HeyRuaHow to say “grandmother” in Irish
- Irish:
- seanmháthair
- English:
- grandmother
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, fifth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “SHAN-waw-hir” /ˈʃanˌwaːhəɾʲ/
- Plural:
- seanmháithreacha (grandmothers)
- Genitive singular:
- seanmháthar, na seanmháthar (e.g. teach mo sheanmháthar, my grandmother's house)
- Genitive plural:
- seanmháithreacha, na seanmháithreacha (e.g. scéalta seanmháithreacha, grandmothers' stories)
What does “seanmháthair” mean?
- grandmother
- The mother of your father or mother.Also: granny, grandma, nana.
Other Irish words for grandmother: seantuismitheoir (grandparent), móraí (grandmother), mamó (granny)
“Seanmháthair” with the article
The plural of grandmother in Irish is seanmháithreacha. Here is seanmháthair after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Seanmháthair” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using seanmháthair, 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 seanmháthair (pronounced “SHAN-waw-hir”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is seanmháithreacha.
How do you pronounce seanmháthair in Irish?
Seanmháthair is said like “SHAN-waw-hir” (IPA /ˈʃanˌwaːhəɾʲ/).
What is the plural of grandmother in Irish?
The plural of seanmháthair is seanmháithreacha; with the article, na seanmháithreacha means “the grandmothers”. The genitive plural is seanmháithreacha, as in scéalta seanmháithreacha (grandmothers' stories).
Why does seanmháthair change to sheanmháthair?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo sheanmháthair. After ár (our) it stays ár seanmháthair, because s does not take eclipsis.
Is there a more informal word for grandmother?
Yes, children often say mamó or móraí, while seanmháthair is the standard, neutral word.
How do I say great-grandmother?
Use sin-seanmháthair, formed with the prefix sin- in front of seanmháthair.
