céad míle fáilte
/ceːd̪ˠ ˈmʲiːlʲə ˈfˠaːl̠ʲtʲə/
The Irish phrase for 'a thousand welcomes' is céad míle fáilte.
céad míle fáilte is used as a warm and enthusiastic greeting to welcome guests or visitors.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of céad meaning 'hundred', míle meaning 'thousand' and the noun fáilte meaning 'welcome'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Munster region, you might encounter the variation Céad míle fáilte romhat, which means 'A thousand welcomes to you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The individual components of the phrase are céad (hundred), míle (thousand) and fáilte (welcome).
How do you pronounce it?
/ceːd̪ˠ ˈmʲiːlʲə ˈfˠaːl̠ʲtʲə/
When do people say it?
While often translated into English as 'a thousand welcomes', the phrase literally translates to 'a hundred thousand welcomes'.
Did you know?
- The word céad comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'new' or 'fresh', making it a distant relative of the English word 'recent'.
- The phrase céad míle fáilte is almost identical to the Scottish Gaelic version, ceud mìle fàilte, reflecting their shared Celtic roots.
- While céad míle fáilte is an iconic symbol of Irish hospitality, it is also used as a common brand name for hotels, guesthouses and tourism boards across Ireland.
Examples in context
- Céad míle fáilte daoibh!A thousand welcomes to you all!
Example conversation
Niamh welcomes Conor into her home for the first time.
- NiamhCéad míle fáilte, a Chonaire!A thousand welcomes, Conor!
- ConorGo raibh maith agat, a Niamh.Thank you, Niamh.
- NiamhTar an isteach anois.Come inside now.
- ConorIs álainn an teach seo.This house is beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry céad míle fáilte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries céad, céad míle fáilte, fáilte, míle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
