Foclach Game

Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Cianaodh Óg

If you’re learning the Irish language, like me and you also enjoy games, like me then I just learned about something that might interest you too. On Gaeilge i Mo Chroí, Molly Nic Céile recently posted a video about 10 things you can do every day to improve your Irish full of great ideas that could be helpful in any language learning. Things like, using post-it notes on things around your house naming the things in the language you are learning. Commenting on posts in social media in the language, thinking in the language, making your to-do lists in the language and stuff like that.

Also, use your app or phone settings to use the language you are learning. All great ideas of course. But the one I really liked is the games of course. In particular was a game called Foclach which is like the popular game Wordle but in Irish. Now, I personally never played Wordle much but my wife plays it sometimes and I have watched her play and occasionally helped out with guesses and stuff like that on it. So, I am kind of familiar with it. If you don’t know how the game works here’s the basic idea. A five letter word is presented and you have to take guesses at what the word is.

Playing Foclach

If letters in the word you guess are correct and in the right place they come up in green. If they are correct but in the wrong place they come up in orange. In the event a letter is not correct at all it comes up grey, so you know not to use those letters in future guesses. You get five guesses to guess the five letter word to either win or lose the game. This could be helpful if you already have some Irish vocabulary and want to practice or to add more words to your vocabulary. I think most people tend to learn things better when you’re having fun so this game might be very helpful.

I know I intend to try it out. Maybe you will too?