HeyRuaHow to say “pawn” in Irish
- Irish:
- fichillín
- English:
- pawn
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “FIH-hil-een” /ˈfʲɪhɪlʲiːnʲ/
- Plural:
- fichillíní (pawns)
- Genitive singular:
- fichillín, an fhichillín (e.g. luach an fhichillín, the value of the pawn)
- Genitive plural:
- fichillíní, na bhfichillíní (e.g. líne na bhfichillíní, the row of pawns)
What does “fichillín” mean?
- pawn
- The smallest and least valuable piece in chess, of which each player has eight.Also: chess pawn, chess piece.
“Fichillín” with the article
The plural of pawn in Irish is fichillíní. Here is fichillín after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Fichillín” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using fichillín, the Irish word for pawn.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Pawn in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for pawn?
The Irish for pawn is fichillín (pronounced “FIH-hil-een”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is fichillíní.
How do you pronounce fichillín in Irish?
Fichillín is said like “FIH-hil-een” (IPA /ˈfʲɪhɪlʲiːnʲ/).
What is the plural of pawn in Irish?
The plural of fichillín is fichillíní; with the article, na fichillíní means “the pawns”. The genitive plural is fichillíní, as in líne na bhfichillíní (the row of pawns).
Why does fichillín change to fhichillín or bhfichillín?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) fichillín becomes m'fhichillín (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár bhfichillín (eclipsis).
How is fichillín related to the word for chess?
Fichillín is a diminutive formed from ficheall, the Irish word for chess, so it literally means a little chess piece.
Can fichillín be used figuratively like English 'pawn'?
The figurative sense of a person used by others is not well established for fichillín in the standard dictionaries; keep it to the chess sense.
