cailín
/kɑˈlʲiːnʲ/masculine
In Irish, the English phrase "girlfriend" can be expressed using cailín. Wiktionary also lists girseach.
Meaning: a female partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cailín | /kɑˈlʲiːnʲ/ (Munster) /ˈkalʲiːnʲ/ (Connacht) |
masculine |
| girseach | /ˈɟɪɾˠsˠa(h)/ (Ulster) | feminine |
cailín is a common and general word for girl used when referring to a female friend or partner.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a girl or girlfriend directly, the form changes to a chailín due to the vocative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɑˈlʲiːnʲ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use cailín to mean "girlfriend", but cailín literally means "girl" and does not inherently imply a romantic relationship.
Did you know?
- While cailín is widely used, the word girseach is an older term derived from the word gearr, which means 'short'.
- Using cailín to mean 'girlfriend' can sometimes sound patronizing or overly youthful to native speakers, depending on the age of the woman being described.
- The suffix -ín in cailín is a common feature in Irish used to express affection or smallness, showing how the language builds intimacy into its nouns.
Examples in context
- Seo í Annie, mo chailín.This is Annie, my girlfriend.
- An bhfuil cailín agat?Do you have a girlfriend?
- Sin an cailín atá liom.That is the girl I am with.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girlfriend” translations and entries cailín, girseach, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cailín, girseach, CC BY-SA 4.0.
