deirfiúr
/dʲeɾʲəˈfˠuːɾˠ/feminine
The Irish word for sister is deirfiúr.
deirfiúr is a noun used to refer to a woman or girl who has the same parents as another person.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/dʲeɾʲəˈfˠuːɾˠ/
Did you know?
- The word deirfiúr literally translates to 'certain sister' because the first part, 'derb', means 'true' or 'certain'.
- In traditional Irish kinship structures, a 'sister' could historically include a female first cousin, reflecting a broader definition of family.
- In Irish, the word for 'sister' is not used as a general term of endearment for a female friend, unlike how 'sister' or 'sis' is often used in English slang.
Examples in context
- Thug sí fuil chun a deirfiúr a shábháil.She gave blood in order to save her sister.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use deirfiúr in a context involving saving someone.Tatoeba #10317496 by koala, translation #6171133 by RobinvanderVliet
- An bhfuil deirfiúr agat?Do you have a sister?
Example conversation
Saoirse and Cathal are talking about their families.
- SaoirseTá mo deirfiúr ag an gcoláiste.My sister is at college.
- CathalCé mhéad bliain atá sí ansin?How many years has she been there?
- SaoirseTá sí sa dara bhliain.She is in the second year.
- CathalIs iontach é sin, a Saoirse.That is wonderful, Saoirse.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries deirfiúr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deirfiúr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
