HeyRuaHow to say “cabbage” in Irish
- Irish:
- cál
- English:
- cabbage
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “kawl” /kɑːlˠ/
- Plural:
- cáil (cabbages)
- Genitive singular:
- cáil, an cháil (e.g. duilleog cháil, a cabbage leaf)
- Genitive plural:
- cál, na gcál (e.g. ceapach na gcál, the cabbage bed)
What does “cál” mean?
- cabbage
- A leafy green vegetable, especially cabbage or kale, eaten cooked.Also: kale, greens, colewort.
Other Irish words for cabbage: cabáiste (cabbage)
“Cál” with the article
The plural of cabbage in Irish is cáil. Here is cál after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cál” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cál, the Irish word for cabbage.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Cabbage in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for cabbage?
The Irish for cabbage is cál (pronounced “kawl”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cáil.
How do you pronounce cál in Irish?
Cál is said like “kawl” (IPA /kɑːlˠ/).
What is the plural of cabbage in Irish?
The plural of cál is cáil; with the article, na cáil means “the cabbages”. The genitive plural is cál, as in ceapach na gcál (the cabbage bed).
Why does cál change to chál or gcál?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cál becomes mo chál (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcál (eclipsis).
What is the difference between cál and cabáiste?
Both can mean cabbage; cabáiste is the more common everyday word today, while cál is older and also covers kale and greens, as in cál ceannann (colcannon).
