oíche
/ˈiːhɪ/feminine
The Irish word for night is oíche.
oíche is a noun referring to the period between sunset and sunrise. You can also use the related phrase oíche mhaith as a parting greeting to say good night.
Meaning: period between sunset and sunrise (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Conamara region of Ireland, oidhche is used for "night".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
oíche is a feminine noun. When using the definite article in the singular, you say an oíche for "the night". The genitive form of the word when used with the definite article is na hóíche, meaning "of the night".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈiːhɪ/
Did you know?
- The word oíche may share an ancient root with the Latin word āter meaning 'dark' and the Sanskrit word andha meaning 'blind'.
- In Irish folklore, the 'night' is often associated with na síðe or the fairy folk, who are believed to be most active and dangerous after sunset.
- While oíche mhaith means 'good night', it is strictly a parting phrase and is not used as a greeting when first arriving at a place after dark.
Examples in context
- Bhí an oíche fuar.The night was cold.This example shows how to use oíche to describe the temperature of the night.Tatoeba #12819678 by JimiYoru, translation #1582792 by CM
- Tá an oíche dorcha.The night is dark.This sentence uses oíche to describe the darkness of the night.Tatoeba #2977209 by JimiYoru, translation #1956380 by Spamster
- san oícheAt night, by nightThis phrase uses oíche to express the concept of "at night" or "by night".
- Bíodh oiche mhaith agat!Have a good night!
- Oíche mhaithGoodnight
- AnochtTonight
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Cathal and Siobhán are talking about their plans for the evening.
- CathalAn oíche seo go hiontach.This night is wonderful.
- SiobhánTá, tá an oíche an-chiú.Yes, the night is very quiet.
- CathalAn mbeidh tú amuigh an oíche seo?Will you be out tonight?
- SiobhánNí bheidh, tá an oíche ró-fhuar.No, the night is too cold.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “night” translations and entries oíche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oíche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
