Overview
Being able to tell the time, name the days of the week, and talk about dates is essential at the A1 level. Irish has its own patterns for all of these, and while the vocabulary must simply be memorized, the structures follow the grammar you are already learning — particularly numbers and mutations.
Time in Irish is expressed using "Tá sé a [number] a chlog" (It is [number] o'clock). Days of the week all begin with Dé (except for Wednesday, which is Céadaoin), and months are straightforward to learn. Basic temporal expressions like inniu (today), amárach (tomorrow), and inné (yesterday) are among the most useful words in the language.
How It Works
Telling time
| Irish |
English |
| Tá sé a haon a chlog. |
It is one o'clock. |
| Tá sé a dó a chlog. |
It is two o'clock. |
| Tá sé a trí a chlog. |
It is three o'clock. |
| Tá sé a ceathrú tar éis a dó. |
It is a quarter past two. |
| Tá sé leathuair tar éis a trí. |
It is half past three. |
| Tá sé a ceathrú chun a ceathair. |
It is a quarter to four. |
Days of the week
| Irish |
English |
| Dé Luain |
Monday |
| Dé Máirt |
Tuesday |
| Dé Céadaoin |
Wednesday |
| Déardaoin |
Thursday |
| Dé hAoine |
Friday |
| Dé Sathairn |
Saturday |
| Dé Domhnaigh |
Sunday |
Months of the year
| Irish |
English |
Irish |
English |
| Eanáir |
January |
Iúil |
July |
| Feabhra |
February |
Lúnasa |
August |
| Márta |
March |
Meán Fómhair |
September |
| Aibreán |
April |
Deireadh Fómhair |
October |
| Bealtaine |
May |
Samhain |
November |
| Meitheamh |
June |
Nollaig |
December |
Basic time expressions
| Irish |
English |
| inniu |
today |
| amárach |
tomorrow |
| inné |
yesterday |
| anocht |
tonight |
| aréir |
last night |
| anois |
now |
| go luath |
soon |
Examples in Context
| Irish |
English |
Note |
| Tá sé a trí a chlog. |
It is three o'clock. |
Basic time |
| Dé Luain |
Monday |
Day of the week |
| mí Eanáir |
January |
Month with mí |
| inniu, amárach, inné |
today, tomorrow, yesterday |
Core time words |
| Cén lá atá ann inniu? |
What day is it today? |
Common question |
| Tá sé a ceathrú tar éis a cúig. |
It is a quarter past five. |
Time with fraction |
| Ar an Aoine |
On Friday |
Day with preposition |
| i mí na Samhna |
in November |
Month with genitive |
| Tá sé déanach. |
It is late. |
Useful expression |
| Cén t-am é? |
What time is it? |
Common question |
Common Mistakes
Confusing "a chlog" with counting numbers
- Wrong: Tá sé trí a chlog (using noun-counting form)
- Right: Tá sé a trí a chlog (using counting form with "a")
- Why: When telling time, use the counting forms (a haon, a dó, a trí) rather than the forms used with nouns.
Wrong preposition for days
- Wrong: i Dé Luain (using "in" for "on Monday")
- Right: Dé Luain (no preposition needed)
- Why: Days of the week in Irish are used without a preposition when referring to "on [day]." The Dé already implies it.
Forgetting mí before months
- Wrong: i Eanáir
- Right: i mí Eanáir or in Eanáir
- Why: Months are often preceded by mí (month) in formal usage, though colloquially they can stand alone.
Practice Tips
- Practice telling the time throughout your day in Irish. Every time you check the clock, say the time aloud: "Tá sé a dó dhéag a chlog" (It is twelve o'clock).
- Learn the days of the week as a song or chant — Dé Luain, Dé Máirt, Dé Céadaoin, Déardaoin, Dé hAoine, Dé Sathairn, Dé Domhnaigh.
Related Concepts
- Numbers — the number system used in telling time