Bealltainn
/ˈb̥jaul̪ˠt̪iɲ/feminine
The English phrase beltane is translated into Gaelic as Bealltainn. It is also spelled Là Buidhe Bealltainn. Wiktionary also lists Là Bealltainn.
Meaning: holiday (name)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bealltainn | /ˈb̥jaul̪ˠt̪iɲ/ /ˈb̥aul̪ˠt̪iɲ/ |
feminine |
| Là Bealltainn | masculine | |
| Là Buidhe Bealltainn | masculine, alternative form |
Bealltainn is the name of the traditional Gaelic holiday. It is used to refer to the festival as a whole.
Which one should you use?
Bealltainn is a feminine noun used to name the festival itself. If you want to refer specifically to the day of the festival, use the masculine phrase Là Bealltainn. An alternative spelling for this specific day is Là Buidhe Bealltainn.
How does it change in a sentence?
Bealltainn is a feminine noun. Là Bealltainn and Là Buidhe Bealltainn are masculine phrases.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈb̥jaul̪ˠt̪iɲ/
Did you know?
- Traditionally, Bealltainn was marked by driving cattle between two bonfires to protect the herd from disease for the coming year.
- The word buidhe in Là Buidhe Bealltainn can mean 'yellow' or 'gratitude' depending on the context. Both meanings come from different Proto-Indo-European roots.
- In Gaelic culture, Bealltainn is one of the four quarterly fire festivals, acting as a linguistic and cultural marker for the start of the summer half of the year.
Examples in context
- Chunnaic mé féile Beltane in Éirinn.I saw a Beltane festival in Ireland.
- An bhfuil tú ag dul chuig Beltane i mbliana?Are you going to Beltane this year?
Example conversation
Hamish and Eilidh are discussing their plans for the spring festival.
- HamishA bheil thu a' dol don fhèis Bealltainn?Are you going to the Beltane festival?
- EilidhTha, bidh mi an sin, a Hamish.Yes, I will be there, Hamish.
- HamishSgoilidh e a bhith an sin!It will be great to be there!
- EilidhTha mi a' coimhead air Bealltainn.I am looking forward to Beltane.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beltane” translations and entries Bealltainn, Là Bealltainn, Là Buidhe Bealltainn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buidhe, là, CC BY-SA 4.0.
