Hello
I was hoping to translate a happy birthday wishes to include the age as in 'Happy 1st Birthday, Happy 2nd Birthday, Happy 3rd Birthday etc.
Would anyone know the correct way to write this?

for example would 'tríú breithlá sona duit' work?

grma,
Fíona

No. Ordinal numbers are always definite in Irish. There is never "a third birthday". It is always "the third birthday": an tríú breithlá.
But usually, you wish "a" happy birthday. Wishing "the" happy 3rd birthday ... I don't know.

I have to say that breithlá is an extremely ugly word that is just Béarlachas.

Gura sona dhuit do thríú lá bertha.

Thanks for your feedback. I may do some more research, I'm still feeling confused.


Hello
I was hoping to translate a happy birthday wishes to include the age as in 'Happy 1st Birthday, Happy 2nd Birthday, Happy 3rd Birthday etc.
Would anyone know the correct way to write this?

for example would 'tríú breithlá sona duit' work?

grma,
Fíona[/quote]

No. Ordinal numbers are always definite in Irish. There is never "a third birthday". It is always "the third birthday": an tríú breithlá.
But usually, you wish "a" happy birthday. Wishing "the" happy 3rd birthday ... I don't know.[/quote]

Thanks for your feedback. It's for the front of a card so though this could work it may be too wordy. Maybe there is no short way to translate 'Happy 3rd Birthday'

I would agree with this. Lá breithe is also fine in other dialects.

_________________
I'm an intermediate speaker of the Corca Dhuibhne dialect of Irish and also have knowledge on the old spelling
Soir gaċ síar, fé ḋeireaḋ thíar