“I Am Enough” in Irish
What “Is leor mé” means
Leor is the Irish word for enough or sufficient — you’ll already know it from go leor (plenty, “galore” in English) and is leor sin (that’s enough). Put together with the copula, Is leor mé reads simply as “I am enough.”
It’s a modern affirmation rather than an old proverb — but it’s grammatically sound, easy to say, and quietly powerful. Say it once in the morning, the way you’d steady a friend.
A few self-worth affirmations
Pronunciations are an approximate guide for English speakers; the sound varies by dialect.
Is leor mé.
I am enough.
say it roughly: iss lyohr may
Literally “I am enough / sufficient.”
Bí cineálta leat féin.
Be kind to yourself.
say it roughly: bee kin-AWL-tuh lat fayn
Tá grá agam dom féin.
I love myself.
say it roughly: taw graw AH-gum dum fayn
Tá mé láidir.
I am strong.
say it roughly: taw may LAW-dir
Tá mé ábalta.
I am able.
say it roughly: taw may AW-bal-tuh
Tóg go bog é.
Take it easy.
say it roughly: tohg guh bug ay
Make it a small daily habit
Affirmations work best when they’re short and repeated. Keep one line for a few days until it feels like yours, then move on. And don’t fret about the accent — as the learners’ saying goes, is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste: broken Irish is better than clever English.
Common questions
- How do you say “I am enough” in Irish?
- “I am enough” is commonly said as “Is leor mé,” pronounced roughly “iss lyohr may.” The word leor means enough or sufficient, so the phrase reads literally as “I am enough.”
- Is “Is leor mé” grammatically correct?
- Yes. It uses the copula “is” with the word leor (enough) — the same structure as everyday phrases like “is leor sin” (that is enough). It is best understood as a modern affirmation rather than a traditional proverb, but it is grammatically sound and widely used.
- How do you say “be kind to yourself” in Irish?
- “Be kind to yourself” is “Bí cineálta leat féin” (roughly “bee kin-AWL-tuh lat fayn”). Bí is the command “be,” cineálta means kind, and leat féin means “to/with yourself.”
- How do you say “I love myself” in Irish?
- “I love myself” is “Tá grá agam dom féin,” which literally means “I have love for myself.” Grá is the Irish word for love.
- Is “Is leor mé” a good phrase for a tattoo?
- It is short, meaningful and grammatically correct, which makes it popular. As with any tattoo in another language, double-check the fada (the accent on é) is included and, ideally, have a fluent Irish speaker confirm the spelling before it is permanent.
Get a line of Irish every morning
Lá Maith brings a gentle line of Irish to your morning — no streaks shouting at you, no shame on the days you forget. Just a kinder word, in the language of this island. Free on the App Store.