ubh
/ɞvˠ/feminine
The Irish word for egg is ubh.
The word ubh refers to the edible egg of a domestic fowl or the egg contents used as food.
Meaning: edible egg of a domestic fowl, the contents of such an egg or eggs used as food (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because ubh is a feminine noun, the definite article used with it is an (e.g., an ubh for the egg).
How do you pronounce it?
/ɞvˠ/
Did you know?
- In traditional Irish folklore, certain birds' eggs were often treated with more spiritual significance than domestic ones, though the word ubh remains the standard term for all.
- Despite the modern spelling, the word is a distant descendant of the Old Irish og, showing how drastically Irish words can evolve over a thousand years.
- In many Irish dialects, the 'bh' in ubh is not a hard 'b' sound but is pronounced as a soft 'v' or even a 'w' sound, making it sound quite different from how it is spelled.
Examples in context
- Ba mhaith liom ubh bheag, le do thoil.I would like a small egg, please.
Example conversation
Niamh and Oisín are preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
- NiamhOisín, an bhfuil ubh againn?Oisín, do we have eggs?
- OisínTá, tá ubh sa chucáin.Yes, there are eggs in the fridge.
- NiamhAn féidir leat ubh a choileadh?Can you boil an egg?
- OisínBeidh mé sáor go tobann.I will be free in a moment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “egg” translations and entries ubh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ubh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
