HeyRuaHow to say “syllable” in Irish
- Irish:
- siolla
- English:
- syllable, puff
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “SHIL-uh” /ˈʃɪl̪ˠə/
- Plural:
- siollaí (syllables)
- Genitive singular:
- siolla, an tsiolla (e.g. fad an tsiolla, length of the syllable)
- Genitive plural:
- siollaí, na siollaí (e.g. líon na siollaí, number of syllables)
What does “siolla” mean?
“Siolla” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- syllable
- A unit of sound in a word, containing one vowel sound.Also: sound unit.
1 other meaning: puff
- 2puff
- A slight breath or puff of wind; also used for a single word or sound, as in not saying a syllable.Also: breath of wind, whisper, word.
Other Irish words for syllable: smid (word)
“Siolla” with the article
The plural of syllable in Irish is siollaí. Here is siolla after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Siolla” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using siolla, the Irish word for syllable.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Syllable in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for syllable?
The Irish for syllable is siolla (pronounced “SHIL-uh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is siollaí. Depending on context it can also mean puff.
How do you pronounce siolla in Irish?
Siolla is said like “SHIL-uh” (IPA /ˈʃɪl̪ˠə/).
What is the plural of syllable in Irish?
The plural of siolla is siollaí; with the article, na siollaí means “the syllables”. The genitive plural is siollaí, as in líon na siollaí (number of syllables).
Does siolla have more than one meaning?
Yes. Siolla can mean syllable or puff, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does siolla change to shiolla?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo shiolla. After ár (our) it stays ár siolla, because s does not take eclipsis.
How do you say a word has one, two or many syllables?
Use the adjectives aonsiollach (monosyllabic), déshiollach (two-syllable) and ilsiollach (polysyllabic).
What does 'níor labhair sé siolla' mean?
It means 'he didn't say a word', literally not even a syllable.
