HeyRuaHow to say “willow” in Irish
- Irish:
- saileach
- English:
- willow
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “SAL-ukh” /ˈsˠalʲəx/
- Plural:
- saileacha (willows)
- Genitive singular:
- sailí, na sailí (e.g. duilleoga na sailí, the leaves of the willow)
- Genitive plural:
- saileach, na saileach (e.g. coill na saileach, the willow wood)
What does “saileach” mean?
- willow
- A tree or shrub of the genus Salix, with long thin flexible branches, often growing near water.Also: sally, sallow, willow tree, osier.
Other Irish words for willow: sail (willow), saileog (willow)
“Saileach” with the article
The plural of willow in Irish is saileacha. Here is saileach after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Saileach” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using saileach, the Irish word for willow.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Willow in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for willow?
The Irish for willow is saileach (pronounced “SAL-ukh”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is saileacha.
How do you pronounce saileach in Irish?
Saileach is said like “SAL-ukh” (IPA /ˈsˠalʲəx/).
What is the plural of willow in Irish?
The plural of saileach is saileacha; with the article, na saileacha means “the willows”. The genitive plural is saileach, as in coill na saileach (the willow wood).
Why does saileach change to shaileach?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo shaileach. After ár (our) it stays ár saileach, because s does not take eclipsis.
Where does the English word 'sally' for willow come from?
Hiberno-English 'sally' is related to Irish 'saileach', and both go back to the same root as Latin salix. Place names like 'Sallins' and 'Sallybrook' often reflect it.
