A chairde,

Is there an Irish phrase/idiom similar to the ubiquitous American "Have a nice day!"?

I've heard "(Bíodh) lá maith agat" but I'm not sure how widespread that is among Gaeltacht speakers.

"Go n-éirí an lá leat" perhaps.

From my own notes, I see Mícheál Ó Sé of Raidió na Gaeltachta uses both "Go raibh lá maith agat!" and "Go n-éirí an lá libh!" so either of those would be acceptable.

Nach raibh/bhfuil "Lá Breá" mar leasainm ar foghlaimeoir i nGaeltachtaí áirithe? De bharr iad a bheith á rá chomh minic, cuma cén síon a bhí ann?

Maidir leis na "laethanta breátha," b'iadsan na foghlaimeoirí fásta a thagadh ar cuairt go Corca Dhuibhne fadó. Ba ghnách leo beannú do dhaoine le "law braahh" agus gan fhoghraíocht na bhfocal san ar eolas in aon chor acu. Tá an scéal úd "An Corp" le Mícheál Ó Siochrú (??) bunaithe orthu.

Go raibh maith agaibh as an aiseolas. Just to clarify, I wasn't really looking for a translation, per se, of "have a nice day," or something directed specifically toward learners, but rather inquiring if the Irish had a phrase (in common usage) that was used in a manner similar to the way we use "have a nice day." Just a generic kind of good wishes to someone, that wouldn't be taken for "goodbye" or "thank you." I was halfway expecting "slán leat" or something to be the response I got. Sorry if I am explaining this badly (I'm pre-coffee).

On the Turas Teanga dvd, in one of the skits a shop assistant says to a shopper as he's leaving "Lá maith anois agat". I took this to mean 'Have a nice day' in the american sense of the phrase.

Or "Good day to you"

Carmanach

"Good day to you now" would be a common enough phrase, which makes me wonder is "Lá maith anois agat" a calque from the English, or the other way around?

It may well be a calque of the English but it's difficult to say conclusively whether it is or not. I'm always wary, though, of the use "tá ag" in every situation where English uses "have". Nowadays one hears "Bhí deoch agam" alongside "Chaitheas deoch" and "Dh'ólas deoch". Whether that is an anglicism or not I can't say but native speakers do use it. I imagine "Bhí brionglóid agam aréir" is highly likely to be a calque of the English. "Deineadh brionglóid dom" being the native pattern.

Well, whenever I hear "have a nice day", it is generally at the end of a transaction of business and the employee says that. I would never say that to a friend. (Maybe a stranger.) With friends I may say "take care". Maybe this is the clarification we need. I don't have the experience in shops to answer that. The generally phrases I have for well wishes (which also are good-byes) are slán, slán agus beannacht, slán abhaile and ádh mór ort. It's hard to not have it mean "good-bye" since that "have a nice day" is a good-bye in business situations. Sort of like saying, we're done with business, and I hope you are happy as you leave.

(Message edited by seánw on February 18, 2011)

Thank you all, for taking the time to respond. It is appreciated.

A Sheánw, that is very close to what I meant, but not strictly limited to the close of a business transaction. I would certainly say "Have a nice day" to friends and co-workers when getting out of the car, or off the elevator at work. But in those instances I am specifically wishing them a good day, so....

Ok, good enough. Just thought there might be an Irish idiom akin to it.

Go raibh maith agaibh!