HeyRuaHow to say “primary school” in Irish
- Irish:
- bunscoil
- English:
- primary school
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “BUN-skul” /ˈbˠʊnˠˌsˠkɛlʲ/
- Plural:
- bunscoileanna (primary schools)
- Genitive singular:
- bunscoile, na bunscoile (e.g. príomhoide na bunscoile, principal of the primary school)
- Genitive plural:
- bunscoileanna, na mbunscoileanna (e.g. múinteoirí na mbunscoileanna, the primary schools' teachers)
What does “bunscoil” mean?
- primary school
- A school for young children, usually from about four to twelve years of age.Also: elementary school, national school, grade school.
“Bunscoil” with the article
The plural of primary school in Irish is bunscoileanna. Here is bunscoil after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Bunscoil” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using bunscoil, the Irish word for primary school.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Primary school in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for primary school?
The Irish for primary school is bunscoil (pronounced “BUN-skul”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is bunscoileanna.
How do you pronounce bunscoil in Irish?
Bunscoil is said like “BUN-skul” (IPA /ˈbˠʊnˠˌsˠkɛlʲ/).
What is the plural of primary school in Irish?
The plural of bunscoil is bunscoileanna; with the article, na bunscoileanna means “the primary schools”. The genitive plural is bunscoileanna, as in múinteoirí na mbunscoileanna (the primary schools' teachers).
Why does bunscoil change to bhunscoil or mbunscoil?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) bunscoil becomes mo bhunscoil (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár mbunscoil (eclipsis).
What is the word for secondary school?
Secondary school is 'meánscoil', and an all-Irish school is a 'gaelscoil'; 'bunscoil' is specifically primary level.
Why is it 'sa bhunscoil' in some places and 'sa mbunscoil' in others?
The Caighdeán uses lenition after 'sa': 'sa bhunscoil'. In Connacht you will often hear eclipsis, 'sa mbunscoil'.
