Hey all,

I'm not entirely clear on when you use the form of the days of the week using "Dé" ("Dé Luain, Dé máirt, etc.) and when you use the form with the article (An Luan, An Domhnach, etc.). And is there ever an instance in which you'd use the noun without either the article or after "Dé"?

I can usually manage to get around this in speech, but I'm writing a little article on the days of the week and I want to be sure I have it right (qui docet discet, mar a deirtear!)

Redwolf

The way I learnt it was that traditionally the forms with Dé refer to specific instances of the day, i.e., Dé Luain seo chugainn "this coming Monday", Dé Domhnaigh seo caite "last Sunday".

Without seo chugainn or seo caite, you have to work it out from context of the verb, etc. Dé Máirt means "on Tuesday", but a specific one.

The form with the article is used for the day more generally so that ar an Luan is more like "on Mondays" or "every Monday" than a particular date.

The exception to that usage is Déardaoin, from which Dé can't be separated, but you just add the article to it for the more general meaning, i.e, ar an Déardaoin.

That was how I was taught it but the usage may be changing ...

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

I second that, Breandán.

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

GRMA!

I find questions and answers like this really helpful. I sometimes recognise when to use certain words, or forms of words, but don't know why or don't know the 'rule' to go with it. Native speakers must experience that a million times over as they don't ever have to think about things like that - they can just speak without ever having to think about grammar!

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