HeyRuaHow to say “muscle” in Irish
- Irish:
- matán
- English:
- muscle
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “MA-tawn” /ˈmˠat̪ˠɑːnˠ/
- Plural:
- matáin (muscles)
- Genitive singular:
- matáin, an mhatáin (e.g. pian an mhatáin, the pain in the muscle)
- Genitive plural:
- matán, na matán (e.g. neart na matán, the strength of the muscles)
What does “matán” mean?
- muscle
- A band of tissue in the body that tightens and relaxes to make the body move.Also: muscles, brawn.
Other Irish words for muscle: féitheog (muscle)
“Matán” with the article
The plural of muscle in Irish is matáin. Here is matán after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Matán” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using matán, the Irish word for muscle.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Muscle in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for muscle?
The Irish for muscle is matán (pronounced “MA-tawn”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is matáin.
How do you pronounce matán in Irish?
Matán is said like “MA-tawn” (IPA /ˈmˠat̪ˠɑːnˠ/).
What is the plural of muscle in Irish?
The plural of matán is matáin; with the article, na matáin means “the muscles”. The genitive plural is matán, as in neart na matán (the strength of the muscles).
Why does matán change to mhatán?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhatán. After ár (our) it stays ár matán, because m does not take eclipsis.
Is 'matán' the same as 'féith'?
No. 'Matán' is a muscle, while 'féith' usually means a vein or sinew, although older usage sometimes blurs them.
