HeyRuaHow to say “sparrow” in Irish
- Irish:
- gealbhan
- English:
- sparrow
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, first declension
- Pronunciation:
- “GYAL-uh-wawn” /ˈɟaləwən/
- Plural:
- gealbhain (sparrows)
- Genitive singular:
- gealbhain, an ghealbhain (e.g. nead an ghealbhain, the sparrow's nest)
- Genitive plural:
- gealbhan, na ngealbhan (e.g. ceol na ngealbhan, the song of the sparrows)
What does “gealbhan” mean?
- sparrow
- A small brown and grey bird that is common around houses and gardens.Also: house sparrow, small bird.
“Gealbhan” with the article
The plural of sparrow in Irish is gealbhain. Here is gealbhan after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Gealbhan” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using gealbhan, the Irish word for sparrow.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Sparrow in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sparrow?
The Irish for sparrow is gealbhan (pronounced “GYAL-uh-wawn”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is gealbhain.
How do you pronounce gealbhan in Irish?
Gealbhan is said like “GYAL-uh-wawn” (IPA /ˈɟaləwən/).
What is the plural of sparrow in Irish?
The plural of gealbhan is gealbhain; with the article, na gealbhain means “the sparrows”. The genitive plural is gealbhan, as in ceol na ngealbhan (the song of the sparrows).
Why does gealbhan change to ghealbhan or ngealbhan?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) gealbhan becomes mo ghealbhan (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ngealbhan (eclipsis).
Is 'gealbhan' the general word for any small bird?
No, 'gealbhan' means a sparrow specifically; a small bird in general is 'éan beag' or 'mionéan'.
