Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut
The English phrase "happy samhain" is translated into Gaelic as Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut.
This phrase is a greeting used to wish someone a happy Samhain festival. You can respond to this greeting by saying Chomh maith leat, which means "likewise".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut literally translates to "Happy Samhain night to you".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Irish Gaelic, you can also say Oíche Shamhna sona duit to mean "Happy Samhain Night to you".
How does it change in a sentence?
To wish a happy Samhain to a group of people, replace dhut with daoibh to get Oidhche Shamhna shona daoibh. If you are addressing multiple people in a more formal or respectful manner, use the form Oidhche Shamhna shona dhuibh.
Did you know?
- Because Samhain was traditionally viewed as the start of the new year, saying Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut was historically more like wishing someone a 'Happy New Year' than a 'Happy Halloween'.
- The word oidhche used in this greeting may be a distant relative of the Latin word āter meaning 'dark' or the Sanskrit word andha meaning 'blind'.
- The phrase uses 'lenition', a grammatical process where the 's' in Samhain becomes sh in Shamhna to indicate a specific relationship between the words in the sentence.
Examples in context
- Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut!Happy Samhain night to you!
- Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut, a charaid.Happy Samhain night to you, friend.
Example conversation
Angus and Catriona meet on the street during the festival.
- AngusHalo, a Chatriona! Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut.Hello, Catriona! Happy Samhain to you.
- CatrionaTapadh leat, a Aungas! Oidhche Shamhna shona dhut cuideachd.Thank you, Angus! Happy Samhain to you also.
- AngusA bheil thu a' dol don phàirtí?Are you going to the party?
- CatrionaTha, bidh mi an sin nas a dhìth.Yes, I will be there soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dhut, oidhche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
