slán go fóill
The English phrase 'see you later' is translated into Irish as slán go fóill.
slán go fóill is used to mean 'see you later'. You may also use Beidh mé ar ais to say 'I'll be back'.
Meaning: goodbye (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase slán go fóill literally means 'safe for a while'.
Which one should you use?
While slán go fóill means 'see you later', slán agat is a more general 'goodbye' used when parting from someone.
Did you know?
- Because slán is rooted in 'wholeness', it shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the English word 'whole' and 'health'.
- The Irish language has several ways to say 'goodbye' that change depending on whether you are speaking to one person or a group.
- While slán go fóill is a standard way to say 'see you later', using just slán can sometimes feel more final, similar to saying 'farewell' in English.
Examples in context
- Slán go fóill, John!Goodbye for now, John!
- Slán go dtí an chéad uair eile, Aoife!Goodbye until next time, Aoife!
- Slán go fóill leat.Goodbye to you (see you later).
Example conversation
Saoirse and Conor are leaving a cafe.
- SaoirseBáireas an lá, a Chonaire!Have a nice day, Conor!
- ConorGo raibh maith agat, a Saoirse.Thank you, Saoirse.
- SaoirseSlán go fóill!See you later!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fóill, go, slán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
