HeyRuaHow to say “cane” in Irish
- Irish:
- cána
- English:
- cane
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KAW-nuh” /ˈkɑːnˠə/
- Plural:
- cánaí (canes)
- Genitive singular:
- cána, an chána (e.g. siúcra cána, cane sugar)
- Genitive plural:
- cánaí, na gcánaí (e.g. páirc na gcánaí, the cane field)
What does “cána” mean?
- cane
- A long, hollow, jointed plant stem, such as sugar cane or bamboo, or a stick made from it.Also: sugar cane, bamboo cane, reed.
“Cána” with the article
The plural of cane in Irish is cánaí. Here is cána after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cána” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cána, the Irish word for cane.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Cane in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for cane?
The Irish for cane is cána (pronounced “KAW-nuh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cánaí.
How do you pronounce cána in Irish?
Cána is said like “KAW-nuh” (IPA /ˈkɑːnˠə/).
What is the plural of cane in Irish?
The plural of cána is cánaí; with the article, na cánaí means “the canes”. The genitive plural is cánaí, as in páirc na gcánaí (the cane field).
Why does cána change to chána or gcána?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cána becomes mo chána (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcána (eclipsis).
Is 'cána' the same word as the genitive of 'cáin' (tax)?
No. In the Caighdeán 'cáin' (tax) has the genitive 'cánach', although older texts sometimes show 'cána'; the noun 'cána' here is a separate masculine word meaning cane, as in 'cána siúcra'.
Is 'cána' the usual word for a walking stick?
Not usually. For a walking stick Irish normally uses 'bata' or 'bata siúil', and 'slat' for a punishment cane; 'cána' mainly refers to the plant stem or cane material.
