HeyRuaHow to say “tongs” in Irish
- Irish:
- tlú
- English:
- tongs
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “tloo” /t̪ˠl̪ˠuː/
- Plural:
- tlúnna (tongs)
- Genitive singular:
- tlú, an tlú (e.g. cos an tlú, the leg of the tongs)
- Genitive plural:
- tlúnna, na dtlúnna (e.g. cosa na dtlúnna, the legs of the tongs)
What does “tlú” mean?
- tongs
- A pair of metal tongs, especially fire tongs used for lifting coal or turf at the hearth.Also: fire tongs, pair of tongs.
“Tlú” with the article
The plural of tongs in Irish is tlúnna. Here is tlú after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Tlú” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using tlú, the Irish word for tongs.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Tongs in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for tongs?
The Irish for tongs is tlú (pronounced “tloo”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is tlúnna.
How do you pronounce tlú in Irish?
Tlú is said like “tloo” (IPA /t̪ˠl̪ˠuː/).
What is the plural of tongs in Irish?
The plural of tlú is tlúnna; with the article, na tlúnna means “the tongs”. The genitive plural is tlúnna, as in cosa na dtlúnna (the legs of the tongs).
Why does tlú change to thlú or dtlú?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) tlú becomes mo thlú (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár dtlú (eclipsis).
Is 'tlú' singular or plural in Irish?
Although English 'tongs' is plural, 'tlú' is a singular noun in Irish: 'an tlú' means 'the tongs', and 'tlúnna' means several pairs.
Is there a saying with 'tlú'?
Yes, 'chomh caol le tlú' means 'as thin as a tongs', said of a very thin person.
