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Secretary General in Irish (Ard-Rúnaí): Meaning, Pronunciation, Usage

The Irish for Secretary General is Ard-Rúnaí, a masculine noun (plural Ard-Rúnaithe).
Updated October 2026Report a mistake

How to say “Secretary General” in Irish

Irish:
Ard-Rúnaí
English:
Secretary General
Word type:
noun
Gender:
masculine, fourth declension
Pronunciation:
“awrd-ROO-nee”  /ˈaːɾˠd̪ˠˌɾˠuːn̪ˠiː/
Various forms
Plural:
Ard-Rúnaithe (Secretary Generals)
Genitive singular:
Ard-Rúnaí, an Ard-Rúnaí (e.g. oifig an Ard-Rúnaí, the office of the Secretary General)
Genitive plural:
Ard-Rúnaithe, na nArd-Rúnaithe (e.g. cruinniú na nArd-Rúnaithe, the meeting of the Secretaries General)

What does “Ard-Rúnaí” mean?

Secretary General
The most senior administrative official of a government department or of an international organisation such as the United Nations.Also: Secretary-General, General Secretary, top civil servant.

“Ard-Rúnaí” with the article

The plural of Secretary General in Irish is Ard-Rúnaithe. Here is Ard-Rúnaí after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.

an tArd-Rúnaí
the Secretary General
Masculine nouns take t before a vowel after an
na hArd-Rúnaithe
the Secretary Generals
Plural: na adds h before a vowel

“Ard-Rúnaí” in a sentence: Irish examples

Common Irish sentences using Ard-Rúnaí, the Irish word for Secretary General.

Ceapadh Ard-Rúnaí nua ar an Roinn inné.
A new Secretary General was appointed to the Department yesterday.
Labhair an tArd-Rúnaí leis na meáin ar maidin.
The Secretary General spoke to the media this morning.
Tá oifig an Ard-Rúnaí ar an urlár is airde.
The Secretary General's office is on the top floor.
Bhuail na hArd-Rúnaithe le chéile i mBaile Átha Cliath.
The Secretaries General met in Dublin.
Is é Ard-Rúnaí na Náisiún Aontaithe a d'oscail an chomhdháil.
The UN Secretary General opened the conference.
Scríobh mé litir chuig an Ard-Rúnaí faoin scéal.
I wrote a letter to the Secretary General about the matter.
Bhí sí ina hArd-Rúnaí ar feadh deich mbliana.
She was Secretary General for ten years.

Other nouns in Irish

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Secretary General in Irish: frequently asked questions

What is the Irish for Secretary General?

The Irish for Secretary General is Ard-Rúnaí (pronounced “awrd-ROO-nee”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is Ard-Rúnaithe.

How do you pronounce Ard-Rúnaí in Irish?

Ard-Rúnaí is said like “awrd-ROO-nee” (IPA /ˈaːɾˠd̪ˠˌɾˠuːn̪ˠiː/).

What is the plural of Secretary General in Irish?

The plural of Ard-Rúnaí is Ard-Rúnaithe; with the article, na hArd-Rúnaithe means “the Secretary Generals”. The genitive plural is Ard-Rúnaithe, as in cruinniú na nArd-Rúnaithe (the meeting of the Secretaries General).

Why does Ard-Rúnaí sometimes have a t or h in front of it?

Irish nouns beginning with a vowel take a prefix after certain words: an tArd-Rúnaí (the Secretary General), a hArd-Rúnaí (her Secretary General), a nArd-Rúnaí (their Secretary General), na hArd-Rúnaithe (the Secretary Generals).

What is the difference between 'rúnaí' and 'Ard-Rúnaí'?

A 'rúnaí' is any secretary, while an 'Ard-Rúnaí' is the head official of a government department or international body. The prefix 'ard-' means high or chief.

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