saor-làithean
masculine, plural
The Gaelic word for holiday is saor-làithean. It is also spelled làithean-saora. Wiktionary also lists saor-latha.
Meaning: period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| saor-làithean | masculine, plural |
| làithean-saora | masculine, plural, alternative form |
| saor-latha | masculine |
saor-làithean refers to a period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel.
What does it mean word for word?
The word saor-làithean is a compound of saor (free) and làithean (days).
Which one should you use?
Use the plural saor-làithean when referring to a multi-day holiday or a general period of time off. The alternative spelling làithean-saora is also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form saor-latha is used to refer to a single day of holiday or a single holiday period.
Did you know?
- In Gaelic culture, the concept of a 'holiday' is closely tied to saor, a word that historically referred to the status of a free person rather than a slave.
- The word saor in saor-latha can mean 'free' as in 'liberated' or 'free of charge' but also describes something that is 'cheap'.
- The word saor also means 'single' or 'unmarried' when referring to a person, much like the English word 'free'.
Examples in context
- Tha mi a' feitheamh ri mo saor-làithean.I am looking forward to my holiday.
- An do thog thu saor-làithean an t-samhradh seo?Did you take a holiday this summer?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the year.
- EilidhCò tha thu ag iarraidh a choiseachadh airson saor-làithean?Where do you want to visit for the holidays?
- HamishTha mi ag iarraidh a dhol don Spàin, Eilidh.I want to go to Spain, Eilidh.
- EilidhSin plana sgoinneil, a Hamish!That is a great plan, Hamish!
- HamishTha mi ag an dòchas gu robh saor-làithean fada.I hope the holidays were long.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holiday” translations and entries saor-làithean, làithean-saora, saor-latha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
