slán
/sˠl̪ˠɑ̃ːn̪ˠ/
slán is the Irish way to say bye.
slán is a short form of goodbye.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word slán literally means safe, healthy or whole.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to one person, the phrase is often expanded to slán agat or Slán leat. When addressing multiple people, the phrase is often expanded to slán sibh.
How do you pronounce it?
/sˠl̪ˠɑ̃ːn̪ˠ/
Did you know?
- The word slán can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who is 'recovered' or 'healed' from an illness.
- The word slán shares a common ancestor with the English word 'whole', meaning both terms relate to being intact or complete.
- In traditional Irish culture, saying slán often implies a hope that the person reaches their destination safely, reflecting a history of dangerous travel.
Examples in context
- Caithfidh mé imeacht anois. Slán agat!I have to go now. Bye!This example shows how to use slán when leaving.Tatoeba #12274860 by EoghanM, translation #2093311 by gleki
- Slán go fóill!Bye for now!
- Slán leat, a chara.Bye, my friend.
Example conversation
Aoife and Cathal are leaving a café.
- AoifeBáinn an lá, a Chathail.Have a good day, Cathal.
- CathalGo raibh an lá go maith agat, a Aoife.Have a good day, Aoife.
- AoifeSlán!Bye!
- CathalSlán agat!Bye to you!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry slán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries slán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
