dia
/dʲiə/
The Irish word for God is dia.
The word dia is a noun used to refer to a general deity. When referring to the specific single deity of monotheism, the word is used as a proper name.
Meaning: deity (noun)
Which one should you use?
The lowercase dia refers to a general deity, while the capitalized Dia refers specifically to the monotheistic God.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When the word is used as a proper name for the monotheistic God, the word is capitalized.
How do you pronounce it?
/dʲiə/
When do people say it?
To express the sentiment 'Thank God', Irish speakers use the standard phrase Buíochas le Dia.
Did you know?
- The most common Irish greeting Dia duit literally translates to 'God be with you'.
- The Irish word dia is a cognate of the English word 'Tuesday', as both derive from the Germanic god Tīw.
- Because 'dia' can also mean 'day', an English speaker might be confused if they hear a phrase like análam in dia, though in context the meaning of 'deity' is usually clear.
Examples in context
- Buíochas le Dia gur tháinig tú orm.Thank God you found me.This example shows how to use dia in the phrase 'Thank God'.Tatoeba #5516931 by Cxom, translation #5516929 by Cxom
- Buíochas le Dia nach raibh aon duine gortaithe.Thank God that nobody was hurt.This example shows the use of dia within the phrase 'Thank God'.Tatoeba #5152634 by kemushi69, translation #5152633 by kemushi69
- I miotaseolaíocht na Gréige ba é Airéas dia an chogaidh.In Greek mythology, Ares was the god of war.This example demonstrates using dia to refer to a deity in Greek mythology.Tatoeba #10925718 by janTuki, translation #5617841 by Mar1L
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oisín and Niamh are discussing their beliefs.
- OisínAn creideann tú i Dia?Do you believe in God?
- NiamhTá, creideann mé i Dia.Yes, I believe in God.
- OisínAn bhfuil Dia tábhachtach agat?Is God important to you?
- NiamhIs é Dia an rud is tábhachtaí.God is the most important thing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God” translations and entries dia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
