Translate modern English text into Old Gaelic (Old Irish/Goídelc), the earliest form of the Gaelic languages spoken from the 6th to 10th century.
Old Gaelic, also known as Old Irish (Goídelc), is the earliest form of the Goidelic languages, attested in manuscripts and inscriptions from approximately the 6th to 10th centuries. It is the ancestor of Modern Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Old Gaelic features a complex system of initial mutations, verb-subject-object word order, and a rich inflectional morphology that distinguishes it from its modern descendants.
Old Gaelic predates Middle Irish (10th–12th century) and differs significantly in spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. Where Modern Irish uses simplified spelling conventions, Old Gaelic retains archaic forms such as lenition markers written differently, distinct neuter gender, and a broader case system. This translator focuses on the Old Irish period, drawing from glosses, legal texts, and early poetry.
This tool is useful for researchers studying early Celtic literature, writers seeking authentic archaic Gaelic phrasing, tattoo enthusiasts wanting historically accurate text, and anyone curious about how the earliest Gaelic speakers expressed ideas. It can also help with understanding Old Gaelic sayings and words found in historical sources.
The king rules over the land with wisdom and strength.
Rígaid in rí forsin tír co ecnai ocus co nert.
God is great and his mercy endures forever.
Is mór Día ocus manaid a thrócaire co bráth.
The warrior crossed the sea to find glory.
Doluid in láech darsin muir do chuingid glóire.
Love is stronger than death.
Is tressu in seirc oldaas bás.
They refer to the same language. Old Gaelic (Goídelc) is the umbrella term for the earliest Goidelic Celtic language, while Old Irish is the more common academic term. At this stage (6th–10th century), Irish and Scottish Gaelic had not yet diverged into separate languages.
The translations are based on attested Old Irish vocabulary, grammar, and syntax from scholarly sources. However, Old Irish is an incomplete corpus—many modern concepts have no direct equivalent, so the translator uses circumlocution or the closest attested phrasing. For academic or permanent use (such as tattoos), we recommend verifying with a Celtic studies specialist.
Old Celtic is a broader term encompassing all early Celtic languages, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, Brythonic (ancestor of Welsh and Breton), and Goidelic. Old Gaelic specifically refers to the Goidelic branch—the ancestor of Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx.
Yes. You can input a modern English proverb or saying and receive an Old Gaelic equivalent phrased in the style of early Irish wisdom literature (tecosca) or proverbial triads. Many Old Irish sayings survive in collections like the Triads of Ireland.
Old Irish had a more complex grammar including neuter gender, a full case system (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative), different spelling conventions for mutations, and many words that fell out of use or changed meaning over a thousand years of linguistic evolution.
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