The term Slàinte Mhath (Pronounced Slanj-a-va) is actually both Irish and Scots Gaelic. The way the phrase is pronounced is the same for both languages, however the way it is spelt differs subtly. The Irish spell it Slàinte Mhaith.
Sláinte means "health" in Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is commonly used as a drinking toast in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
People in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland use Slàinte.
Póg. This is the Irish word for a “kiss” e.g. “give us a póg” or even cuter a “póigín”. This is not to be confused with asking something to “Póg Mo Thóin” (Kiss my arse).
“Cheers” in Irish is sláinte which is pronounced a bit like “slawn-che”. Sláinte means “health”, and if you're feeling brave, you can say sláinte is táinte (“slawn-che iss toin-che”), meaning “health and wealth”.
The Irish spell it Slàinte Mhaith. The phrase translates to “Good health” in both dialects, and if you want to respond to this using Scots Gaelic, you would say, “do dheagh shlainte” meaning “to your good health.”
To say Goodbye in Irish you would say “Slán leat” – literally meaning “goodbye (health) to you”. You can be less formal and just say “Slán”, bye. Or as we say in our own video … “Slán go fóill” – Bye for now.
The traditional Scottish Gaelic toast when raising a glass to say 'cheers' is Slàinte mhath which is pronounced slan-ge-var. In Scotland, going to the pub or meeting up for a friendly drink is very much part of our culture.
The term Slàinte Mhath comes from the Gaelic and translates as good health. It is the traditional Scottish and Irish toast. The root word slán is related to the Latin 'salus' for health, today people in France toast with 'santé' and in Italy with 'salute'.
Irish is a Celtic language (as English is a Germanic language, French a Romance language, and so on). This means that it is a member of the Celtic family of languages. Its “sister” languages are Scottish, Gaelic, and Manx (Isle of Man); its more distant “cousins” are Welsh, Breton, and Cornish.
"May your heart be light and happy, may your smile be big and wide. And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside." "For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day."
Standard Cheers
Exclaim "Sláinte!" This is the closest term you can use to toast someone "cheers!" in Irish Gaelic. More accurately, the term "sláinte" translates into the English term "health." When using this term, you are essentially toasting to someone's health. Pronounce this Irish term as slawn-cha.
The most common greeting is the handshake. The Irish usually shake hands when being introduced or when greeting a friend or work colleague. In formal situations or with people of higher status, titles and last names are used. Among close friends and family, the Irish may hug and kiss each other on the cheek.
Saying Hello in Ireland. To say “Hello” in Irish Gaelic, you say: Dia dhuit. That phrase is how you say hello to someone in Irish.
Rather than merely replying with an Irish Gaelic “hello,” dia is Muire duit is a more appropriate and usual response in Irish Gaelic.
Irish, the primary official language of Ireland has been spoken on the island for over 2500 years. Its sentence structure and syntax are very different from that of the English language. One striking distinction is the lack of words for “yes” and “no” in Irish.
Sláinte!
In an Irish pub, patrons toast each other sláinte (pronounced "slaan-sha") as they clink glasses of Guinness. Derived from the Old Irish adjective slán (which means "safe"), sláinte literally translates as "health" and is used as a stand-in for the more time-consuming "I drink to your health!"
'Hello' in Scottish Gaelic
In Scottish Gaelic, you greet others with 'halò'! Pronounced hallo, this phrase has you covered for greeting passers-by if you visit a Gaelic-speaking community. Alternatively, you could say good morning which is 'madainn mhath', pronounced ma-ten-va.
Carnaptious, our Scottish word of the day, is most often used to describe someone ill-tempered and grumpy; most likely on the warpath and looking for a fight for very little, if any reason.