Compass Directions
Learn compass directions in Irish (Airde an Chompáis): North (thuaidh/tuaisceart), South (theas/deisceart), East (thoir/oirthear), and West (thiar/iarthar), with motion, location, and regional forms.
Vocabulary Directions Compass Directions In Irish North East South West In Irish Airde An ChompáIs Adverbs Geography
In Irish, expressing compass directions involves more than just single words for north, south, east, and west. The language uses different forms to distinguish between a static location, movement towards a direction, and movement from a direction. Understanding these forms is key to talking about geography and travel.
Quick Reference: North, South, East, West in Irish
- North:
thuaidh(in the north) ·ó thuaidh(northwards) ·an tuaisceart(the North) - South:
theas(in the south) ·ó dheas(southwards) ·an deisceart(the South) - East:
thoir(in the east) ·soir(eastwards) ·an t-oirthear(the East) - West:
thiar(in the west) ·siar(westwards) ·an t-iarthar(the West)
Forms of Direction
There are five main ways to express a direction, depending on the context.
- Location: Describes a static position (“in the north”).
- Tá an chathair thuaidh. - The city is in the north.
- From a Direction: Describes movement originating from a direction (“from the west”).
- Séideann an ghaoth aniar. - The wind blows from the west.
- To a Direction: Describes movement towards a direction (“going east”).
- Táimid ag dul soir. - We are going east.
- Relative Location: Describes a position relative to another point (“south of the coast”).
- Tá an t-oileán laisteas den chósta. - The island is south of the coast.
- Noun: Refers to the direction as a region or concept (“the West of Ireland”).
- Tá cónaí orthu san iarthar. - They live in the west.
Cardinal Directions
The four main compass points show the basic patterns for each form.
| Direction | Location | From | To | Relative | Noun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | thuaidh | aduaidh | ó thuaidh | lastuaidh | an tuaisceart |
| East | thoir | anoir | soir | lastoir | an t-oirthear |
| South | theas | aneas | ó dheas | laisteas | an deisceart |
| West | thiar | aniar | siar | laistiar | an t-iarthar |
Intercardinal Directions
The intermediate directions are formed by combining the cardinal points.
| Direction | Location | From | To | Relative | Noun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | thoir thuaidh | anoir aduaidh | soir ó thuaidh | lastoir lastuaidh | an t-oirthuaisceart |
| Southeast | thoir theas | anoir aneas | soir ó dheas | lastoir laisteas | an t-oirdheisceart |
| Southwest | thiar theas | aniar aneas | siar ó dheas | laistiar laisteas | an t-iardheisceart |
| Northwest | thiar thuaidh | aniar aduaidh | siar ó thuaidh | laistiar lastuaidh | an t-iarthuaisceart |
Full 32-Point Compass Reference
The following is a comprehensive list of all 32 compass points for reference.
View the complete 32-point compass
North to East Quadrant
- North (N)
- Location:
thuaidh - From:
aduaidh - To:
ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastuaidh
- Location:
- North by East (N by E)
- Location:
thuaidh lámh thoir - From:
aduaidh lámh anoir - To:
ó thuaidh lámh soir - Relative:
lastuaidh lámh lastoir
- Location:
- North-Northeast (NNE)
- Location:
thuaidh thoir thuaidh - From:
aduaidh anoir aduaidh - To:
ó thuaidh soir ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastuaidh lastoir lastuaidh
- Location:
- Northeast by North (NE by N)
- Location:
thoir thuaidh lámh thuaidh - From:
anoir aduaidh lámh aduaidh - To:
soir ó thuaidh lámh ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastoir lastuaidh lámh lastuaidh
- Location:
- Northeast (NE)
- Location:
thoir thuaidh - From:
anoir aduaidh - To:
soir ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastoir lastuaidh
- Location:
- Northeast by East (NE by E)
- Location:
thoir thuaidh lámh thoir - From:
anoir aduaidh lámh anoir - To:
soir ó thuaidh lámh soir - Relative:
lastoir lastuaidh lámh lastoir
- Location:
- East-Northeast (ENE)
