Vague recollection in Irish (Mearchuimhne): Meaning

Q: What is the Irish for vague recollection?

The Irish for vague recollection is mearchuimhne (pronounced “MAR-khiv-nyeh”). It’s a feminine noun.

How to say “vague recollection” in Irish

Irish:: mearchuimhne
English:: vague recollection
Word type:: noun
Gender:: feminine
Pronunciation:: “MAR-khiv-nyeh” /ˈmʲaɾˌxɪvʲnʲə/

Various forms

Genitive singular:: mearchuimhne, na mearchuimhne (e.g. ceo na mearchuimhne, the haze of vague memory)

What does “mearchuimhne” mean?

vague recollection: A faint, unclear memory of something.Also: faint memory, dim memory, hazy memory.

“Mearchuimhne” with the article

Here is mearchuimhne after the article (an t-alt).

an mhearchuimhne

the vague recollection

Lenition: m becomes mh after an (feminine noun)

“Mearchuimhne” in a sentence: Irish examples

Common Irish sentences using mearchuimhne, the Irish word for vague recollection.

Tá mearchuimhne agam ar an lá sin.

I have a vague memory of that day.

Níl agam ach mearchuimhne ar a ainm.

I only vaguely remember his name.

Bhí mearchuimhne aici gur bhuail sí leis roimhe.

She vaguely remembered meeting him before.

Tháinig mearchuimhne ar ais chugam ar maidin.

A faint memory came back to me this morning.

Is í an mhearchuimhne sin a chuireann isteach orm.

It's that vague memory that bothers me.

Tá mearchuimhne ag mo mháthair ar an teach.

My mother vaguely remembers the house.

Ní raibh ann ach mearchuimhne óna hóige.

It was only a dim memory from her childhood.

Other nouns in Irish

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Vague recollection in Irish: frequently asked questions

What is the Irish for vague recollection?

The Irish for vague recollection is mearchuimhne (pronounced “MAR-khiv-nyeh”). It’s a feminine noun.

How do you pronounce mearchuimhne in Irish?

Mearchuimhne is said like “MAR-khiv-nyeh” (IPA /ˈmʲaɾˌxɪvʲnʲə/).

Does mearchuimhne have a plural?

No plural form is given for mearchuimhne in the standard. Many abstract and mass nouns in Irish have no plural.

Why does mearchuimhne change to mhearchuimhne?

After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhearchuimhne. After ár (our) it stays ár mearchuimhne, because m does not take eclipsis.

How is 'mearchuimhne' different from 'cuimhne'?

'Cuimhne' is memory in general, while 'mearchuimhne' adds the prefix 'mear-' meaning confused or vague, so it is a hazy recollection: 'Tá mearchuimhne agam air' means I vaguely remember it.

Vague recollection in Irish (Mearchuimhne): Meaning, Pronunciation, Usage