HeyRuaHow to say “struggle” in Irish
- Irish:
- gleic
- English:
- struggle, grips
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “glek” /ɟlʲɛcː/
- Plural:
- gleaca (struggles)
- Genitive singular:
- gleice, na gleice (e.g. deireadh na gleice, the end of the struggle)
- Genitive plural:
- gleaca, na ngleaca (e.g. scéalta na ngleaca, the stories of the struggles)
What does “gleic” mean?
“Gleic” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- struggle
- A fight or struggle, especially a hand-to-hand contest or wrestling match.Also: fight, wrestling, grapple, tussle.
1 other meaning: grips
- 2grips
- Used in the phrase 'dul i ngleic le', meaning to come to grips with or tackle a problem or person.Also: tackling, coming to grips, dealing with.
Other Irish words for struggle: coimhlint (struggle), streachailt (struggle)
“Gleic” with the article
The plural of struggle in Irish is gleaca. Here is gleic after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Gleic” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using gleic, the Irish word for struggle.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Struggle in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for struggle?
The Irish for struggle is gleic (pronounced “glek”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is gleaca. Depending on context it can also mean grips.
How do you pronounce gleic in Irish?
Gleic is said like “glek” (IPA /ɟlʲɛcː/).
What is the plural of struggle in Irish?
The plural of gleic is gleaca; with the article, na gleaca means “the struggles”. The genitive plural is gleaca, as in scéalta na ngleaca (the stories of the struggles).
Does gleic have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gleic can mean struggle or grips, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does gleic change to ghleic or ngleic?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) gleic becomes mo ghleic (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ngleic (eclipsis).
How do I say 'tackle a problem' in Irish?
Use 'dul i ngleic le', for example 'dul i ngleic leis an bhfadhb' means to tackle the problem.
