HeyRuaHow to say “birch” in Irish
- Irish:
- beith
- English:
- birch, letter b in ogham
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “beh” /bʲɛh/
- Plural:
- beitheanna (birches)
- Genitive singular:
- beithe, na beithe (e.g. coirt na beithe, the bark of the birch)
- Genitive plural:
- beitheanna, na mbeitheanna (e.g. duilleoga na mbeitheanna, the leaves of the birches)
What does “beith” mean?
“Beith” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- birch
- A slender tree with white or silvery bark, common in Ireland.Also: birch tree, silver birch.
1 other meaning: letter b in ogham
- 2letter b in ogham
- The name of the letter B in the Ogham alphabet, named after the birch tree.Also: ogham b, letter b.
“Beith” with the article
The plural of birch in Irish is beitheanna. Here is beith after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Beith” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using beith, the Irish word for birch.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Birch in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for birch?
The Irish for birch is beith (pronounced “beh”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is beitheanna. Depending on context it can also mean letter b in ogham.
How do you pronounce beith in Irish?
Beith is said like “beh” (IPA /bʲɛh/).
What is the plural of birch in Irish?
The plural of beith is beitheanna; with the article, na beitheanna means “the birches”. The genitive plural is beitheanna, as in duilleoga na mbeitheanna (the leaves of the birches).
Does beith have more than one meaning?
Yes. Beith can mean birch or letter b in ogham, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does beith change to bheith or mbeith?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) beith becomes mo bheith (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár mbeith (eclipsis).
Is 'beith' related to the Irish letter names?
Yes, in Ogham the letter B is called beith, after the birch tree, and traditional Irish letter names were taken from trees.
