HeyRuaHow to say “caterpillar” in Irish
- Irish:
- bolb
- English:
- caterpillar
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “bol-uhb” /bˠɔləbˠ/
- Plural:
- boilb (caterpillars)
- Genitive singular:
- boilb, an bhoilb (e.g. dath an bhoilb, the colour of the caterpillar)
- Genitive plural:
- bolb, na mbolb (e.g. plá na mbolb, the plague of caterpillars)
What does “bolb” mean?
- caterpillar
- A caterpillar, the worm-like larva of a butterfly or moth.Also: larva, grub.
“Bolb” with the article
The plural of caterpillar in Irish is boilb. Here is bolb after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Bolb” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using bolb, the Irish word for caterpillar.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Caterpillar in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for caterpillar?
The Irish for caterpillar is bolb (pronounced “bol-uhb”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is boilb.
How do you pronounce bolb in Irish?
Bolb is said like “bol-uhb” (IPA /bˠɔləbˠ/).
What is the plural of caterpillar in Irish?
The plural of bolb is boilb; with the article, na boilb means “the caterpillars”. The genitive plural is bolb, as in plá na mbolb (the plague of caterpillars).
Why does bolb change to bholb or mbolb?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) bolb becomes mo bholb (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár mbolb (eclipsis).
What is the difference between bolb and péist?
Bolb is specifically a caterpillar, the larva of a butterfly or moth, while péist is a general word for a worm or creeping creature.
