Fo chen!
The Old Irish greeting for "hello, welcome" is Fo chen! To greet one person directly, say Fo chen duit!, "welcome to you". It is also called bendacht fort.
Meaning: greeting, welcome (intj)
Ways to say it
| Old Irish | Note |
|---|---|
| Fo chen! | |
| Fo chen duit! | to one person |
| bendacht fort | blessing |
In the sagas a host greets arriving guests with Fo chen. A blessing, bendacht fort, "a blessing on you", was another warm way to greet someone.
Which one should you use?
Modern Irish Dia duit is a later greeting. The older dia do bethu appears in the sagas, but its literal meaning is disputed.
How does it change in a sentence?
duit means "to you" when speaking to one person.
How do you pronounce it?
The ch in chen is pronounced as in Scottish "loch".
Did you know?
- Láeg, who is greeted with Fo chen duit in the saga, is the charioteer of the hero Cú Chulainn.
Examples in context
- Fo chen duit, a Loíg.Welcome to you, Láeg. (Serglige Con Culainn)
- A ben, bennacht fort.Woman, a blessing on you. (ninth-century poem)
