# Irish Gaelic: dates



## Setwale_Charm

Dia dhaoibh!
A native speaker as I am (or supposed to be), I have never lived in Ireland, nor in a Gaelic-speaking community . that is why, I am wondering what the officially adopted way of writing dates is. 
If I want to say, e.g.: Monday, July 4 or Saturday, December 9, what order should I choose in Irish Gaelic?


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## Banbha

Dia dhuit!
Ok this is how I write my dates (sorry i cant use 'fadas' on this computer im afraid!!)
Monday, July 4th = De Luain, an cheathru la de mhi Iuil
Saturday, December 9th =  De Sathairn, an naou la de mhi na Nollag

In each case you have to use the genetive because the date 'belongs' to the month

 eg the first of ... an chead la

January.....de mhi Eanair
February....de mhi Feabhra
March........de mhi na Marta
April...........de mhi Aibreain
May............de mhi Bhealtaine
June...........de mhi an Mheithimh
July............de mhi Iuil
August.........de mhi Lunasa
September....de mhi Mhean Fomhair
October........de mhi Dheireadh Fomhair
November......de mhi na Samhna
December......de mhi na Nollag


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## Setwale_Charm

Hmm.. are there any ways to abbreviate this? in formal documents, maybe?


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## Banbha

Heya 

ya there is a short hand method too.
4th of July = an cheathrú lá de mhí Iúil = 4ú Iúil
29th May = an naoú lá is fiche de mhí Bhealtaine = 29ú Bealtaine

they would all be followed by ...ú (1st = chéadú..... 7= seachtú.... 30 = triochú etc...)
As for the days i tend to just write them as they are..... but in text messaging and stuff amongst friends i just abbreviate the days Dé Luain, Dé Máirt .... as DL, DM, DC, D, DA, DS, DD) because you dont say Dé Déardaoin, its just Déardaoin as the Dé has already been incorporated into the word over time .... but anything other than simple text messaging amongst friends i would write the days fully.... but the dates as exemplified above are used both formally and informally 

You could also abbreviate the months if you wished, I dont but it would be understood eg M. Fómhair/ D. Fómhair .... but all of the other months are short anyway

Tá dóchas agam go gcabhraíonn sé sin leat


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