HeyRuaHow to say “chief town” in Irish
- Irish:
- ceannbhaile
- English:
- chief town, upper part of town
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “KYAN-vwal-yuh” /ˈcaunˌwalʲə/
- Plural:
- ceannbhailte (chief towns)
- Genitive singular:
- ceannbhaile, an cheannbhaile (e.g. sráideanna an cheannbhaile, the streets of the chief town)
- Genitive plural:
- ceannbhailte, na gceannbhailte (e.g. liosta ceannbhailte na tíre, the list of the country's chief towns)
What does “ceannbhaile” mean?
“Ceannbhaile” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- chief town
- The main or principal town of an area, such as a county town.Also: county town, principal town, main town.
1 other meaning: upper part of town
- 2upper part of town
- The upper end or top part of a town or townland.Also: top of town, upper townland, head of the town.
Other Irish words for chief town: príomhbhaile (chief town)
“Ceannbhaile” with the article
The plural of chief town in Irish is ceannbhailte. Here is ceannbhaile after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Ceannbhaile” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using ceannbhaile, the Irish word for chief town.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Chief town in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for chief town?
The Irish for chief town is ceannbhaile (pronounced “KYAN-vwal-yuh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is ceannbhailte. Depending on context it can also mean upper part of town.
How do you pronounce ceannbhaile in Irish?
Ceannbhaile is said like “KYAN-vwal-yuh” (IPA /ˈcaunˌwalʲə/).
What is the plural of chief town in Irish?
The plural of ceannbhaile is ceannbhailte; with the article, na ceannbhailte means “the chief towns”. The genitive plural is ceannbhailte, as in liosta ceannbhailte na tíre (the list of the country's chief towns).
Does ceannbhaile have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ceannbhaile can mean chief town or upper part of town, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does ceannbhaile change to cheannbhaile or gceannbhaile?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) ceannbhaile becomes mo cheannbhaile (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gceannbhaile (eclipsis).
How is 'ceannbhaile' different from 'príomhchathair'?
'Ceannbhaile' is the chief town of a county or district, while 'príomhchathair' is the capital city of a country.
