HeyRuaHow to say “American” in Irish
- Irish:
- Poncánach
- English:
- American
- Word type:
- adjective
- More American:
- níos Poncánaí
- Most American:
- is Poncánaí
- Plural:
- Poncánacha
- Pronunciation:
- “PUNG-kaw-nukh” /ˈpʊŋkɑːnˠəx/
What does “Poncánach” mean?
- American
- Relating to the United States of America or its people; a colloquial word for American.Also: Yankee, us.
“Poncánach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is Poncánach after carr (car, masculine), after bean (woman, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: bean Phoncánach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: carr Poncánach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, Poncánacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná Poncánacha.
More American, most American, very American
Tá a blas níos Poncánaí ná riamh. Her accent is more American than ever.
| more American | níos Poncánaí | in the past tense: ní ba Phoncánaí |
|---|---|---|
| most American | is Poncánaí | in the past tense: ba Phoncánaí |
| as American as | chomh Poncánach le | no change after chomh |
| very American | an-Phoncánach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too American | ró-Phoncánach | ró- lenites |
“Poncánach” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
American in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for American?
The Irish for American is Poncánach (pronounced “PUNG-kaw-nukh”). It comes after the noun: carr Poncánach, an American car; bean Phoncánach, an American woman.
How do you say more American and most American in Irish?
níos Poncánaí is more American and is Poncánaí is most American. In the past tense they become ní ba Phoncánaí and ba Phoncánaí.
Why does Poncánach become Phoncánach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean Phoncánach (an American woman) but carr Poncánach (an American car), because carr is masculine.
What is the plural of Poncánach?
With a plural noun Poncánach becomes Poncánacha: carranna Poncánacha, mná Poncánacha.
How do you say very American in Irish?
an-Phoncánach. Too American is ró-Phoncánach, and as American as is chomh Poncánach le.
What is the difference between Poncánach and Meiriceánach?
Meiriceánach is the neutral, standard word for American, while Poncánach is a colloquial word, like 'Yank', that can sound informal or slightly mocking.
