HeyRuaHow to say “person” in Irish
- Irish:
- pearsa
- English:
- person, character, person (grammar), figure
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, fifth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “PYAR-suh” /ˈpʲaɾˠsˠə/
- Plural:
- pearsana (people)
- Genitive singular:
- pearsan, na pearsan (e.g. cearta na pearsan, the rights of the person)
- Genitive plural:
- pearsana, na bpearsana (e.g. liosta pearsana an dráma, the list of characters in the play)
What does “pearsa” mean?
“Pearsa” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- person
- An individual human being, often used in a formal or personal sense.Also: individual, personage.
3 other meanings: character or person (grammar) or figure
- 2character
- A character in a play, story or film.Also: role, dramatis personae.
- 3person (grammar)
- In grammar, the category showing the speaker, the person spoken to, or the person spoken about.Also: person, grammatical person, first person.
- 4figure
- A notable or well-known figure, a personality.Also: personality, personage.
“Pearsa” with the article
The plural of person in Irish is pearsana. Here is pearsa after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Pearsa” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using pearsa, the Irish word for person.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Person in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for person?
The Irish for person is pearsa (pronounced “PYAR-suh”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is pearsana. Depending on context it can also mean character or person (grammar) or figure.
How do you pronounce pearsa in Irish?
Pearsa is said like “PYAR-suh” (IPA /ˈpʲaɾˠsˠə/).
What is the plural of person in Irish?
The plural of pearsa is pearsana; with the article, na pearsana means “the people”. The genitive plural is pearsana, as in liosta pearsana an dráma (the list of characters in the play).
Does pearsa have more than one meaning?
Yes. Pearsa can mean person, character, person (grammar) or figure, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does pearsa change to phearsa or bpearsa?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) pearsa becomes mo phearsa (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár bpearsa (eclipsis).
What is the difference between 'pearsa' and 'duine'?
'Duine' is the everyday word for a person, while 'pearsa' is more formal and also means a character in a story or a grammatical person.
How do I say 'personality' in Irish?
Personality as a trait is 'pearsantacht'; 'pearsa' can mean a personality only in the sense of a well-known figure.
