HeyRuaHow to say “curlew” in Irish
- Irish:
- crotach
- English:
- curlew
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KRUT-ukh” /ˈkɾˠɔt̪ˠəx/
- Plural:
- crotaigh (curlews)
- Genitive singular:
- crotaigh, an chrotaigh (e.g. glao an chrotaigh, the call of the curlew)
- Genitive plural:
- crotach, na gcrotach (e.g. líon na gcrotach, the number of curlews)
What does “crotach” mean?
- curlew
- A large brown wading bird with a long, down-curved bill, found on shores, bogs and wet fields.Also: eurasian curlew, wading bird, numenius.
“Crotach” with the article
The plural of curlew in Irish is crotaigh. Here is crotach after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Crotach” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using crotach, the Irish word for curlew.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Curlew in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for curlew?
The Irish for curlew is crotach (pronounced “KRUT-ukh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is crotaigh.
How do you pronounce crotach in Irish?
Crotach is said like “KRUT-ukh” (IPA /ˈkɾˠɔt̪ˠəx/).
What is the plural of curlew in Irish?
The plural of crotach is crotaigh; with the article, na crotaigh means “the curlews”. The genitive plural is crotach, as in líon na gcrotach (the number of curlews).
Why does crotach change to chrotach or gcrotach?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) crotach becomes mo chrotach (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcrotach (eclipsis).
Is 'crotach' the same as 'guilbneach'?
No. 'Crotach' is the curlew, while 'guilbneach' is the godwit, another long-billed wader.
