Fluent Fiction - Irish: How Siobhán Outsmarted a Spider and Her Fears
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ga/episode/2025-09-01-22-34-02-ga

Story Transcript:

Ga: Sa bhláth an fhómhair, bhí an coláiste beo, faoi líonta órga na gcrann.
En: In the bloom of the fall, the college was alive, under the golden netting of the trees.

Ga: I dorm beag plódaithe, bhí Siobhán agus Niamh ina gcónaí.
En: In a little crowded dorm, Siobhán and Niamh were living.

Ga: Bhí cathaoireacha míshocraithe, postair de bhannaí ceoil ar na ballaí, agus leabhair ábhair ar fud an bhúird.
En: There were unsettled chairs, posters of music bands on the walls, and textbooks scattered across the table.

Ga: Bhí Siobhán ina suí ar a leaba, ag stánadh le faitíos ar phoillín réalta sa chúinne — damhán alla.
En: Siobhán was sitting on her bed, staring fearfully at a tiny star-shaped corner — a spider.

Ga: Chonaic Siobhán an damhán alla ar maidin.
En: Siobhán saw the spider in the morning.

Ga: Bhí sí cineál suibiachtúil.
En: She was somewhat subjective.

Ga: Creidtear ag Siobhán go dtugann damháin alla ádh.
En: Siobhán believed that spiders bring luck.

Ga: Ach, bhraith sí nach raibh mórán ádh ag teacht uirthi.
En: But, she felt that not much luck was coming her way.

Ga: Bhí sí ag súil go socraíodh sí é seo i ngan fhios.
En: She hoped that she could resolve this unnoticed.

Ga: Níor theastaigh uaithi Niamh a chur ar crith mar bhí an eagla ar Niamh roimh dhamháin alla.
En: She didn't want to frighten Niamh as Niamh was afraid of spiders.

Ga: Agus Declan, mac léinn as an taobh eile, thaitin leis bheith ina shaineolaí ar damháin alla.
En: Meanwhile, Declan, a student from the other side, fancied himself as a spider expert.

Ga: Bhíodh sé ag caint leis féin agus ag taispeáint an rud céanna gach uair a tháinig sé isteach.
En: He would often talk to himself, demonstrating the same thing every time he came in.

Ga: Bhraith Siobhán go mbeadh sé níos fearr dá bhfanfadh sé as seo.
En: Siobhán thought it would be better if he stayed away.

Ga: Chinn Siobhán go réiteachfadh sí an scéal léi féin.
En: Siobhán decided she would resolve the situation on her own.

Ga: Ghlac sí cupán agus páipéar.
En: She took a cup and a piece of paper.

Ga: Bhí sí cúramach.
En: She was careful.

Ga: Tháinig sí suas go mall ar an damhán alla.
En: She approached the spider slowly.

Ga: Bhí sí ag smaoineamh ar conas é a chur amach gan trioblóidí.
En: She was thinking about how to put it out without any trouble.

Ga: Ach, nuair a shroich sí lán a misnigh, sciorr an damhán alla ar ais.
En: But, just as she gathered her courage, the spider scuttled back.

Ga: Bhí sé gasta agus glic!
En: It was fast and cunning!

Ga: Nuair a bhí sí i mbun iarrachtaí arís, chuala sí an doras ag oscailt.
En: When she tried again, she heard the door opening.

Ga: Niamh!
En: Niamh!

Ga: Thosaigh Niamh ag crith agus ag cúlú.
En: Niamh started trembling and retreating.

Ga: Ansin, tháinig Declan isteach.
En: Then, Declan entered.

Ga: Bhí seisean le bocal fréamhach mór.
En: He had a large magnifying glass.

Ga: "Sin feithid álainn," a dúirt sé, ag bogadh go hingearach le gníomh.
En: "That's a beautiful insect," he said, moving vertically with action.

Ga: Bhí Siobhán cliste.
En: Siobhán was clever.

Ga: Shín sí a cupán folamh amach.
En: She extended her empty cup.

Ga: "Tá sé imithe amach an fhuinneog," a dúirt sí go stuama.
En: "It's gone out the window," she said calmly.

Ga: Chroith sí a ceann i dtreo na fuinneog oscailte.
En: She nodded toward the open window.

Ga: Rinne Niamh faobhar analaithe agus thug Declan rith chun breathnú.
En: Niamh exhaled sharply, and Declan ran over to look.

Ga: Smaoineamh n-aindírithe!
En: Distraction!

Ga: Gach duine socruithe, d'fhéach Siobhán ar an cupán folamh.
En: With everyone settled, Siobhán looked at the empty cup.

Ga: Bhraith sí bród as a féin-shealbhú.
En: She felt proud of her self-restraint.

Ga: Sula bhféadfadh Declan teacht ar ais, bhí deireadh sé ceart.
En: Before Declan could return, he was properly done with.

Ga: Bhí an fhuinneog mórán dúnta.
En: The window was mostly closed.

Ga: Ní raibh ach gaoth an fhómhair á suí ag na dréanaí.
En: Only the autumn breeze was resting at the drains.

Ga: Bhí an deireadh sin sásúil go maith di.
En: That conclusion was satisfying enough for her.

Ga: D'fhoghlaim sí as an lá inniu.
En: She learned something from today.

Ga: Ní gá i gcónaí do shaineolaithe a bheith bíogach.
En: Experts don't always have to be flustered.

Ga: Is minic is féidir tú féin a dhéanamh agus taitneamh as an té atá ionat féin.
En: Often, you can manage on your own and appreciate who you are.


Vocabulary Words:

• bloom: bhláth
• dorm: dorm
• unsettled: míshocraithe
• tiny: poillín
• subjective: suibiachtúil
• luck: ádh
• resolve: socraíodh
• spider: damhán alla
• fearfully: faitíos
• cunning: glic
• trembling: ag crith
• retreating: ag cúlú
• magnifying glass: bocal fréamhach
• clever: cliste
• calmly: stuama
• distraction: smaoineamh n-aindírithe
• self-restraint: féin-shealbhú
• breathing: analaithe
• expert: sain-eolaí
• flustered: bíogach
• satisfying: sásúil
• appreciate: taitneamh
• golden: órga
• scattered: ar fud
• staring: ag stánadh
• courage: misnigh
• expert: saineolaí
• gathered: shroich
• approached: tháinig
• settled: socruithe