HeyRuaHow to say “sex” in Irish
- Irish:
- gnéas
- English:
- sex
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “gnyays” /ɟnʲeːsˠ/
- Plural:
- gnéasanna (sexes)
- Genitive singular:
- gnéis, an ghnéis (e.g. oideachas gnéis, sex education)
- Genitive plural:
- gnéasanna, na ngnéasanna (e.g. comhionannas na ngnéasanna, equality of the sexes)
What does “gnéas” mean?
- sex
- Sex as a category, male or female, or sexual activity between people.Also: gender, sexual intercourse, sexuality.
Other Irish words for sex: gnéasach (sexual)
“Gnéas” with the article
The plural of sex in Irish is gnéasanna. Here is gnéas after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Gnéas” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using gnéas, the Irish word for sex.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Sex in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sex?
The Irish for sex is gnéas (pronounced “gnyays”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is gnéasanna.
How do you pronounce gnéas in Irish?
Gnéas is said like “gnyays” (IPA /ɟnʲeːsˠ/).
What is the plural of sex in Irish?
The plural of gnéas is gnéasanna; with the article, na gnéasanna means “the sexes”. The genitive plural is gnéasanna, as in comhionannas na ngnéasanna (equality of the sexes).
Why does gnéas change to ghnéas or ngnéas?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) gnéas becomes mo ghnéas (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ngnéas (eclipsis).
What is the difference between 'gnéas' and 'inscne'?
'Gnéas' is biological sex or sexual activity, while 'inscne' is gender, including grammatical gender of nouns.
