HeyRuaHow to say “poetess” in Irish
- Irish:
- banfhile
- English:
- poetess
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “BAN-il-eh” /ˈbanˌɪlʲə/
- Plural:
- banfhilí (poetesses)
- Genitive singular:
- banfhile, an bhanfhile (e.g. saothar an bhanfhile, the work of the poetess)
- Genitive plural:
- banfhilí, na mbanfhilí (e.g. saothar na mbanfhilí, the work of the women poets)
What does “banfhile” mean?
- poetess
- A woman who writes poetry; a female poet.Also: female poet, woman poet, poet.
“Banfhile” with the article
The plural of poetess in Irish is banfhilí. Here is banfhile after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Banfhile” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using banfhile, the Irish word for poetess.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Poetess in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for poetess?
The Irish for poetess is banfhile (pronounced “BAN-il-eh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is banfhilí.
How do you pronounce banfhile in Irish?
Banfhile is said like “BAN-il-eh” (IPA /ˈbanˌɪlʲə/).
What is the plural of poetess in Irish?
The plural of banfhile is banfhilí; with the article, na banfhilí means “the poetesses”. The genitive plural is banfhilí, as in saothar na mbanfhilí (the work of the women poets).
Why does banfhile change to bhanfhile or mbanfhile?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) banfhile becomes mo bhanfhile (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár mbanfhile (eclipsis).
Why is 'banfhile' masculine when it means a woman?
Grammatical gender follows the second element 'file', which is masculine, so we say 'an banfhile', though pronouns referring to her are feminine: 'is banfhile í'.
Do I have to use 'banfhile' for a woman poet?
No, many writers simply use 'file' for any poet, and 'banfhile' is used when you want to stress that the poet is a woman.
