Welcome to this comprehensive guide on how to say the years in Irish! Whether you want to learn the formal or informal ways of expressing years, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll explore the various ways to talk about years in Irish, providing you with tips, examples, and even regional variations if necessary.
Table of Contents
The Formal Way
When it comes to expressing the years formally in Irish, there are specific patterns to follow. Irish typically uses the cardinal numbers to say dates, and the years are no exception. Here are a few general rules to keep in mind:
- Use the cardinal numbers from one to ten directly for the years 1 to 10. For example, 1 is “a haon” and 7 is “a seacht”.
- For numbers greater than ten, combine the tens and units. For example, 11 is “a haon déag” (one ten and one), and 35 is “tríocha a cúig” (three tens and five).
- Add “cead bliain” (hundred years) after the number for years larger than a hundred. For example, 200 is “dhá chéad bliain” (two hundred years).
Here are a few examples to illustrate these rules:
Example 1: 1984 – “a hocht gcéad ochtó a ceathair” (a haon míle naoi gcéad ochtó a ceathair)
Example 2: 1776 – “a seacht gcéad seachtó a se” (a haon míle seacht gcéad seachtó a se)
Remember to use “a” (meaning “of”) between the number and “céad” (hundred) when applicable, as shown in the examples above.
The Informal Way
Informally, Irish speakers may use a different approach to express years. The method commonly used is to state the century and then add the year within that century. For example:
Example 3: 1990 – “an naoú haois déag a nócha” (the nineteenth century plus ten)
Example 4: 2021 – “an fichiú haois is fiche a haon” (the twenty-first century)
Notice that after the century, “haois” (century) is mentioned, followed by the specific year in the century. This informal way of expressing years may be used more frequently in conversational Irish.
Regional Variations
While the formal and informal methods described above are widely used across the Irish language community, it’s important to acknowledge that there may be slight regional variations in how people talk about years. These variations are often reflected in dialects or local expressions. However, since this guide focuses on the general approach to saying the years, we won’t delve into specific regional differences.
Remember, language is constantly evolving, and the way people express the years may vary over time and across regions. Nevertheless, by following the guidelines provided, you’ll gain a solid foundation for expressing years in Irish.
We hope this guide has been helpful in teaching you how to say the years in Irish. Whether you’re engaging in formal or informal conversations, these tips, examples, and explanations should assist you in expressing dates accurately. Happy learning!
