HeyRuaHow to say “bear” in Irish
- Irish:
- mathúin
- English:
- bear
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “MA-hoon” /ˈmˠahuːnʲ/
- Plural:
- mathúna (bears)
- Genitive singular:
- mathúna, an mhathúna (e.g. crúb an mhathúna, the bear's paw)
- Genitive plural:
- mathúna, na mathúna (e.g. uaimh na mathúna, the bears' den)
What does “mathúin” mean?
- bear
- A large, heavy wild animal with thick fur, strong claws and a short tail.Also: brown bear, polar bear, grizzly.
“Mathúin” with the article
The plural of bear in Irish is mathúna. Here is mathúin after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Mathúin” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using mathúin, the Irish word for bear.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Bear in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bear?
The Irish for bear is mathúin (pronounced “MA-hoon”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is mathúna.
How do you pronounce mathúin in Irish?
Mathúin is said like “MA-hoon” (IPA /ˈmˠahuːnʲ/).
What is the plural of bear in Irish?
The plural of mathúin is mathúna; with the article, na mathúna means “the bears”. The genitive plural is mathúna, as in uaimh na mathúna (the bears' den).
Why does mathúin change to mhathúin?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhathúin. After ár (our) it stays ár mathúin, because m does not take eclipsis.
Is there another Irish word for bear?
Yes, 'béar' is also used and is common in everyday speech, but 'mathúin' is the traditional standard word.
