HeyRuaHow to say “café” in Irish
- Irish:
- caifé
- English:
- café
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KAF-ay” /ˈkafʲeː/
- Plural:
- caiféanna (cafés)
- Genitive singular:
- caifé, an chaifé (e.g. doras an chaifé, the door of the café)
- Genitive plural:
- caiféanna, na gcaiféanna (e.g. úinéirí caiféanna, café owners)
What does “caifé” mean?
- café
- A small restaurant where you can buy drinks such as coffee and tea and simple meals.Also: cafe, coffee shop, cafeteria, tearoom.
“Caifé” with the article
The plural of café in Irish is caiféanna. Here is caifé after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Caifé” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using caifé, the Irish word for café.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Café in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for café?
The Irish for café is caifé (pronounced “KAF-ay”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is caiféanna.
How do you pronounce caifé in Irish?
Caifé is said like “KAF-ay” (IPA /ˈkafʲeː/).
What is the plural of café in Irish?
The plural of caifé is caiféanna; with the article, na caiféanna means “the cafés”. The genitive plural is caiféanna, as in úinéirí caiféanna (café owners).
Why does caifé change to chaifé or gcaifé?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) caifé becomes mo chaifé (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcaifé (eclipsis).
What is the difference between 'caifé' and 'caife'?
'Caifé' (with a fada) is the place, a café, while 'caife' (no fada) is the drink, coffee: cupán caife sa chaifé, a cup of coffee in the café.
