HeyRuaHow to say “looking” in Irish
- Irish:
- féachaint
- English:
- looking, appearance, trial
- Word type:
- noun (verbal noun)
- Verbal noun of:
- féach, to look (ag féachaint, looking)
- Gender:
- feminine, third declension
- Pronunciation:
- “FAY-khint” /ˈfʲeːxənʲtʲ/
- Genitive singular:
- féachana, na féachana (e.g. lucht féachana, audience, viewers)
What does “féachaint” mean?
“Féachaint” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- looking
- The act of looking at or watching something; the verbal noun of the verb féach.Also: look, watching, viewing, glance.
2 other meanings: appearance or trial
- 2appearance
- The way someone or something looks to others.Also: look, aspect, expression.
- 3trial
- An attempt or test to see whether something works or how it turns out.Also: test, try, attempt.
Other Irish words for looking: breathnú (looking)
“Féachaint” as a verbal noun
After ag, féachaint means looking: it is the verbal noun of the verb féach (to look). A noun that follows it goes into the genitive.
“Féachaint” with the article
Here is féachaint after the article (an t-alt).
“Féachaint” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using féachaint, the Irish word for looking.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Looking in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for looking?
The Irish for looking is féachaint (pronounced “FAY-khint”). It’s a feminine noun. Depending on context it can also mean appearance or trial.
How do you pronounce féachaint in Irish?
Féachaint is said like “FAY-khint” (IPA /ˈfʲeːxənʲtʲ/).
Does féachaint have a plural?
No plural form is given for féachaint in the standard. Many abstract and mass nouns in Irish have no plural.
Does féachaint have more than one meaning?
Yes. Féachaint can mean looking, appearance or trial, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does féachaint change to fhéachaint or bhféachaint?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) féachaint becomes m'fhéachaint (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár bhféachaint (eclipsis).
What does 'féachaint an' mean?
Féachaint an means 'to see if/whether', as in Féachaint an bhfuil sé ann, 'to see if he is there'.
Is féachaint the same as amharc?
Both mean looking; féachaint is more general in the standard, while amharc is common in Ulster and also means 'sight, view'.
