacamole fans.
“Ba bhreá liom stéig anocht” - I’d love a steak tonight, you are thinking to yourself but you know it ain’t gonna happen.
“Le sceallóga ...” - with chips you are dreaming when a voice, stage left, says “tá fonn orm bia mara a ithe” - I’m in the mood for seafood.
The thought of crabs sticks and bits of salmon aren’t exactly thrilling you to bits, however.
Is there a compromise? Order in a fish supper? Don’t even go there!
So, it’s a phone call to your local seafood bar, hoping they will say they’re completely booked out.
“An bhfuil tábla do bheirt agaibh?” Have you a table for two?”
Yes, there has a cancellation and the dream of some red meat and chunky chips, washed down by a nice Merlot goes out the window as you pass on your preferred time, your name and your phone number.
But let’s recap.
You know what types of places you can go eating; what kind of food you could have; what you’d love; what you are in the mood for; and how to ask if there is a table for two available.
So you finally get to the restaurant and after the first glass of Pinot Grigio you begin to warm to your surroundings.
You both have a nice tosaitheoir - a starter and then you get stuck into the príomhchúrsa - the main course.
Now you’re getting into the swing of things. There is an atmaisféar deas - a nice atmosphere in the place and to hell with the calories, let’s have a look at the milseoga - desserts.
The craic is now ninety and so you might want to ask for deoch an dorais - one for the road.
So it’s a Sambuca and a Jack Daniels to finish the evening off.
There’s a lot to be said for fish after all!
So now you can practice with your mates and organise all kinds of meals from oysters and caviar to kebabs and battered sausages which I won’t translate in case it encourages you towards a heart attack. Bon appétit!
CÚPLA FOCAL
caife(cafay) - a cafe
bialann(beealaan) - a restaurant
beár(baar) - a bar
ar mhaith leat dul amach fá choinne dinnéara? (er why lat gul amak funya jinyera) Do you fancy going out for dinner?
cad é an cineál bia ba mhaith leat?(cadge un kinyal beea ba why lat) - what kind of food would you like?
“Bhí bia Síneach againn aréir” (vee beea sheenyakh ageen arare) - we had a Chinese last night
bia Indiach(beea injeeakh) - Indian food
bia Iodálach(beea idaalakh) - Italian food
“Ba bhreá liom stéig anocht” (ba vra lum shtayg anawkht) - I’d love a steak tonight
le sceallóga(le skallawga) - with chips
tá fonn orm bia mara a ithe(taa fun orim beea mara a eeha) - I’m in the mood for seafood
An bhfuil tábla do bheirt agaibh? (un wil taabla daw vertch aggiv) - have you a table for two?
tosaitheoir(tusseehore) - starter
príomhchúrsa(preeoo-khoorsa) - the main course
atmaisféar deas(atmashfare jass) - a nice atmosphere
milseoga(milshawga) - desserts
deoch an dorais (jawkh un doreesh) - one for the road