uisce
/ˈiʃcə/masculine
The English word water is uisce in Irish. Wiktionary also lists dobhar.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| uisce | /ˈiʃcə/ | masculine |
| dobhar | masculine |
Both uisce and dobhar are masculine nouns used to mean water, but they are used in different contexts.
Which one should you use?
uisce is the standard term used for water in a general sense or specifically for drinking water. In contrast, dobhar often refers to water in a natural, wild or geological context, such as a spring or a stream.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Because uisce is a masculine noun starting with a vowel, the prefix t- is added to the definite article an when used before it, resulting in an t-uisce.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈiʃcə/
When do people say it?
The phrase uisce beatha literally means 'water of life' and is the Irish term for whiskey.
Did you know?
- The word uisce is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'water', both tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- Tá an t-uisce glas.The water is green.This sentence uses uisce to describe the color of the water.Tatoeba #3522311 by JimiYoru, translation #3522310 by Jesse
- Tá sí ag ól an uisce.She is drinking the water.This sentence uses uisce to describe the act of drinking water.Tatoeba #4001488 by turklehceleri, translation #4001334 by AlanF_US
- Níl an t-iasc san uisce.The fish is not in the water.This sentence uses uisce to describe the location of a fish.Tatoeba #3945048 by turklehceleri, translation #3945046 by AlanF_US
- An bhfuil uisce beatha agat?Do you have whiskey?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Saoirse and Conor are in the kitchen.
- SaoirseAn bhfuil uisce agat, a Chonaire?Do you have water, Conor?
- ConorTá, tá uisce sa choirp.Yes, there is water in the jug.
- SaoirseAn féidir liom glás uisce, le do thoil?Can I have a glass of water, please?
- ConorSeiceas, Seo an t-uisce duit, a Saoirse.Here, here is the water for you, Saoirse.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries uisce, dobhar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dobhar, uisce, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
