HeyRuaHow to say “ancient” in Irish
- Irish:
- ársa
- English:
- ancient, archaic, aged
- Word type:
- adjective
- More ancient:
- níos ársa
- Most ancient:
- is ársa
- Pronunciation:
- “AWR-sa” /ˈɑːɾˠsˠə/
What does “ársa” mean?
“Ársa” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- ancient
- Very old, belonging to the distant past.Also: very old, antique, age-old.
2 other meanings: archaic or aged
- 2archaic
- Old-fashioned and no longer in ordinary use, especially of words or customs.Also: obsolete, antiquated, old-fashioned.
- 3aged
- Of a person: old and experienced, a veteran.Also: veteran, old, elderly.
Other Irish adjectives for ancient: clasaiceach (classical), seanda (ancient), ársanta (ancient)
“Ársa” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is ársa after caisleán (castle, masculine), after cathair (city, feminine) and after a plural.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, ársa.
More ancient, most ancient, very ancient
Tá an teampall seo níos ársa ná an séipéal. This temple is more ancient than the chapel.
| more ancient | níos ársa | in the past tense: ní b'ársa |
|---|---|---|
| most ancient | is ársa | in the past tense: ab ársa |
| as ancient as | chomh hársa le | chomh puts an h before a vowel |
| very ancient | an-ársa | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too ancient | ró-ársa | ró- lenites |
“Ársa” 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 ársa (pronounced “AWR-sa”). It comes after the noun: caisleán ársa, an ancient castle; cathair ársa, an ancient city.
How do you say more ancient and most ancient in Irish?
níos ársa is more ancient and is ársa is most ancient. In the past tense they become ní b'ársa and ab ársa.
How do you say very ancient in Irish?
an-ársa. Too ancient is ró-ársa, and as ancient as is chomh hársa le.
Does ársa have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ársa can mean ancient, archaic or aged, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'ársa' and 'sean'?
'Sean' is the everyday word for old and goes before the noun (seanteach), while 'ársa' means ancient or archaic and follows the noun (caisleán ársa).
