HeyRuaHow to say “Foreigner” in Irish
- Irish:
- Gall
- English:
- Foreigner
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “gowl” /ɡaːl̪ˠ/
- Plural:
- Gaill (Foreigners)
- Genitive singular:
- Gaill, an Ghaill (e.g. teach an Ghaill, the foreigner's house)
- Genitive plural:
- Gall, na nGall (e.g. Dún na nGall, Donegal (fort of the foreigners))
What does “Gall” mean?
- Foreigner
- A foreigner, historically a Norseman, Norman or Englishman in Ireland, as opposed to a native Gael.Also: Norseman, Norman, Englishman, stranger, Viking.
“Gall” with the article
The plural of Foreigner in Irish is Gaill. Here is Gall after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Gall” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using Gall, the Irish word for Foreigner.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Foreigner in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for Foreigner?
The Irish for Foreigner is Gall (pronounced “gowl”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is Gaill.
How do you pronounce Gall in Irish?
Gall is said like “gowl” (IPA /ɡaːl̪ˠ/).
What is the plural of Foreigner in Irish?
The plural of Gall is Gaill; with the article, na Gaill means “the Foreigners”. The genitive plural is Gall, as in Dún na nGall (Donegal (fort of the foreigners)).
Why does Gall change to Ghall or nGall?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) Gall becomes mo Ghall (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár nGall (eclipsis).
What is the difference between Gall and Gael?
Gael is a native Irish person, while Gall is a foreigner, historically a Viking, Norman or Englishman. The pair appears together in phrases like Gaill agus Gaeil.
Why is Donegal called Dún na nGall?
Dún na nGall means 'fort of the foreigners', probably referring to a Viking settlement there.
