HeyRuaHow to say “ray” in Irish
- Irish:
- ga
- English:
- ray, spear, sting, radius
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “ga” /ɡa/
- Plural:
- gathanna (rays)
- Genitive singular:
- ga, an gha (e.g. teas an gha, the heat of the ray)
- Genitive plural:
- gathanna, na ngathanna (e.g. teas na ngathanna, heat of the rays)
What does “ga” mean?
“Ga” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- ray
- A narrow beam of light, heat or radiation.Also: beam, sunbeam, radiation.
3 other meanings: spear or sting or radius
- 2spear
- A long pointed weapon or dart that is thrown or thrust.Also: dart, javelin, lance.
- 3sting
- The sharp stinging organ of an insect such as a bee or wasp.Also: stinger.
- 4radius
- A straight line from the centre of a circle to its edge, or its length.Also: spoke.
“Ga” with the article
The plural of ray in Irish is gathanna. Here is ga after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Ga” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using ga, the Irish word for ray.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Ray in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for ray?
The Irish for ray is ga (pronounced “ga”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is gathanna. Depending on context it can also mean spear or sting or radius.
How do you pronounce ga in Irish?
Ga is said like “ga” (IPA /ɡa/).
What is the plural of ray in Irish?
The plural of ga is gathanna; with the article, na gathanna means “the rays”. The genitive plural is gathanna, as in teas na ngathanna (heat of the rays).
Does ga have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ga can mean ray, spear, sting or radius, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does ga change to gha or nga?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) ga becomes mo gha (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár nga (eclipsis).
What is the difference between 'ga' and 'léas'?
Both can mean a beam of light, but 'ga' is the usual scientific word (X-gha, ga gréine), while 'léas' suggests a gleam or glimmer of light.
