sirenë
feminine
The Albanian word for mermaid is sirenë. If unsure, use sirenë. Wiktionary also lists rusale.
Meaning: mythological woman with a fish’s tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Albanian | Note |
|---|---|
| sirenë | feminine |
| rusale | feminine |
The term refers to a mythological woman with a fish's tail.
Which one should you use?
sirenë is the term for a mermaid, whereas rusale refers to a specific type of water spirit or nymph found in Balkan folklore, often associated with nature and spirits rather than just the mythological mermaid.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of sirenë is sirenat, and the genitive singular form (to say "of the mermaid") is sirenës.
Did you know?
- The word sirenë is used in Albanian to describe both a mythological mermaid and a loud warning device like a police siren.
- In Albanian folklore, rusale are sometimes depicted as spirits of women who died tragic deaths near water rather than as immortal creatures.
- The term rusale connects the concept of a water spirit to the Slavic tradition of 'Rusalka', reflecting a deep cultural intersection between Balkan and Slavic folklore.
Examples in context
- Kam lexuar një libër interesant mbi sirenat.I have read an interesting book about mermaids.
- Çoni po vizaton një sirenë.Choni is drawing a mermaid.
Example conversation
Tea and Dritan are looking at a picture book.
- TeaShiko, kjo është një sirenë!Look, this is a mermaid!
- DritanA janë ato të vërteta, Tea?Are they real, Tea?
- TeaJo, ato janë vetëm në përralla.No, they are only in fairy tales.
- DritanAto duken shumë të bukura.They look very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mermaid” translations and entries sirenë, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
