About this interrogative phrase

• Cén is an interrogative pronoun meaning what is the or which is the. It consists of the interrogative pronoun cé combined with the definite article, an.
• Ainm is a masculine noun meaning name.
  • Note that the masculine definite article prefixes t to following nouns beginning with a vowel.
  • In the standard written form, this t prefix includes a non-breaking hyphen when preceding small letters (t‑ainm).
  • However it is not hyphenated before capitals (tAinm).
• Atá is the direct relative particle combined with the present tense of the irregular verb bí, meaning be.
• Ort is the prepositional pronoun, second person, singular, formed from the simple preposition ar, meaning on.

Thus, cén t-ainm atá ort?: (what is your name; literally, 'what is the name that is on you?').

Alternative phrases

Another way to ask this question, particularly in Munster, is cad is ainm duit? (literally, 'what is name to you?').

Duit is the prepositional pronoun, second person singular, formed from the simple preposition do meaning to, for.

Prepositional pronouns formed from the preposition ar

• orm: on me.
• ort: on you.
• air: on him; on it (masculine).
• uirthi: on her; on it (feminine).
• orainn: on us.
• oraibh: on ye (plural).
• orthu: on them.

The same prepositional pronouns' emphatic forms

• orm-sa: on me.
• ort-sa: on you.
• air-sean: on him; on it (masculine).
• uirthi-se: on her; on it (feminine).
• orainn-ne: on us.
• oraibh-se: on ye (plural).
• orthu-san: on them.

Prepositional pronouns formed from the preposition do

• dom: to / for me.
• duit: to / for you.
• dó: to / for him; to / for it (masculine).
• di: to / for her; to / for it (feminine).
• dúinn: to / for us.
• daoibh: to / for ye (plural).
• dóibh: to / for them.

Pronunciation note: 'do', rather than 'dó', in Munster; 'dóib' rather than 'dóibh' in South Connacht.

The same prepositional pronouns' emphatic forms

• dom-sa: to / for me.
• duit-sa: to / for you.
• dó-san: to / for him; to / for it (masculine).
• di-se: to / for her; to / for it (feminine).
• dúinn-ne: to / for us.
• daoibh-se: to / for ye (plural).
• dóibh-san: to / for them.

Pronunciation notes

1. Often lenited in naturalistic speech, especially (although not exclusively) following vowels:
   • Is dó go bhfuil mé dílis but cé dhó a bhfuil tú dílis?.
   • Bain di é but tá sé bainte dhi agam.
   • Cuir dhó é, carb as dhóibh?⁊rl…
2. In Munster:
   • Do rather than dó.
   • Do-san rather than dó-san.
   • Domh-sa (/ˈdo:sә/) rather than dom-sa.
3. In South Connacht:
   • D(h)óib-sean rather than d(h)óibh-sean.