im
/aimʲ/masculine
The Irish word for butter is im.
im is used to refer to the soft foodstuff made from milk.
Meaning: soft foodstuff made from milk (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
im is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/aimʲ/
Did you know?
- In Irish folklore, butter was often associated with the 'good people' or fairies, who were believed to be able to 'steal the butter' from a cow's milk through magic.
- Historically, butter was so valuable in rural Ireland that it was frequently used as a form of currency or as a payment for rent and labor.
- Traditional Irish salted butter was famously stored in 'butter pits' dug into the ground to keep the product cool and preserved before refrigeration existed.
Examples in context
- Níl im ar an mbord.There is no butter on the table.
- Is maith liom im le arán.I like butter with bread.
Example conversation
Conor and Saoirse are preparing breakfast.
- ConorSaoirse, an bhfuil im agat?Saoirse, do you have butter?
- SaoirseTá, tá sé sa chuileadh.Yes, it is in the fridge.
- ConorGabh im dom, le do thoil.Pass the butter to me, please.
- SaoirseSeo é an im, a Chonaire.Here is the butter, Conor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butter” translations and entries im, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
