bliain

Irish

Alternative forms

• bliadhain (superseded)

Etymology

From Old Irish blíadain, from Proto-Celtic *blēdanī (“year”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲlʲiənʲ/

Noun

bliain f (genitive singular bliana, nominative plural blianta)

1. year

Usage notes

Bliain has the irregular count plural bliana:

• trí bliana ― three years
• seacht mbliana ― seven years
• ceithre bliana déag ― fourteen years

Declension

Declension of bliain

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative bliain blianta Vocative a bhliain a bhlianta Genitive bliana blianta Dative bliain blianta

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an bhliain na blianta Genitive na bliana na mblianta Dative leis an mbliain don bhliain leis na blianta

Derived terms

• athbhliain (“new year”)
• blianacht (“annuity”)
• bliantúil (“annual”)
• i mbliana (“this year”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bliain	bhliain	mbliain
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “bliadain”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• “bliain”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926‎^[1], Royal Irish Academy
• “bliaḋain” in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, Irish Texts Society, 1st ed., 1904, by Patrick S. Dinneen, page 71.
• "bliain" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Entries containing “bliain” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, vol. II, p. 46.
• Entries containing “bliain” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 19