amhastraigh
The English phrase 'bark' can be translated into Irish as amhastraigh. Wiktionary also lists bí ag tafann and sceamh.
Meaning: to make a loud noise (dogs) (verb)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA |
|---|---|
| amhastraigh | |
| bí ag tafann | /bʲiː ə ˈt̪ˠau̯hən̪ˠ(t̪ˠ)/ (word by word) |
| sceamh |
When referring to the action of a dog making a loud noise, you can use the verb amhastraigh or the phrase bí ag tafann.
Which one should you use?
If you are referring to the noun for a short, loud, explosive utterance, you may use tafann or sceamh.
Related words
Did you know?
- The word tafann originates from the Old Irish verbal noun for 'to chase' or 'to hunt', literally meaning 'to bark at'.
- While the English word 'bark' describes both a tree's skin and a dog's cry, Irish uses completely different roots for these two concepts.
- The word bí is a homonym that can mean 'to be' or 'pitch' in a different context.
Example sentences for Irish are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Cathal and Niamh are talking about a neighbor's pet.
- CathalAn dobh amhastraigh an madra ar maidin?Did the dog bark this morning?
- NiamhNíor amhastraigh sé ar allteach.He didn't bark at all.
- CathalSin dea-nuacht, Niamh.That is good news, Niamh.
- NiamhTá sé an-chiú bán anois.He is very quiet now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bark” translations and entries amhastraigh, sceamh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bí, ag, tafann) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ag, bí, sceamh, tafann, CC BY-SA 4.0.
