HeyRuaHow to say “grandmother” in Irish
- Irish:
- móraí
- English:
- grandmother
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “MOH-ree” /ˈmoːɾˠiː/
- Plural:
- móraithe (grandmothers)
- Genitive singular:
- móraí, na móraí (e.g. teach mo mhóraí, my granny's house)
- Genitive plural:
- móraithe, na móraithe (e.g. scéalta móraithe, grannies' stories)
What does “móraí” mean?
- grandmother
- The mother of your father or mother; an informal, affectionate word, like 'granny'.Also: granny, gran, nan, grandma.
Other Irish words for grandmother: seanmháthair (grandmother), seantuismitheoir (grandparent), mamó (granny)
“Móraí” with the article
The plural of grandmother in Irish is móraithe. Here is móraí after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Móraí” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using móraí, the Irish word for grandmother.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Grandmother in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for grandmother?
The Irish for grandmother is móraí (pronounced “MOH-ree”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is móraithe.
How do you pronounce móraí in Irish?
Móraí is said like “MOH-ree” (IPA /ˈmoːɾˠiː/).
What is the plural of grandmother in Irish?
The plural of móraí is móraithe; with the article, na móraithe means “the grandmothers”. The genitive plural is móraithe, as in scéalta móraithe (grannies' stories).
Why does móraí change to mhóraí?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhóraí. After ár (our) it stays ár móraí, because m does not take eclipsis.
What is the difference between móraí and seanmháthair?
Seanmháthair is the neutral standard word for 'grandmother', while móraí is an affectionate, informal word like 'granny'; mamó is another common equivalent.
