lacha
/ˈl̪ˠɑxə/feminine
The English word 'duck' (the aquatic bird) is translated into Irish as lacha or tonóg.
Meaning: aquatic bird of the family Anatidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lacha | /ˈl̪ˠɑxə/ | feminine |
| tonóg | feminine |
Both forms refer to the aquatic bird of the family Anatidae. Note that while these words refer to the animal, the related Irish verbs tum (to lower into water) and seachain (to try to evade doing something) correspond to the English verb 'to duck'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both lacha and tonóg are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈl̪ˠɑxə/
Did you know?
- The term tonóg uses the suffix -óg, which in Irish is often a diminutive used to denote something small or endearing.
- While lacha is a general term for a duck, tonóg is often used specifically for the mallard, the most common wild duck in Ireland.
- The word lacha is a cognate with the Scottish Gaelic lach and Manx laagh, showing a shared linguistic root for the bird across the Goidelic languages.
Examples in context
- Tá an lacha ag snámh sa loch.The duck is swimming in the lake.
- Níl ach lacha amháin ag snámh anseo.There's only one duck swimming here.
- An bhfuil an lacha ag imeacht?Is the duck leaving?
Example conversation
Cathal and Niamh are walking by a pond.
- CathalBreathnaigh ar an lacha sin!Look at that duck!
- NiamhIs cúis eatsa go hálainn.It is very beautiful.
- CathalAn bhfuil biae agat don lacha?Do you have food for the duck?
- NiamhNíl aon bhiae agam, a Chathail.I don't have any food, Cathal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duck” translations and entries lacha, tonóg, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lacha, tonóg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
