HeyRuaHow to say “friend” in Irish
- Irish:
- cara
- English:
- friend
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fifth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KAR-uh” /ˈkaɾˠə/
- Plural:
- cairde (friends)
- Genitive singular:
- carad, an charad (e.g. teach mo charad, my friend's house)
- Genitive plural:
- cairde, na gcairde (e.g. grúpa na gcairde, the group of friends)
What does “cara” mean?
- friend
- A person you know well and like, who is not usually a family member.Also: pal, mate, companion.
“Cara” with the article
The plural of friend in Irish is cairde. Here is cara after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cara” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cara, the Irish word for friend.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Phrases with “cara”
Friend in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for friend?
The Irish for friend is cara (pronounced “KAR-uh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cairde.
How do you pronounce cara in Irish?
Cara is said like “KAR-uh” (IPA /ˈkaɾˠə/).
What is the plural of friend in Irish?
The plural of cara is cairde; with the article, na cairde means “the friends”. The genitive plural is cairde, as in grúpa na gcairde (the group of friends).
Why does cara change to chara or gcara?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cara becomes mo chara (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcara (eclipsis).
How do I say 'a friend of mine' in Irish?
Use the copula with 'le': 'Is cara liom é' means 'He is a friend of mine'.
What is the word for friendship?
Friendship is 'cairdeas', related to 'cara'.
