HeyRuaHow to say “horror” in Irish
- Irish:
- uafás
- English:
- horror, astonishment, huge amount
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “OO-uh-faws” /ˈuəfˠɑːsˠ/
- Plural:
- uafáis (horrors)
- Genitive singular:
- uafáis, an uafáis (e.g. scéal an uafáis, the story of the horror)
- Genitive plural:
- uafás, na n-uafás (e.g. cuimhne na n-uafás, the memory of the horrors)
What does “uafás” mean?
“Uafás” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- horror
- A feeling of great fear and shock, or a terrible thing that causes it.Also: terror, dread, atrocity.
2 other meanings: astonishment or huge amount
- 2astonishment
- Great surprise or amazement at something.Also: amazement, wonder.
- 3huge amount
- A vast or astonishing number or amount of something, used in the phrase 'an t-uafás'.Also: great number, lots, loads.
“Uafás” with the article
The plural of horror in Irish is uafáis. Here is uafás after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Uafás” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using uafás, the Irish word for horror.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Horror in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for horror?
The Irish for horror is uafás (pronounced “OO-uh-faws”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is uafáis. Depending on context it can also mean astonishment or huge amount.
How do you pronounce uafás in Irish?
Uafás is said like “OO-uh-faws” (IPA /ˈuəfˠɑːsˠ/).
What is the plural of horror in Irish?
The plural of uafás is uafáis; with the article, na huafáis means “the horrors”. The genitive plural is uafás, as in cuimhne na n-uafás (the memory of the horrors).
Does uafás have more than one meaning?
Yes. Uafás can mean horror, astonishment or huge amount, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does uafás sometimes have a t or h in front of it?
Irish nouns beginning with a vowel take a prefix after certain words: an t-uafás (the horror), a huafás (her horror), a n-uafás (their horror), na huafáis (the horrors).
What does 'an t-uafás' mean in casual speech?
It often just means 'a huge amount', as in 'an t-uafás airgid' (loads of money), with the noun following in the genitive.
How is 'uafás' related to 'uafásach'?
'Uafásach' is the adjective meaning 'terrible', and it is also used as an intensifier: 'go huafásach maith' means 'awfully good'.
