HeyRuaHow to say “who” in Irish
- Irish:
- cé
- English:
- who
- Word type:
- adjective
- Whoer:
- níos cé
- Whoest:
- is cé
- Pronunciation:
- “kay” /ceː/
What does “cé” mean?
- who
- A question word used to ask which person or thing is meant.Also: which, what.
“Cé” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is cé after fear (man, masculine), after bean (woman, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: bean ché. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear cé.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, cé. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir ché; after other plurals it does not: mná cé.
Whoer, whoest, very who
| whoer | níos cé | in the past tense: ní ba ché |
|---|---|---|
| whoest | is cé | in the past tense: ba ché |
| as who as | chomh cé le | no change after chomh |
| very who | an-ché | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too who | róché | ró- lenites |
“Cé” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Who in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for who?
The Irish for who is cé (pronounced “kay”). It comes after the noun: fear cé, a who man; bean ché, a who woman.
How do you say whoer and whoest in Irish?
níos cé is whoer and is cé is whoest. In the past tense they become ní ba ché and ba ché.
Why does cé become ché?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean ché (a who woman) but fear cé (a who man), because fear is masculine.
How do you say very who in Irish?
an-ché. Too who is róché, and as who as is chomh cé le.
What is the difference between 'cé' and 'cad'?
'Cé' asks who or which, as in 'Cé tusa?', while 'cad' (or 'céard') asks what, as in 'Cad é sin?'.
Why does 'h' appear in 'Cé hé seo?'
'Cé' puts h before the pronouns 'é', 'í' and 'iad', giving 'cé hé', 'cé hí' and 'cé hiad'.
