bliadhnaichean
The English phrase 'years' is translated into Gaelic as bliadhnaichean.
bliadhnaichean is the plural form used to refer to multiple periods of one year.
Did you know?
- Because Gaelic is a highly inflected language, the way you say 'years' can change depending on whether you are saying 'of years' or 'for years', which is more complex than the English plural.
- The singular form bliadhna can actually mean both 'a year' and 'a cycle' in certain poetic contexts, blurring the line between a measurement of time and a seasonal event.
- The spelling of bliadhnaichean contains a 'dh' which is silent in most modern dialects, making the written length of the word deceptive to new speakers.
Example conversation
Angus and Eilidh discuss how long they have lived in the village.
- AngusC省略bliadhnaichean ciao a tha thu an seo, a Angus?How many years have you been here, Angus?
- EilidhTha mi an seo fad bliadhnaichean.I have been here for years.
- AngusA bheil thu toilichte an seo, Eilidh?Are you happy here, Eilidh?
- EilidhTha, tha mi ag amas fannd an seo.Yes, I intend to stay here.
