HeyRuaHow to say “chicken” in Irish
- Irish:
- circeoil
- English:
- chicken
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, third declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KIRK-yohl” /ˈcɪɾʲcoːlʲ/
Various forms
- Genitive singular:
- circeola, na circeola (e.g. blas na circeola, the taste of the chicken)
What does “circeoil” mean?
- chicken
- The meat of a chicken or hen, eaten as food.Also: chicken meat, poultry meat, hen meat.
“Circeoil” with the article
Here is circeoil after the article (an t-alt).
an chirceoil
the chicken
Lenition: c becomes ch after an (feminine noun)
“Circeoil” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using circeoil, the Irish word for chicken.
Is maith liom circeoil rósta.
I like roast chicken.
Tá an chirceoil sa chuisneoir.
The chicken is in the fridge.
Cheannaigh mé píosa circeola sa siopa.
I bought a piece of chicken in the shop.
An bhfuil an chirceoil bruite go maith?
Is the chicken well cooked?
Bhí circeoil agus rís againn don dinnéar.
We had chicken and rice for dinner.
Chuir mé an chirceoil san oigheann.
I put the chicken in the oven.
Rinne sí anraith circeola inné.
She made chicken soup yesterday.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Chicken in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for chicken?
The Irish for chicken is circeoil (pronounced “KIRK-yohl”). It’s a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce circeoil in Irish?
Circeoil is said like “KIRK-yohl” (IPA /ˈcɪɾʲcoːlʲ/).
Does circeoil have a plural?
No plural form is given for circeoil in the standard. Many abstract and mass nouns in Irish have no plural.
Why does circeoil change to chirceoil or gcirceoil?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) circeoil becomes mo chirceoil (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcirceoil (eclipsis).
What is the difference between circeoil and sicín?
'Circeoil' (cearc + feoil) specifically means chicken as meat, while 'sicín' can mean the bird or the meat and is very common in speech.
