Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Samhain | /sˠɑ̃u(ə)nʲ/ (Munster) /sˠaunʲ/ (Connacht) |
feminine |
| Mí na Samhna | feminine |
Samhain is the usual name for the month. You can also say Mí na Samhna, which spells out "the month of Samhain".
What does it mean word for word?
Mí na Samhna is made of Mí (month), the article na and Samhna, the genitive form of Samhain.
Which one should you use?
Samhain is the short everyday name. Mí na Samhna is the fuller way to name the month.
How does it change in a sentence?
Samhain is a feminine noun. When it follows another noun to mean "of November", it takes the genitive form Samhna.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /sˠɑ̃u(ə)nʲ/. The middle letters are not pronounced as written, so the word sounds roughly like English "sour" followed by a soft n.
When do people say it?
November takes its name from the ancient festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. Many Halloween customs come from it.
Did you know?
- The word Samhain shares a linguistic ancestor with the Sanskrit word samaná, meaning 'together'.
- While the English word 'November' is the ninth month in the old Roman calendar, the Irish concept of Samhain actually marks the beginning of the new seasonal year in the Gaelic-speaking tradition.
Examples in context
Example conversation
Niamh and Oisín are discussing their holiday plans.
- NiamhNuair a theistíonn tú go dtí an SpáÑA?When are you going to Spain?
- OisínTáim ag dul ag an Samhain.I am going in November.
- NiamhAn bhfuil an aimsir go maith ansin ansin?Is the weather good there then?
- OisínTá sí níos warmer ná anseo sa Samhain.It is warmer than here in November.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “November” translations and entries Samhain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mí, Samhain, mí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
