HeyRuaHow to say “ancient” in Irish
- Irish:
- seanda
- English:
- ancient, old-fashioned
- Word type:
- adjective
- More ancient:
- níos seanda
- Most ancient:
- is seanda
- Pronunciation:
- “SHAN-da” /ʃan̪ˠd̪ˠə/
What does “seanda” mean?
“Seanda” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- ancient
- Very old, belonging to the distant past.Also: antique, old, archaic.
1 other meaning: old-fashioned
- 2old-fashioned
- Belonging to an older time or style, not modern.Also: archaic, antiquated.
Other Irish adjectives for ancient: ársa (ancient), clasaiceach (classical), ársanta (ancient)
“Seanda” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is seanda after caisleán (castle, masculine), after cathair (city, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: cathair sheanda. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: caisleán seanda.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, seanda. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: caisleáin sheanda; after other plurals it does not: cathracha seanda.
More ancient, most ancient, very ancient
Tá an teampall seo níos seanda ná an túr. This church is more ancient than the tower.
| more ancient | níos seanda | in the past tense: ní ba sheanda |
|---|---|---|
| most ancient | is seanda | in the past tense: ba sheanda |
| as ancient as | chomh seanda le | no change after chomh |
| very ancient | an-seanda | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too ancient | rósheanda | ró- lenites |
“Seanda” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Ancient in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for ancient?
The Irish for ancient is seanda (pronounced “SHAN-da”). It comes after the noun: caisleán seanda, an ancient castle; cathair sheanda, an ancient city.
How do you say more ancient and most ancient in Irish?
níos seanda is more ancient and is seanda is most ancient. In the past tense they become ní ba sheanda and ba sheanda.
Why does seanda become sheanda?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cathair sheanda (an ancient city) but caisleán seanda (an ancient castle), because caisleán is masculine.
How do you say very ancient in Irish?
an-seanda. Too ancient is rósheanda, and as ancient as is chomh seanda le.
Does seanda have more than one meaning?
Yes. Seanda can mean ancient or old-fashioned, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'seanda' and 'sean'?
'Sean' is the everyday word for old and usually goes before the noun (seanfhear), while 'seanda' follows the noun and means ancient or antique (caisleán seanda).
