So, how crappy is your Gaeilge? Ireland is now a country of many languages and believe it or not, Gaeilge is one of them. If you don’t believe me read this article in Irish or in English

Tá Gaeilge níos fearr ag an gcuid is mó againn ná mar a cheapaimid.

Fiú mura bhfuil Gaeilge againn, tá an chuid is mó againn buíoch gur Éireannaigh muid: ag leanúint na bhfoirne, ag canadh na n-amhrán agus ag baint sult as an gcraic.

Even if we don’t speak Irish, most of us are grateful that we are Irish: following the teams, singing the songs and enjoying the craic.

Agus is breá linn an teanga freisin. Ach níl sé chomh héasca teanga a fhoghlaim is atá sé an geansaí glas a tharraingt orainn, nó amhrán a chanadh.

And we love the language too. But it is not as easy to learn a language as it is to pull on us the green jersey, or to sing a song.

Fós féin tá Gaeilge níos fearr ag an gcuid is mó againn ná mar a cheapaimid. Is é an rud nach raibh againn roimhe seo ná áit inar féidir linn an Ghaeilge atá againn a úsáid, ar ár luas féin gan aon bhrú.

Ach tá sin athraithe a bhuíochas do Extrag.ie.

But that has changed thanks to Extrag.ie.

Ach ar dtús, seo cúpla pointe a thaispeánann an chaoi a bhfuil dearcthaí i leith na Gaeilge ag athrú go radacach agus go tapa.

But first, here are a few points to show the way attitudes to Irish are changing radically and rapidly.

• Is teanga oifigiúil de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh í an Ghaeilge anois, rud a chiallaíonn go bhfuil gairmeacha beatha níos suimiúla ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge i seirbhísí poiblí na hÉireann agus san Aontas Eorpach.

Irish is now an official European Union language, which means there are more interesting careers available for Irish speakers in the Irish public services and in the European Union.

• Mar thoradh ar Acht na dTeangacha, faoin mbliain 2030 beidh ar 20% d’earcaigh nua sna seirbhísí poiblí a bheith ina gcainteoirí Gaeilge.

As a result of the Official Languages Act, by the year 2030 20% of  new recruits in the public services will have to be Irish speakers.

• Is tír ilteangach í Éire anois agus de réir mar a athraíonn agus a fheabhsaíonn go leor teangacha ár gcultúr, tá Éireannaigh óga ag iarraidh a bheith mar chuid den athrú sin lena dteanga féin.

Ireland is now a multilingual country and as our culture is changing and being enhanced by many languages, young Irish people want to be part of that change with their own language.

• Tá ‘school Irish’ ag an gcuid is mó againn ach ní úsáidimid í. Sin an fáth ar cruthaíodh ExtraG.ie.

Most of us have school Irish but we don’t use it. That’s why ExtraG.ie was created. It is for people with school Irish and those who are fluent.

• Foilsítear scéalta spéisiula agus bríomhara gach lá i nGaeilge shimplí ar ExtraG.ie (le roinnt focal deacra agus logainmneacha i mBéarla idir lúibíní, chun cabhrú leis an léitheoir).

ExtraG.ie posts interesting and lively stories every day in simple Irish (with some difficult words and place names in English in brackets to help the reader).

• Tá na scéalta Nuachta, Spórt agus Siamsaíochta ar ExtraG.ie ar fáil 24/7, aon uair is mian leat, cibé áit is mian leat. Tá siad ar do ghuthán, táibléad, ríomhaire glúine agus deasc. Agus tá sé saor in aisce. Bain triail as anseo: Extrag.ie

The News, Sport and Entertainment stories on ExtraG.ie are available 24/7, whenever you like, wherever you like. They are on your phone, tablet, laptop and desktop. And its free. Try it here: ExtraG.ie.

Faigh an nuacht gach lá anseo/ Get the news every day here

Le dul ar liosta ríomhphoist ExtraG.ie (email list) abair ‘Tá’ ar ríomhphoist go joeextragdotie@gmail.com

Agus chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil ar fheabhsú do chuid Gaeilge is féidir dul i dteagmháil le Conradh na Gaeilge agus Foras na Gaeilge.