In less formal contexts, when friends are meeting, for example, people tend not to use Dia duit. Instead, they greet each other by asking:

Bonnleibheal_1/Aonad_1/EU2_01.mp3 Cén chaoi a bhfuil tú?
How are you?

That particular greeting is used in Connacht Irish. Note that the n in Cén is not pronounced, that the first two words run together and that the a before bhfuil is not heard either.

The greetings used in the other dialects, Ulster and Munster, are given below. As you can see, they’re different from the Connacht greeting. You can choose one of those three greetings, however, and learn how to say it properly. Don’t worry about being able to pronounce the other two well – you only need to understand what they mean!

Ulster dialect

Bonnleibheal_1/Aonad_1/EU2_02.mp3 Cad é mar atá tú?
How are you?

Pronunciation: Jay ma thaw thoo?

Munster dialect

Bonnleibheal_1/Aonad_1/EU2_03.mp3 Conas atá tú?
How are you?

Pronunciation: Cunis thaw thoo?