mo
/mˠə/
The Irish word for "my" is mo.
mo is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to the speaker.
Meaning: belonging to me (det)
Which one should you use?
The form mo is used for both singular and plural nouns. This contrasts with other possessive forms like ár (our) or bhur (your plural).
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the form m' before words that start with a vowel. The form mo remains the same whether the noun is singular or plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/mˠə/
Did you know?
- In Irish, using mo often triggers a grammatical change called lenition, where a consonant in the following noun is softened or changed. This means the noun itself changes its spelling and sound just because it belongs to me.
- The word mo can be used in terms of endearment, such as mo chuisle, which literally means 'my pulse' and is used like 'my darling'.
- To say 'mine' as a pronoun rather than 'my' as a determiner, Irish uses the word mo chuid, which literally translates to 'my part' or 'my share'.
Examples in context
- Tá cúpla ag mo mháthair.My mother has a twin.This sentence shows how to use mo with a noun.Tatoeba #4062794 by tinybat, translation #4061013 by mervert1
- Is le mo chlann an fhoirgneamh seo.This building belongs to my family.Tatoeba #4062779 by tinybat, translation #4061792 by Hybrid
- Seo é mo mhadra.This is my dog.Tatoeba #10317427 by koala, translation #67056 by CK
- Mo charaMy friend
- Mo mháthairMy mother
- Mo fhearMy husband
- Mo chuid saoireMy holiday
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Siobhán and Oisín are talking about a book.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil mo leabhar ansin?Is my book there?
- OisínTá sé ar an bord, a Siobhán.It is on the table, Siobhán.
- SiobhánGo raibh maith agat, a Oisín.Thank you, Oisín.
- OisínNíl aon fhadhb leis.No problem with it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my” translations and entries mo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
