Dia dhuit
/ˌdʲiə ˈɣɪtʲ/formal, singular
The Irish way to say hello is Dia dhuit. Wiktionary also lists Dia dhaoibh and Dia's Muire dhuit.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dia dhuit | /ˌdʲiə ˈɣɪtʲ/ | formal, singular |
| Dia dhaoibh | /ˌdʲiə ˈɣiːvʲ/ /ˌdʲiə ˈjiːbʲ/ (Aran) |
formal, plural |
| Dia's Muire dhuit | formal, singular | |
| Dia's Muire dhaoibh | formal, plural |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Dia dhuit literally means God with you.
Which one should you use?
Dia dhuit is used for one person, whereas Dia dhaoibh is used for a group. The forms Dia's Muire dhuit and Dia's Muire dhaoibh are variations that include the Virgin Mary in the blessing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
All provided forms are considered formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use Dia dhaoibh instead of Dia dhuit when greeting more than one person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌdʲiə ˈɣɪtʲ/
When do people say it?
The longer form Dia's Muire dhuit adds the Virgin Mary to the blessing, making it a more traditional or religious greeting. When someone says Dia duit, a polite response is Dia is Muire duit, which means God and Mary be with you.
Did you know?
- The word Dia in Dia dhuit is a homonym that can mean both 'god' and 'day'.
Examples in context
- Dia dhuit, a mháthair.Hello, mother.
- Dia dhuit, a dhuine uasail.Hello, sir.
Example conversation
Oisín enters a small shop and greets the shopkeeper Aoife.
- OisínDia dhuit, a Aoife.Hello, Aoife.
- AoifeDia dhuit, a Oisín.Hello, Oisín.
- OisínConas atá tú?How are you?
- AoifeTá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat.I am well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries Dia dhuit, Dia dhaoibh, Dia's Muire dhuit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Dia, Dia dhuit, Dia's Muire dhuit, Muire, dia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
