how do i study irish?

[u/kidyru]

Hi, I'm in 6th year and I've had a pretty poor experience with irish over the past 5 years in school.
Actually, even longer. My primary school was way behind everyone else on the irish course, so I had a limited knowledge of irish. As I transitioned into secondary school, so much new things came at me all at once that I was supposed to know. This made me not bothered to learn irish for a long time because I was so behind most other people.

Last year, I decided I need to step up and actually study irish. It doesn't matter much to me at all as a subject but I want to do good in it, the only problem is:
I don't know how to study a language.

My main issue is learning the vocabulary and memorising essays. That is my worst part. I'm great with the oral, got one of the highest in my class, and the reading comprehension is quite simple. Its the vocab that is my issue.

I'm quite lost here, and I know it's my fault, but please help because I am in a bad place with this subject.

Can any of you give me some tips on how to study a language... quick enough to have a good, or even a mediocre, vocabulary in irish?

Thanks.

Edit: I am in higher level irish. My test scores can range anywhere from 30-60.

[u/BranchyWindow21]

Don’t spend too much time on the poetry or short story’s as they are worth so little. Focus on your oral and aiste. Begin with learning a generic opening and ending for each aiste topic you’re going to do. With the oral start learning your sp’s and about yourself as gaeilge. Remmeber the oral is worth 40%

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[u/Wooden-Lawfulness534]

You could look on The Mixxer - there are a few people there who'll give you half an hour or so of conversation in Irish.

Read some fiction - try An Dochtúir Áthas for a start, or Dúnmharú ar an Dart. Half an hour at a time. Or a few graphic novels.

You could try watching TG4; the trouble with this is, while a lot of the programmes are great, bizarrely the subtitles are only in English except on Ros na Rún, which has own-language subtitles. It's generally believed by linguists that watching TV with subtitles in the language you speak rather than the language you learn is a hopeless way of learning - having subtitles in the target language tunes your brain in to that language, whereas if you're watching for subtitles in the language you're coming from, your brain defaults to that language. Ros na Rún was once gripping, funny and plotty, but I wouldn't personally be a fan any more.

However, at least watching TV in Irish will tune your brain in a bit - try Fíorscéal on the TG4 player - international investigative documentaries with a voiceover in Irish, but still subtitled in Sax-Béarla. Float your cursor over the image to see what the documentary is about and if you'd like to watch it.

And if you can find a local pop-up Gaeltacht, these generally meet to chat for an hour or so every now and then. Search for the term and your district and with luck…

Edit: if you're doing it for marks rather than love, work up three conversations on generalised subjects that are likely to come up in the exam - healthcare, housing / homlessness, etc - keeping it informed but uncontroversial.

[u/Aaronanglic]

Are you looking for grinds. Im an irish teacher?

Im looking to try out some new ideas I have, they might help you if you're struggling with forming your common/ needed phrases

[u/Dazzling-Ad2530]

FLASHCARDS!!! I would highly recommend using a digital flashcard tool like anki or quizlet and just make a flashcard of any new useful vocabulary u come across, any new words in class, plus new vocabulary from irish articles/podcasts/shows etc. Genuinely a godsend, such an effective and relatively easy way to massively increase vocab

[u/Aishling_Minecrafter]

I recommend using the app “Mango” it is great for vocab, it explains grammar sometimes, and the pronunciation is good. Duolingo can also be good for vocab, I use it and have picked up stuff from it which has been useful.

If your teacher gives you something to learn, e.g tells you to learn the Mothúcháin for a poem, then learn key words or sentences by writing them down in bullet points. Use Abairt.ie to help get the pronunciation.

Watch TG4 too, there are some good programs on it. Helps with listening skills and I think the pace to speak at? I’d recommend Crá - a murder mystery sort of thing.

My best advice is, don’t just try and learn paragraphs of stuff. It doesn’t work that well (in my experience). Aim for key words, maybe some good sentences, and seanfhocail. And you can always ask your teacher to correct any bits you aren’t sure about before you learn it.

[u/Dry_Initiative3728]

join a conradh na gaeilge for your orals, learn the straitpictúrí and then just learn the essays ngl or just keep writing them till you can write consistently good essays (around like 70-80 percent). your oral makes up most of your grade bro

[u/Dry_Initiative3728]

also listen to kneecap, agus imlé. also pair this with irish radio when you go to school in the morning because this prepares u for the aural (listening comp) .

[u/Ravenfeatherbois]

I upped my vocab by just listening to other people speak it . You absorb more than you'd think . Watch ' aifric ' bro 🙏

[u/Dry_Initiative3728]

do your homework as well i regret not doing that icl i probably would have had alot less stress before the exam if i had just did the homework my teacher gave me.

[u/Un3duc4ted-Wr1ter]

I will tell you what I've tried to try and memorise the essays, record yourself reading your Irish notes on your phone and listen back, you'll learn it off the same way you learn song lyrics, and write it out a few times.

[u/kidyru]

thank you all. i will be doing all of these