deirfiúr bheag
affectionate
A little sister in Irish is deirfiúr bheag, literally "small sister". To stress age rather than size, say deirfiúr óg, "young sister".
Meaning: a younger sister (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| deirfiúr bheag | affectionate |
| deirfiúr óg | younger sister |
Deirfiúr bheag sounds warm and is how most people introduce a younger sister in conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Deirfiúr is feminine, so beag softens to bheag. After mo (my) the noun softens as well: mo dheirfiúr bheag.
Did you know?
- Big sister is deirfiúr mhór, with the same softening of the adjective after a feminine noun.
Examples in context
- Seo í mo dheirfiúr bheag.This is my little sister.
- Tá mo dheirfiúr óg ar scoil fós.My younger sister is still at school.
Example conversation
Eoin meets his classmate Gráinne outside the school gate.
- GráinneCé atá leat inniu?Who is with you today?
- EoinMo dheirfiúr bheag, Clodagh.My little sister, Clodagh.
- GráinneDia duit, a Clodagh!Hello, Clodagh!
