HeyRuaHow to say “battle” in Irish
- Irish:
- cath
- English:
- battle, struggle, battalion
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, third declension
- Pronunciation:
- “kah” /kah/
- Plural:
- cathanna (battles)
- Genitive singular:
- catha, an chatha (e.g. páirc an chatha, the battlefield)
- Genitive plural:
- cathanna, na gcathanna (e.g. stair na gcathanna, the history of the battles)
What does “cath” mean?
“Cath” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- battle
- A fight between armies or large groups of people.Also: fight, combat, engagement.
“Cath” with the article
The plural of battle in Irish is cathanna. Here is cath after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cath” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cath, the Irish word for battle.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Battle in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for battle?
The Irish for battle is cath (pronounced “kah”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cathanna. Depending on context it can also mean struggle or battalion.
How do you pronounce cath in Irish?
Cath is said like “kah” (IPA /kah/).
What is the plural of battle in Irish?
The plural of cath is cathanna; with the article, na cathanna means “the battles”. The genitive plural is cathanna, as in stair na gcathanna (the history of the battles).
Does cath have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cath can mean battle, struggle or battalion, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does cath change to chath or gcath?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cath becomes mo chath (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcath (eclipsis).
What is the difference between cath and cogadh?
Cath is a single battle, while cogadh is a whole war made up of many battles: bhuaigh siad an cath ach chaill siad an cogadh.
What does 'bris an cath' mean?
Literally 'break the battle'; 'bris an cath ar' means to defeat or rout an enemy.