- Location:
thoir thoir thuaidh - From:
anoir anoir aduaidh - To:
soir soir ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastoir lastoir lastuaidh
- Location:
- East by North (E by N)
- Location:
thoir lámh thuaidh - From:
anoir lámh aduaidh - To:
soir lámh ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastoir lámh lastuaidh
- Location:
East to South Quadrant
- East (E)
- Location:
thoir - From:
anoir - To:
soir - Relative:
lastoir
- Location:
- East by South (E by S)
- Location:
thoir lámh theas - From:
anoir lámh aneas - To:
soir lámh ó dheas - Relative:
lastoir lámh laisteas
- Location:
- East-Southeast (ESE)
- Location:
thoir thoir theas - From:
anoir anoir aneas - To:
soir soir ó dheas - Relative:
lastoir lastoir laisteas
- Location:
- Southeast by East (SE by E)
- Location:
thoir theas lámh thoir - From:
anoir aneas lámh anoir - To:
soir ó dheas lámh soir - Relative:
lastoir laisteas lámh lastoir
- Location:
- Southeast (SE)
- Location:
thoir theas - From:
anoir aneas - To:
soir ó dheas - Relative:
lastoir laisteas
- Location:
- Southeast by South (SE by S)
- Location:
thoir theas lámh theas - From:
anoir aneas lámh aneas - To:
soir ó dheas lámh ó dheas - Relative:
lastoir laisteas lámh laisteas
- Location:
- South-Southeast (SSE)
- Location:
theas thoir theas - From:
aneas anoir aneas - To:
ó dheas soir ó dheas - Relative:
laisteas lastoir laisteas
- Location:
- South by East (S by E)
- Location:
theas lámh thoir - From:
aneas lámh anoir - To:
ó dheas lámh soir - Relative:
laisteas lámh lastoir
- Location:
South to West Quadrant
- South (S)
- Location:
theas - From:
aneas - To:
ó dheas - Relative:
laisteas
- Location:
- South by West (S by W)
- Location:
theas lámh thiar - From:
aneas lámh aniar - To:
ó dheas lámh siar - Relative:
laisteas lámh laistiar
- Location:
- South-Southwest (SSW)
- Location:
theas thiar theas - From:
aneas aniar aneas - To:
ó dheas siar ó dheas - Relative:
laisteas laistiar laisteas
- Location:
- Southwest by South (SW by S)
- Location:
thiar theas lámh theas - From:
aniar aneas lámh aneas - To:
siar ó dheas lámh ó dheas - Relative:
laistiar laisteas lámh laisteas
- Location:
- Southwest (SW)
- Location:
thiar theas - From:
aniar aneas - To:
siar ó dheas - Relative:
laistiar laisteas
- Location:
- Southwest by West (SW by W)
- Location:
thiar theas lámh thiar - From:
aniar aneas lámh aniar - To:
siar ó dheas lámh siar - Relative:
laistiar laisteas lámh laistiar
- Location:
- West-Southwest (WSW)
- Location:
thiar thiar theas - From:
aniar aniar aneas - To:
siar siar ó dheas - Relative:
laistiar laistiar laisteas
- Location:
- West by South (W by S)
- Location:
thiar lámh theas - From:
aniar lámh aneas - To:
siar lámh ó dheas - Relative:
laistiar lámh laisteas
- Location:
West to North Quadrant
- West (W)
- Location:
thiar - From:
aniar - To:
siar - Relative:
laistiar
- Location:
- West by North (W by N)
- Location:
thiar lámh thuaidh - From:
aniar lámh aduaidh - To:
siar lámh ó thuaidh - Relative:
laistiar lámh lastuaidh
- Location:
- West-Northwest (WNW)
- Location:
thiar thiar thuaidh - From:
aniar aniar aduaidh - To:
siar siar ó thuaidh - Relative:
laistiar laistiar lastuaidh
- Location:
- Northwest by West (NW by W)
- Location:
thiar thuaidh lámh thiar - From:
aniar aduaidh lámh aniar - To:
siar ó thuaidh lámh siar - Relative:
laistiar lastuaidh lámh laistiar
- Location:
- Northwest (NW)
- Location:
thiar thuaidh - From:
aniar aduaidh - To:
siar ó thuaidh - Relative:
laistiar lastuaidh
- Location:
- Northwest by North (NW by N)
- Location:
thiar thuaidh lámh thuaidh - From:
aniar aduaidh lámh aduaidh - To:
siar ó thuaidh lámh ó thuaidh - Relative:
laistiar lastuaidh lámh lastuaidh
- Location:
- North-Northwest (NNW)
- Location:
thuaidh thiar thuaidh - From:
aduaidh aniar aduaidh - To:
ó thuaidh siar ó thuaidh - Relative:
lastuaidh laistiar lastuaidh
- Location:
- North by West (N by W)
- Location:
thuaidh lámh thiar - From:
aduaidh lámh aniar - To:
ó thuaidh lámh siar - Relative:
lastuaidh lámh laistiar
- Location: