An Foclóir Beag

(based on 3 reviews)

Dictionary Overview

Quite an extensive online Irish-Irish dictionary by the University of Limerick. Includes verb tables, and suggests an alternative word if your search show zero results. The interface is in Irish.

Nualeargais.ie has a guide to using An Foclóir Beag.

Here's a list of terminology used in the dictionary, to help you get started.

present = láith
past = caite
future = fáis

plural = ainmneach iolra
singular = ainmneach uatha
conditional = coinníollach

genitive = ginideach
genitive singular = ginideach uatha
genitive plural = ginideach iolra

feminine = baininseneach
masculine = firinscneach

Adjective = aidiacht
Noun = ainm, ainmfhocal

participle = rangabháil
particle = páirteagal

The online Foclóir Beag uses the old printed An Foclóir Beag (see Amazon.com).

Visitor reviews (Add your review)

An foghlaimeoir foighneach
ala, Éire. 27 Aug 2009.

Gabhaim fíor-bhuíochas le h-Ollscoil Luimnigh as ucht an tsuímh seo. Gan dabht is ceann de na háiseanna is tabhachtaí é atá le fáil inniu ar an ngréasán; mar fhoghlaimeoir Gaeilge bím ag baint úsáid as gach uile lá, agus bheinn caillte ina eagmais. Is ábhar de mhórthabhacht don teanga áis mar seo a choiméad riamh beo ar-líne - mo cheol sibh!

An áis is fearr don mhac léinn
micheál, Gaillimh. 24 Mar 2008.

Áis iontach chun cinntiú go bhfuil scríobh na Gaeilge ceart agus cruinn. Tá mé báite in aistí do mo chúrsa BA Gaeilge faoi láthair agus níl leathanach na foclóra bige ag feidhmú ar corr ar bith. Táim i ladhair an chasúir. Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan adhmad?

A real learning tool
Redwolf, California, USA. 5 Sep 2006.

About the only downside to An Foclóir Beag is it's possible to get TOO dependent on it. Once the beginner gets over the fact that it is entirely in Irish, he or she will be delighted with just how helpful it is, especially when it comes to figuring out how to conjugate verbs or decline nouns and adjectives. You do have to be careful, however...I had a tendency to keep this one open on my screen and to resort to it often, with the result that I suddenly realized one day that I had no idea whatsover how to conjugate verbs...I was just relying on the dictionary to do it for me! Now I make myself do it first, and refer to An Foclóir Beag to confirm my work, and that works very well indeed. Definitely a resource every learner will want to learn how to use.

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