Dia duit
hello, everyday
In Irish Gaelic you say hello with Dia duit and goodbye with Slán. The full form is Slán leat to someone who is leaving and Slán agat to someone who is staying.
Meaning: greeting and farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| Dia duit | hello, everyday |
| Slán leat | goodbye, to the person leaving |
| Slán agat | goodbye, to the person staying |
The reply to Dia duit is Dia is Muire duit, which means "God and Mary to you". To ask how someone is, say Conas atá tú?
Which one should you use?
Irish has two forms of goodbye, depending on who is leaving. The one who leaves says Slán agat and the one who stays says Slán leat.
Did you know?
- Dia duit literally means "God to you", and the longer reply Dia is Muire duit adds Mary.
Examples in context
- Dia duit, a Sheáin.Hello, Seán.
- Slán leat, a chara.Goodbye, friend (said to the one leaving).
- Slán agat, feicfidh mé amárach thú.Goodbye, I will see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Siobhán meets her neighbor Pádraig on the road in a village in Connemara.
- SiobhánDia duit, a Phádraig.Hello, Pádraig.
- PádraigDia is Muire duit, a Shiobhán.Hello, Siobhán.
- SiobhánSlán agat anois, tá mé ag dul abhaile.Goodbye now, I am going home.
- PádraigSlán leat.Goodbye.
