I'm in a critique group on a writing site and was just told that anamchara means soulmate(the romantic version). I remember being told that in Gaelic there isn't really a term for soulmate in the romantic sense (in the way Americans use it). So, I'm double checking before I stick my foot in my mouth by telling her she's wrong.
She is wrong, right?

She is wrong. "Anamchara" really means something along the lines of "confessor," and is the term used for the spiritual advisors monks and prospective priests have. It can kind of be tweaked to mean "soulmate" in the friend sense, but definitely not in the romantic sense.

The concept of romantic soulmates really is a modern one, and Irish doesn't have a term for it. We've cobbled together such terms as "fíorghrá" and "síorghrá" for people to use in that context, and they're at least grammatically correct, but I don't think they're things that would actually be used.

Mhwombat wrote a really good post on this topic once...maybe she can recreate it or copy it here.

Redwolf

Thanks Redwolf. I thought so, I just wanted to confirm before I explained to her.

Another question...if fíorghrá and síorghrá wouldn't really be used, is there something that would be more likely? I'm asking because I use síorghrá in my book, but if it's not really something that would actually be used, I would like to find something that would.

Thanks

The thing is, I'm not sure that Irish culture has ever been into the entire "fated love" thing. So, in a way, with "síorghrá" we're inventing a term for an invented concept that isn't really native to the culture. If you're using it in that sense, it's probably as good as anything, and definitely better than "anamchara"!

Some terms that would be used in actual Irish culture might include:

Céadsearc: First love ("first" not in terms of first in a series, but meaning rather "primary" or "dearest")

Cuid den tsaol: Share/portion of life

Redwolf

Thanks. I think it works then-since it's an invented concept just for my story.

And thanks for the others words too.

I read on Daltaí that the word "grá" comes from a Latin word.
Odd that we didn't have an older Irish word.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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There's "searc" and "cion."

Redwolf

and 'gean' also...

For me 'grá mo chroí' is the nearest thing to a concept of romantic 'soulmate'.

Is tú grá mo chroí = You are my soulmate / love of my life...

or

Very very close friend / soulmate = 'mo chara croí' or 'cara mo chroí'

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Bí cinnte de go nglacfaidh triúr le gach aistriúchán a thabharfar.
Be sure to get three in agreement with a translation given.

Would mo chara cléibh be much the same.

That's a nice one. The more I say it, the more I like it.

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Bí cinnte de go nglacfaidh triúr le gach aistriúchán a thabharfar.
Be sure to get three in agreement with a translation given.