HeyRuaHow to say “periwinkle” in Irish
- Irish:
- faocha
- English:
- periwinkle
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine
- Pronunciation:
- “FAY-khuh” /ˈfˠeːxə/
- Plural:
- faochain (periwinkles)
- Genitive singular:
- faochan, na faochan (e.g. blaosc na faochan, the shell of the periwinkle)
- Genitive plural:
- faochan, na bhfaochan (e.g. mála na bhfaochan, the bag of periwinkles)
What does “faocha” mean?
- periwinkle
- A small edible sea snail with a dark spiral shell, found on rocks on the shore.Also: winkle, sea snail.
“Faocha” with the article
The plural of periwinkle in Irish is faochain. Here is faocha after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Faocha” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using faocha, the Irish word for periwinkle.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Periwinkle in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for periwinkle?
The Irish for periwinkle is faocha (pronounced “FAY-khuh”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is faochain.
How do you pronounce faocha in Irish?
Faocha is said like “FAY-khuh” (IPA /ˈfˠeːxə/).
What is the plural of periwinkle in Irish?
The plural of faocha is faochain; with the article, na faochain means “the periwinkles”. The genitive plural is faochan, as in mála na bhfaochan (the bag of periwinkles).
Why does faocha change to fhaocha or bhfaocha?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) faocha becomes m'fhaocha (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár bhfaocha (eclipsis).
Is there an idiom with 'faocha'?
Yes: 'Tá sé chomh righin le faocha' is not standard, but 'faocha a bhaint as a sliogán' describes getting something out with difficulty. More common is 'Chuir sé an fhaocha ina sliogán', meaning he put someone in their place.
