The traditional language of the Island is Manx Gaelic, which is closely related to Scots and Irish Gaelic but distinct from both.
There are no longer any native Manx speakers on the island but the language has been kept alive by a growing number of scholars and enthusiasts. There are now Manx Gaelic nursery and primary schools and children can continue to study Manx at secondary school. Government departments use both Manx and English on all documentation and official signage such as street and town names are also dual-language.
Find an introduction to the Manx language below, with tips on pronunciation, grammar and tense. Learn to greet people, count to ten and much more in the Manx language.
USEFUL PHRASES
Learn to say good morning and other greetings.
| Useful Phrases |
| Manx |
English |
| Moghrey mie (MORR-a MY) |
Good morning |
| Fastyr mie (FASS-ter MY) |
Good afternoon / evening |
| Oie vie (ee-VY) |
Goodnight |
| Kys t'ou? (kiss-TOW) |
How are you? |
| Braew (brow) |
fine |
| Mie dy liooar (MY-tha-L'YOOR) |
well enough |
| Castreycair (KASS-tra-care) |
middlin' |
| Goll as gaccan (gull as GAG un) |
Goin' 'n' grumblin' |
| gura mie ayd (gurr-a-MY-edd) |
thank you |
| Slane lhiat (slenn-L'YATT) |
goodbye |
| Hee'm oo (HEE-m oo) |
I'll see you |
| Cre'n ennym t'ort? |
What is your name? |
| Ta'n ennym orrym |
My name is ........... |
| Cre'n sliennoo t'ort? |
What is your surname? |
| Ta'n slienno orrym |
My surname is .......... |
| C'raad t'ou cummal? (crad-TOW-cummal) |
Where do you live? |
| Ta mee cummal anyns (ta-mee-cummal-ANS) |
I live in ........ |
THE WEATHER
The basics and how to discuss the weather.
| Discussing the Weather |
| Manx |
English |
| Emshyr (EM-sher) |
Weather |
| Fliugh (FLI-uck) |
Wet |
| Feayr (FOO-er) |
Cold |
| Çheh (shay) |
Hot |
| Çhirrym (SHI-rrum) |
Dry |
| Ceau fliaghey (KI-ow-fli-AR-ger) |
Raining |
| Ceau sniaghtey (KI-ow-SNEE-ACT-te) |
Snowing |
What's the weather like today?
|
|
| Cre gollrish yn emshyr jiu whooinney? (KRAY-gollrish un em-shir joo WUN-ya) |
What's the weather like today yessir |
| T'eh feayr (tey FOO-er) |
It's cold |
| Cha nel eh feayr agh t'eh çhirrym (HEN el ey FOO-er act ey shirr-UM) |
It's not cold but it's dry |
| Vel oo feayr? (vel oo FOO-er) |
Are you cold? |
| Ta mee feayr agglagh whooinney (ta me FOO-er AGH-lack WUN-ya) |
I am awful cold yessir |
What's the weather like in Peel?
|
|
| Cre gollrish yn emshyr jiu ayns Purt ny hInshey whooinney? (KRAY-gollrish un em-shir joo ans purt-NY-hinshey WUN-ya) |
What's the weather like today in Peel yessir? |
| Cha nel eh feer vie (HEN el ey fee v-eye ) |
It's not very good |
| Cre'n fa? (kren fer) |
Why? |
| T'eh feayr as t'eh ceau fliaghey as t'eh fliugh (te FOO-er as te ci-ow FI-ag-hey as ter FI-ug) |
It's cold, it's raining and wet |
| Ansherbee, cha nel eh ceau sniaghtey |
Anyway, it's not raining |
| Bwooise da Jee! |
Thank God! |
NUMBERS & TIME
Practice your numbers and telling the time in Manx.
| Numbers & Time |
| Manx |
English |
Numbers
|
|
| Nane (nen) |
One |
| Jees |
Two |
| Tree |
Three |
| Kiare (care) |
Four |
| Queig (kweg) |
Five |
| Shey |
Six |
| Shiaght (shakt) |
Seven |
| Hoght |
Eight |
| Nuy |
Nine |
| Jeih (j-eye) |
Ten |
| Nane jeig (nen-jeg) |
Eleven |
| Daa yeig (day-yeg) |
Twelve |
Time
|
|
| Cre'n traa t'eh? (CREN-trer-tey) |
What time is it? |
| Nane er y chlag (NEN-er-a-clag) |
One o'clock |
| Jees er y chlag (JEES-er-a-clag) |
Two o'clock |
| Tree er y chlag (TREE-er-a-clag) |
Three o'clock |
| Kiare er y chlag (CARE-er-a-clag) |
Four o'clock |
| Queig er y chlag (KWEG-er-a-clag) |
Five o'clock |
| Shey er y chlag (SHAY-er-a-clag) |
Six o'clock |
| Shiaght er y chlag (SHAKT-er-a-clag) |
Seven o'clock |
| Hoght er y chlag |
Eight o'clock |
| Nuy er y chlag (NIGH-er-a-clag) |
Nine o'clock |
| Jeih er y chlag (j-EYE-er-a-clag) |
Ten o'clock |
| Nane jeig er y chlag (NEN-jeg-er-a-clag) |
Eleven o'clock |
| Daa yeig er y chlag (DAY-yeg-er-a-clag) |
Twelve o'clock |
| Kerroo dys tree (KERROO-dis-tree) |
Quarter to three |
| Kerroo lurg kiare (KERROO-loog-care) |
Quarter past four |
| Leih lurg queig (LEY-loog-kweg) |
Half past five |
| Queig dys nuy (KWEG-dis-nigh) |
Five to nine |
| Queig lurg shiaght (KWEG-loog-shakt) |
Five past seven |
DAYS OF THE WEEK
Learn the days of the week.
| Days of the Week |
| Manx |
English |
| Jelune (j-LOON) |
Monday |
| Jemayrt (j-mirt) |
Tuesday |
| Jecrean (j-crane) |
Wednesday |
| Jerdein (j-dine) |
Thursday |
| Jeheiney (j-hen-ya) |
Friday |
| Jesarn |
Saturday |
| Jedoonee |
Sunday |
| |
|
| Moghrey (MORR-a) |
Morning |
| Fastyr (FASS-ter) |
Afternoon |
| Oie (ee) |
Night |
| Mairagh (MER-ra) |
Tomorrow |
| Jiu (j-oo) |
Today |
| Jea (jay) |
Yesterday |
COLOURS & SHAPES
Learn the Manx for colours and shapes.
| Colours & Shapes |
| Manx |
English |
Colours
|
|
| Daaghyn (dern) |
Colours |
| Jiarg (jirg) |
Red |
| Bwee |
Yellow |
| Lheeah (leah) |
Grey |
| Gorrym-jiarg (GORRIM-jirg) |
Purple |
| Bane (bern) |
White |
| Geayney (GERN-ya) |
Green |
| Doo |
Black |
| Jiarg-bwee (JIRG-bwee) |
Orange |
| Gorrym |
Blue |
| Dhone (dorne) |
Brown |
| Jiarg-bane (JIRG-bern) |
Pink |
| |
|
Shapes
|
|
| Cummaghyn (CUMM-a-gin) |
Shapes |
| Kiarkyl (KEY-a-kil) |
Circle |
| Corran |
Crescent |
| Kerrin |
Square |
| Rollage |
Star |
| Trooran |
Triangle |
