Irish Terms of Endearment: 15 Words and Phrases for Love
by Melanie Romero
by Melanie RomeroBabylon Radio
Listen nowA stór, a ghrá and a mhuirnín are Irish terms of affection. Mo ghrá thú expresses love, while Tá mé i ngrá leat means you are in love with someone. The list below distinguishes affectionate forms of address from words such as kiss and forever.
Irish spelling matters: keep the fadas, and distinguish expressions beginning with mo (my) from forms used when speaking directly to someone. Familiar English spellings such as acushla and agra are not the standard Irish spellings.
1. Mo ghrá thú — I love you
Keep the accent on thú. This is an affectionate expression; context can also make it a warm expression of approval.
2. Tá mé i ngrá leat — I am in love with you
A direct way to tell someone you are in love with them. The phrase i ngrá le expresses being in love with someone.
3. Grá — love
This is the noun for love. It appears in expressions about affection for people, places and much else.
4. Mo chroí — my heart
Croí means heart; after mo, it becomes chroí. The phrase can be used affectionately rather than as a literal description.
5. Anamchara — soulmate
The modern Foclóir dictionary includes anamchara, cara cléibh and buanchara under soulmate. Anamchara is written as one word.
6. Go deo — forever
A useful expression for a message of lasting affection. It is an adverbial phrase, rather than a name to call a loved one.
7. Póg — a kiss
A short word to remember when writing about affection. The fada is part of its spelling.
8. A mhuirnín — darling
A form used when addressing someone fondly. It can express affection in more than one kind of relationship, so the situation matters.
9. Mo rúnsearc — my beloved
A literary-sounding expression of affection. Foclóir uses it in an example about remembering a loved one.
10. A chuisle — darling
Foclóir gives this as a way of addressing a loved one. Acushla is an anglicised form; use a chuisle when writing the Irish phrase.
11. Cuisle mo chroí — pulse of my heart
A poetic expression of affection. Cushlamachree is an English spelling inspired by Irish sounds, rather than standard modern Irish spelling.
12. A ghrá — my love
Use this when addressing someone. Agra is an anglicised spelling; the Irish form keeps the separate a and the fada.
13. A stór — darling or treasure
Stór can mean treasure, and a stór is a familiar affectionate address. It is not limited to romantic partners.
14. Mo stóirín — my little darling
Stóirín is an affectionate diminutive. Keep its spelling distinct from stór.
15. Mo stór, mo chroí — my treasure, my heart
Two affectionate expressions can be paired in a personal message. The possessive form here is mo stór, not mo stóir.
Check meanings and listen to pronunciation
Foras na Gaeilge’s dictionaries are useful starting points. See Teanglann’s entries for grá, croí and stór, and Foclóir’s entries for darling, sweetheart, soulmate, kiss and forever. Use the available dictionary audio to hear pronunciation; Irish has regional varieties that English sound-alike spellings cannot capture well.