HeyRuaHow to say “old friend” in Irish
- Irish:
- seanchara
- English:
- old friend
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “SHAN-khar-uh” /ˈʃanˌxaɾˠə/
- Plural:
- seanchairde (old friends)
- Genitive singular:
- seancharad, an tseancharad (e.g. teach mo sheancharad, my old friend's house)
- Genitive plural:
- seanchairde, na seanchairde (e.g. cruinniú na seanchairde, the reunion of the old friends)
What does “seanchara” mean?
- old friend
- A friend you have known for a long time.Also: longtime friend, old pal, old companion.
“Seanchara” with the article
The plural of old friend in Irish is seanchairde. Here is seanchara after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Seanchara” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using seanchara, the Irish word for old friend.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Old friend in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for old friend?
The Irish for old friend is seanchara (pronounced “SHAN-khar-uh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is seanchairde.
How do you pronounce seanchara in Irish?
Seanchara is said like “SHAN-khar-uh” (IPA /ˈʃanˌxaɾˠə/).
What is the plural of old friend in Irish?
The plural of seanchara is seanchairde; with the article, na seanchairde means “the old friends”. The genitive plural is seanchairde, as in cruinniú na seanchairde (the reunion of the old friends).
Why does seanchara change to sheanchara?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo sheanchara. After ár (our) it stays ár seanchara, because s does not take eclipsis.
Why is it 'seanchara' and not 'sean chara'?
The prefix 'sean' is joined to the noun and lenites it, so 'cara' becomes 'seanchara', written as one word.
How do I say 'an old friend of mine'?
Use 'Is seanchara liom é' or 'Is seanchara liom í', with 'le' showing whose friend it is.
