HeyRuaHow to say “old woman” in Irish
- Irish:
- seanbhean
- English:
- old woman
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine
- Pronunciation:
- “SHAN-van” /ˈʃanˠvʲanˠ/
- Plural:
- seanmhná (old women)
- Genitive singular:
- seanmhná, na seanmhná (e.g. teach na seanmhná, the old woman's house)
- Genitive plural:
- seanbhan, na seanbhan (e.g. scéalta na seanbhan, the old women's stories)
What does “seanbhean” mean?
- old woman
- A woman who is elderly or advanced in years.Also: old lady, elderly woman, crone.
Other Irish words for old woman: cailleach (old woman), seanchailleach (old woman)
“Seanbhean” with the article
The plural of old woman in Irish is seanmhná. Here is seanbhean after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Seanbhean” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using seanbhean, the Irish word for old woman.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Old woman in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for old woman?
The Irish for old woman is seanbhean (pronounced “SHAN-van”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is seanmhná.
How do you pronounce seanbhean in Irish?
Seanbhean is said like “SHAN-van” (IPA /ˈʃanˠvʲanˠ/).
What is the plural of old woman in Irish?
The plural of seanbhean is seanmhná; with the article, na seanmhná means “the old women”. The genitive plural is seanbhan, as in scéalta na seanbhan (the old women's stories).
Why does seanbhean change to sheanbhean?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo sheanbhean. After ár (our) it stays ár seanbhean, because s does not take eclipsis.
Why is it 'an tseanbhean' with a t?
Feminine nouns beginning with s take t- after the article in the nominative, so 'an tseanbhean', just like 'an tsráid'.
Is 'cailleach' the same as 'seanbhean'?
'Seanbhean' is the neutral word for an old woman, while 'cailleach' can mean a hag or witch and is often unflattering.
