Go dté tú slán
Word for wordMay you go safe
What it meansMay you go safely.
Approximate pronunciation guide
guh jay too slawn
Written for English speakers and editorial rather than sourced. It will get you close enough to be understood, and it is not a substitute for a native speaker. Recorded audio is planned; see About.
When to use it A plain goodbye for a journey: the going itself, rather than the return.
About this saying
Attested in Foras na Gaeilge’s modern English–Irish dictionary under farewell, this is the everyday member of a pair: dté is the subjunctive of the verb go, so the blessing wishes the journey itself well. Its literary twin Go dtí tú slán (one letter different, a different verb) wishes the coming back. Choosing between them is choosing what you want to bless.
Provenance
Where this wording comes from. We publish nothing we cannot point at.
- DictionaryForas na Gaeilge, Foclóir Nua Béarla–Gaeilge (New English-Irish Dictionary)s.v. farewell, prints "go dté tú slán" among the translations