Ant in Irish (Seangán): Meaning & Pronunciation

Q: What is the Irish for ant?

The Irish for ant is seangán (pronounced “SHANG-awn”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is seangáin.

Q: What is the plural of ant in Irish?

The plural of seangán is seangáin; with the article, na seangáin means “the ants”. The genitive plural is seangán, as in nead seangán (an ants' nest).

How to say “ant” in Irish

Irish:: seangán
English:: ant
Word type:: noun
Gender:: masculine, first declension
Pronunciation:: “SHANG-awn” /ˈʃaŋaːn̪ˠ/

Various forms

Plural:: seangáin (ants)
Genitive singular:: seangáin, an tseangáin (e.g. cos an tseangáin, the ant's leg)
Genitive plural:: seangán, na seangán (e.g. nead seangán, an ants' nest)

What does “seangán” mean?

ant: A small insect that lives in large organised colonies.Also: pismire, emmet.

“Seangán” with the article

The plural of ant in Irish is seangáin. Here is seangán after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.

an seangán

the ant

No change after an

na seangáin

the ants

Plural: no change after na

“Seangán” in a sentence: Irish examples

Common Irish sentences using seangán, the Irish word for ant.

Tá seangán ag siúl ar an mbord.

There's an ant walking on the table.

Chonaic mé an seangán ag iompar bia.

I saw the ant carrying food.

Bhí na seangáin i ngach áit sa chistin.

The ants were everywhere in the kitchen.

Tá nead seangán faoin gcloch sin.

There's an ants' nest under that stone.

Bhain seangán greim as mo chos.

An ant bit my leg.

Is ainmhí beag é an seangán, ach tá sé láidir.

The ant is a small creature, but it is strong.

Tá na páistí ag faire ar na seangáin sa ghairdín.

The children are watching the ants in the garden.

Other nouns in Irish

More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.

moilldelay áireamhcounting iascfish óigeyouth smaoineamhthought airddirection

Ant in Irish: frequently asked questions

What is the Irish for ant?

The Irish for ant is seangán (pronounced “SHANG-awn”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is seangáin.

How do you pronounce seangán in Irish?

Seangán is said like “SHANG-awn” (IPA /ˈʃaŋaːn̪ˠ/).

What is the plural of ant in Irish?

The plural of seangán is seangáin; with the article, na seangáin means “the ants”. The genitive plural is seangán, as in nead seangán (an ants' nest).

Why does seangán change to sheangán?

After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo sheangán. After ár (our) it stays ár seangán, because s does not take eclipsis.

Is there a proverb about the ant in Irish?

Learners often meet 'seangán' in nature lore, and the phrase 'chomh gnóthach le seangán' (as busy as an ant) is a common comparison.

Ant in Irish (Seangán): Meaning, Pronunciation, Usage