HeyRuaHow to say “girl” in Irish
- Irish:
- cailín
- English:
- girl, girlfriend, maid
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KAL-een” /ˈkalʲiːnʲ/
- Plural:
- cailíní (girls)
- Genitive singular:
- cailín, an chailín (e.g. rothar an chailín, the girl's bicycle)
- Genitive plural:
- cailíní, na gcailíní (e.g. foireann na gcailíní, the girls' team)
What does “cailín” mean?
“Cailín” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- girl
- A female child or young unmarried woman.Also: young woman, lass, maiden.
2 other meanings: girlfriend or maid
- 2girlfriend
- A young woman with whom someone is in a romantic relationship.Also: sweetheart.
- 3maid
- A female servant, especially in older usage (usually cailín aimsire).Also: servant girl, housemaid.
Other Irish words for girl: girseach (girl), gearrchaile (young girl)
“Cailín” with the article
The plural of girl in Irish is cailíní. Here is cailín after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cailín” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cailín, the Irish word for girl.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Girl in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for girl?
The Irish for girl is cailín (pronounced “KAL-een”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cailíní. Depending on context it can also mean girlfriend or maid.
How do you pronounce cailín in Irish?
Cailín is said like “KAL-een” (IPA /ˈkalʲiːnʲ/).
What is the plural of girl in Irish?
The plural of cailín is cailíní; with the article, na cailíní means “the girls”. The genitive plural is cailíní, as in foireann na gcailíní (the girls' team).
Does cailín have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cailín can mean girl, girlfriend or maid, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does cailín change to chailín or gcailín?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cailín becomes mo chailín (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcailín (eclipsis).
Why is cailín masculine when it means a girl?
Grammatical gender follows the form: words ending in the diminutive -ín are masculine, so it is an cailín (no lenition), though you use the pronoun í for her: Is cailín deas í.
What other words for girl exist?
Girseach is common in Ulster and gearrchaile in Connacht, but cailín is understood everywhere.
