Celtic cognates

This page contains words for people that are cognate in all or most of the six modern Celtic languages.

Click on the English versions that are links and you will be taken to the Celtiadur, where you can see what each word means, and how some of them are pronounced. There are also details of related words and expressions, and words in older versions of the Celtic languages, such as Middle Welsh and Old Irish. More Celtic Cognates

Other words

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
aingeal	aingeal	aile	angel	eledh	ael	fire angel
ainm	ainm	ennym	enw	hanow	anv	name
anáil	anail	ennal	anadl	anal	anal	breath
anam	anam	annym	enaid	enev	ene	soul spirit
aois	aois	eash	oes oed	oos ooj	oad	age
beatha	beatha	beaghey	bywyd	bewnans	buhez	life
beo	beò	bio	byw	bew	bev	alive living
bith*	bith	beays	byd	bys	bed	world being existence
bord	bòrd	boayrd	bwrdd bwrd	bord bordh	bourzh	table board
brí	brìgh	bree	bri	bri	bri	strength essence power honour dignity
bua	buaidh	booie	budd	budh	buz	victory profit
Cáisg	Càisg	Caisht	Pasg	Pask	Pask	Easter
cath	cath	cah	cad	kas	kad	battle
ciorcal	cearcall	kiarkyl	cylch	kelgh kylgh	klec'h	circle ring
cistin	cistin	kishteen	cegin	kegin	kegin	kitchen
clog	clag	clag	cloch	clogh	kloc'h	bell clock
clú	cliù	goo	clyw	klew	klev	hearing fame
féan	feun	fainagh	gwain	goen gweyn	gouin	wagon cart chariot sheath
gair gáir	goir gàir	gerr	gair gawr	ger	ger	call shout word
geil	geil	gyndyr	gwellt	gwels	geot gwelt	grass graze
flaith	flath	flah	gwlad	gwlas gulas	glad	sovereignty country nation
icht	aiteam	eggys	iaith	yeth	yezh	language people
leabhar	leabhar	lioar	llyfr	lyver	levr	book
marbh	marbh	merriu marroo	marw marwolaeth	mernans	marv	dead death deceased
Nollaig	Nollaig	Nollick	Nadolig	Nadelik	Nedeleg	Christmas
olann	olann	ollan	gwlân	gwlan	glaon	wool
póg	pòg	paag	pocyn	poccuil*	pok	kiss
rann	rann	rheynn	rhan	radn	rann	division part
rath	rath	raah rah	rhad	ras	rad	grace luck
rúsc	rùsg	roost	rhisgl	rusken	rusk	bark beehive
seo	seo	shoh	hwn hon hyn	ma	mañ	this
sin	sin	shen	hwnnw honno hynny	homma honna	se	that
siabhainn*	siabhann	sheeabin	sebon	sebon	soavon	soap
spiorad	spiorad	spyrryd	ysbryd	sperys spyrys	spered	soul life spirit
sráid	sràid	straid	stryd	stret	straed	street alley highway
tábla	tàbla	taabyl	tabl	tabel	taol	table board
táille	taille	tailley	tâl talaith	tal	tailh	fare fee tally
teach	taigh	thie	tŷ	chi	ti	house
teanga	teanga	çhengey	tafod	taves tavas	teod	language tongue tribe people
tine	teine	çhenney	tân	tan	tan	fire lightning

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
anseo	an-seo	ayns shoh	yma	omma	amañ	here
ansin	an-sin	ayns shen	yna	ena	aze	there
ansiúd (thall ansin)	an-siud	ayns shid	draw acw	yn tre	ahont	yonder
			asgell	askel	askell	wing feather fin
bás	bàs	basse				death
caint	cainnt	caaynt				speech to speak talk
casúr	casar	casoor				hammer
cró	crò		crau	krow		blood gore
			cusan	kussyn		kiss
damhna	damhna		defnydd	devnydh	danvez	matter material substance
éag	eug		angau	ankow	ankow	dead death deceased
eite eiteog	ite iteag	fedjag	adain			wing feather fin
fáilte	fàilte	failt				welcome
fios	fios	fys	gwŷs			knowledge information
			morthwyl	morthol	morzhol	hammer
óir	oir	oyr				for because reason
saol	saoghal	seihll				world existence lifetime

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Celtic cognates

Celtiadur

A collection of Celtic cognates, with definitions, pronunciation, etymologies - includes the modern Celtic languages, older versions of these languages, such as Middle Welsh, Old Irish, and their extinct and reconstructed relatives and ancestors, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, Proto-Brythonic and Proto-Celtic.

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Links

Stòr-fhaclan Co-dhàimheil Ceilteach (Database of Celtic cognates)
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/scc/lorg.php

McBain's Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language
http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/

Information about Celtic languages

Breton, Celtiberian, Cornish, Cumbric, Gaulish, Irish, Lepontic, Lusitanian, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Tartessian, Welsh

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