HeyRuaHow to say “county” in Irish
- Irish:
- contae
- English:
- county
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “kun-TAY” /kʊn̪ˠˈt̪ˠeː/
- Plural:
- contaetha (counties)
- Genitive singular:
- contae, an chontae (e.g. foireann an chontae, the county team)
- Genitive plural:
- contaetha, na gcontaetha (e.g. ainmneacha na gcontaetha, the names of the counties)
What does “contae” mean?
- county
- One of the administrative and traditional divisions of Ireland or another country, such as County Mayo.Also: shire, county council area.
“Contae” with the article
The plural of county in Irish is contaetha. Here is contae after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Contae” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using contae, the Irish word for county.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
County in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for county?
The Irish for county is contae (pronounced “kun-TAY”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is contaetha.
How do you pronounce contae in Irish?
Contae is said like “kun-TAY” (IPA /kʊn̪ˠˈt̪ˠeː/).
What is the plural of county in Irish?
The plural of contae is contaetha; with the article, na contaetha means “the counties”. The genitive plural is contaetha, as in ainmneacha na gcontaetha (the names of the counties).
Why does contae change to chontae or gcontae?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) contae becomes mo chontae (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcontae (eclipsis).
How do I say 'County Galway' in Irish?
Use contae followed by the county name in the genitive: Contae na Gaillimhe, Contae Mhaigh Eo, Contae Chorcaí.
Does 'contae' change after 'an' in the genitive?
Yes, it is lenited after the genitive article: foireann an chontae, 'the county team'.
