HeyRuaHow to say “pig” in Irish
- Irish:
- muc
- English:
- pig, pig (person), heap, drift, scowl
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “muk” /mˠʊk/
- Plural:
- muca (pigs)
- Genitive singular:
- muice, na muice (e.g. cró na muice, the pig's sty)
- Genitive plural:
- muc, na muc (e.g. tréad na muc, the herd of pigs)
What does “muc” mean?
“Muc” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- pig
- A farm animal with a snout and a curly tail, kept for its meat.Also: swine, hog, sow.
3 other meanings: pig (person) or heap, drift or scowl
- 2pig (person)
- A greedy, dirty or rude person, used as an insult.Also: pig, glutton, slob.
- 3heap, drift
- A pile or bank of something, especially a drift of snow (muc shneachta).Also: heap, drift, bank, snowdrift.
- 4scowl
- A sulky or angry look on the face, as in 'muc ar mala'.Also: frown, sulk.
“Muc” with the article
The plural of pig in Irish is muca. Here is muc after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Muc” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using muc, the Irish word for pig.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Pig in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for pig?
The Irish for pig is muc (pronounced “muk”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is muca. Depending on context it can also mean pig (person) or heap, drift or scowl.
How do you pronounce muc in Irish?
Muc is said like “muk” (IPA /mˠʊk/).
What is the plural of pig in Irish?
The plural of muc is muca; with the article, na muca means “the pigs”. The genitive plural is muc, as in tréad na muc (the herd of pigs).
Does muc have more than one meaning?
Yes. Muc can mean pig, pig (person), heap, drift or scowl, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does muc change to mhuc?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhuc. After ár (our) it stays ár muc, because m does not take eclipsis.
What does 'muc ar mala' mean?
Literally 'a pig on the brow', 'muc ar mala' means a scowl or frown: 'Tá muc ar a mala' means he is scowling.
What is the word for a female pig or a piglet?
A sow is 'cráin' and a piglet is 'banbh'; 'muc' is the general word for any pig.
