leipreachán
masculine
The English phrase leprechaun is translated into Irish as leipreachán. If unsure, use leipreachán. Wiktionary also lists luprachán and lucharachán.
Meaning: one of a race of Irish elves (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| leipreachán | masculine | |
| luprachán | masculine | |
| lucharachán | /ˈl̪ˠʊxəɾˠəxɑːnˠ/ (Connacht) | masculine |
| lucharbán | masculine | |
| lucharpán | masculine | |
| luchargán | masculine | |
| luchorpán | masculine | |
| luchormán | masculine | |
| luchramán | masculine |
All forms of the word refer to one of a race of Irish elves.
Which one should you use?
The language provides several variants for the word: leipreachán, luprachán, lucharachán, lucharbán, lucharpán, luchargán, luchorpán, luchormán and luchramán.
How does it change in a sentence?
Every form listed is a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- The variant luchorpán contains the word corp, which is a cognate of the English word 'corpus' and the Latin 'corpus', meaning 'body'.
- In traditional Irish folklore, the leipreachán was not always a shoemaker but was often seen as a solitary craftsperson or a trickster who avoided humans.
- Unlike the modern image of a friendly mascot, the original leipreachán in Irish stories was often portrayed as a grumpy, solitary figure who disliked company.
Examples in context
- Tá an leipreachán beag.The leprechaun is small.
- Chonaic mé leipreachán sa ghairdín.I saw a leprechaun in the garden.
Example conversation
Conor and Niamh are talking about Irish folklore.
- ConorAn creideann tú i leipreachán?Do you believe in a leprechaun?
- NiamhNí creideann mé, Conor.I don't believe, Conor.
- ConorAch tá leipreachán sa scéal seo.But there is a leprechaun in this story.
- NiamhIs scéal craiceáil é sin.That is a funny story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leprechaun” translations and entries leipreachán, lucharachán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lucharachán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
