Am agus Gnáthamh Laethúil (Time and Daily Schedule)

Telling time in Irish helps us plan our day and make arrangements. Whether discussing your work schedule, making appointments, or arranging to meet friends, these phrases will help you talk about time and daily routines in Irish.

Telling the Time

Hours

• A haon (a hain) = 1 o'clock
• A dó (a doe) = 2 o'clock
• A trí (a tree) = 3 o'clock
• A ceathair (a ka-hir) = 4 o'clock
• A cúig (a koo-ig) = 5 o'clock
• A sé (a shay) = 6 o'clock
• A seacht (a shakht) = 7 o'clock
• A hocht (a hokht) = 8 o'clock
• A naoi (a nee) = 9 o'clock
• A deich (a deh) = 10 o'clock
• A haon déag (a hain day-ag) = 11 o'clock
• A dó dhéag (a doe yay-ag) = 12 o'clock

Minutes

• Ceathrú tar éis (ka-roo tar aysh) = Quarter past
• Leathuair tar éis (la-hoo-ir tar aysh) = Half past
• Ceathrú chun (ka-roo khun) = Quarter to

Examples

• A haon a chlog (a hain a khlog) = 1 o'clock
• Ceathrú tar éis a dó (ka-roo tar aysh a doe) = Quarter past two
• Leathuair tar éis a trí (la-hoo-ir tar aysh a tree) = Half past three
• Ceathrú chun a ceathair (ka-roo khun a ka-hir) = Quarter to four

Time of Day

• Ar maidin (er ma-jin) = In the morning
• San iarnóin (san eer-noan) = In the afternoon
• Tráthnóna (traw-no-na) = Evening
• San oíche (san ee-ha) = At night
• I rith an lae (i rih an lay) = During the day
• Go luath (guh loo-ah) = Early
• Go déanach (guh day-nakh) = Late

Daily Activities

Morning Routine

• Músclaím (moo-skleem) = I wake up
• Éirím (eye-reem) = I get up
• Ithim bricfeasta (i-him brick-fast-a) = I eat breakfast
• Téim go dtí an obair/scoil (taym guh dee an ub-ir/skul) = I go to work/school

Afternoon Routine

• Ithim lón (i-him loan) = I eat lunch
• Oibrím (ib-reem) = I work
• Staidéar (sta-dair) = Study

Evening Routine

• Téim abhaile (taym a-wal-ya) = I go home
• Ithim dinnéar (i-him din-air) = I eat dinner
• Féachaim ar an teilifís (fay-khim er an tel-i-feesh) = I watch television
• Léim leabhar (laym lyow-ur) = I read a book

Night Routine

• Téim a chodladh (taym a khuh-la) = I go to sleep
• Codlaím (kud-leem) = I sleep

Useful Time Phrases

• Gach lá (gakh law) = Every day
• Gach maidin (gakh ma-jin) = Every morning
• Uair sa tseachtain (oo-ir sa tyakh-tin) = Once a week
• Faoi láthair (fwee law-hir) = At present
• Go minic (guh min-ik) = Often
• Anois (a-nish) = Now
• Amárach (a-maw-rakh) = Tomorrow
• Inné (in-yay) = Yesterday

Sample Conversation

A: Cén t-am é? (Kayn tam ay?) = What time is it?

B: Tá sé leathuair tar éis a dó. (Taw shay la-hoo-ir tar aysh a doe.) = It's half past two.

A: Cén t-am a théann tú go dtí an obair? (Kayn tam a hay-an too guh dee an ub-ir?) = What time do you go to work?

B: Téim go dtí an obair ar a hocht ar maidin gach lá. (Taym guh dee an ub-ir er a hokht er ma-jin gakh law.) = I go to work at 8 o'clock in the morning every day.

Exercise: Share Your Schedule

Tell us about your daily schedule by:

1. Writing three different times in Irish
2. Describing your typical daily routine
3. Telling us when you do certain activities
4. Using time phrases in sentences

Example answer:

1. A hocht ar maidin, leathuair tar éis a haon san iarnóin, a deich san oíche
2. Éirím ar a seacht ar maidin. Ithim bricfeasta agus ansin téim go dtí an obair. Téim abhaile ar a cúig tráthnóna.
3. Ithim dinnéar ar a sé tráthnóna. Féachaim ar an teilifís ar a hocht san oíche.
4. Gach maidin, ólaimm cupán caife. Téim a chodladh go déanach san oíche.

(1. 8 in the morning, half past one in the afternoon, 10 at night. 2. I get up at 7 in the morning. I eat breakfast and then I go to work. I go home at 5 in the evening. 3. I eat dinner at 6 in the evening. I watch television at 8 at night. 4. Every morning, I drink a cup of coffee. I go to sleep late at night.)