tiocfaidh ár lá
The phrase "our day will come" in Irish is tiocfaidh ár lá.
Tiocfaidh ár lá is an optimistic slogan used to express the belief that a time of victory or success will eventually arrive. It is often associated with Irish nationalism.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the future tense verb tiocfaidh (will come), the possessive adjective ár (our) and the noun lá (day).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb tiocfaidh is the future tense form of the verb teacht (to come).
Did you know?
- While ár means 'our' in this slogan, it is also a word for 'slaughter'. This second meaning comes from an ancient root meaning 'hunt', which is also the ancestor of the Ancient Greek word ᾰ̓́γρᾱ.
- Because tiocfaidh ár lá is so closely linked to republicanism and Irish nationalism, using it in a casual conversation may be seen as a strong political declaration rather than a general wish for success.
- The word lá for 'day' is a linguistic survivor that has kept its basic form almost entirely unchanged from the Old Irish language spoken over a thousand years ago.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their hopes for the future.
- ConorTá rudaí deacair ag an moment.Things are difficult at the moment.
- SaoirseNá bí bualadach, tiocfaidh ár lá.Don't be down, our day will come.
- ConorAn creideann tú é sin, a Saoirse?Do you believe that, Saoirse?
- SaoirseTá mé cinnte go dtiocfaidh sé.I am sure it will come.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lá, ár, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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