HeyRuaHow to say “motorway” in Irish
- Irish:
- mótarbhealach
- English:
- motorway
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “MOH-tur-val-ukh” /ˈmˠoːt̪ˠəɾˠˌvʲalˠəx/
- Plural:
- mótarbhealaí (motorways)
- Genitive singular:
- mótarbhealaigh, an mhótarbhealaigh (e.g. taobh an mhótarbhealaigh, the side of the motorway)
- Genitive plural:
- mótarbhealaí, na mótarbhealaí (e.g. líonra na mótarbhealaí, the motorway network)
What does “mótarbhealach” mean?
- motorway
- A wide, fast road with several lanes in each direction, built for long-distance motor traffic.Also: highway, freeway, expressway, autoroute.
Other Irish words for motorway: saorbhealach (motorway)
“Mótarbhealach” with the article
The plural of motorway in Irish is mótarbhealaí. Here is mótarbhealach after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Mótarbhealach” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using mótarbhealach, the Irish word for motorway.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Motorway in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for motorway?
The Irish for motorway is mótarbhealach (pronounced “MOH-tur-val-ukh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is mótarbhealaí.
How do you pronounce mótarbhealach in Irish?
Mótarbhealach is said like “MOH-tur-val-ukh” (IPA /ˈmˠoːt̪ˠəɾˠˌvʲalˠəx/).
What is the plural of motorway in Irish?
The plural of mótarbhealach is mótarbhealaí; with the article, na mótarbhealaí means “the motorways”. The genitive plural is mótarbhealaí, as in líonra na mótarbhealaí (the motorway network).
Why does mótarbhealach change to mhótarbhealach?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhótarbhealach. After ár (our) it stays ár mótarbhealach, because m does not take eclipsis.
What is the difference between 'mótarbhealach' and 'débhealach'?
A 'mótarbhealach' is a full motorway, while a 'débhealach' is a dual carriageway, a road with two lanes each way but not motorway status.
