babhla
masculine
The English word bowl translates to Irish as babhla or cuach.
Meaning: container for food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| babhla | masculine | |
| cuach | /kuəx/ | masculine |
Both forms refer to a container for food.
Which one should you use?
babhla is a general term for a bowl, often used when referring to a mixing bowl or a larger vessel. In contrast, cuach is more commonly used for a small bowl, a cup or a vessel used for drinking or small portions.
Did you know?
- The word cuach can refer to both a drinking vessel and a 'cuckoo' bird.
- The word babhla is a phonetic loanword from the English 'bowl', showing how Irish has adapted modern English terms.
Examples in context
- Tá an babhla ar an mbord.The bowl is on the table.
Example conversation
Cian and Aoife are preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
- CianAoife, cá bhfuil an babhla?Aoife, where is the bowl?
- AoifeTá sé sa chónra, a Chian.It is in the cupboard, Cian.
- CianGo raibh maith agat.Thank you.
- AoifeNí thuigim, an bhfuil tú ag bólú?I don't understand, are you eating cereal?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bowl” translations and entries babhla, cuach, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuach, CC BY-SA 4.0.
