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Background colour in Irish (Cúldath): Meaning, Pronunciation, Usage

The Irish for background colour is cúldath, a masculine noun (plural cúldathanna).
Updated October 2026Report a mistake

How to say “background colour” in Irish

Irish:
cúldath
English:
background colour
Word type:
noun
Gender:
masculine
Pronunciation:
“KOOL-dah”  /ˈkuːlˌdah/
Various forms
Plural:
cúldathanna (background colours)
Genitive singular:
cúldatha, an chúldatha (e.g. rogha an chúldatha, the choice of background colour)
Genitive plural:
cúldathanna, na gcúldathanna (e.g. rogha na gcúldathanna, the choice of background colours)

What does “cúldath” mean?

background colour
The colour that forms the background of something, such as a page, screen or picture.Also: background color, background, backdrop colour.

“Cúldath” with the article

The plural of background colour in Irish is cúldathanna. Here is cúldath after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.

an cúldath
the background colour
No change after an
na cúldathanna
the background colours
Plural: no change after na

“Cúldath” in a sentence: Irish examples

Common Irish sentences using cúldath, the Irish word for background colour.

Is maith liom an cúldath gorm ar an scáileán.
I like the blue background colour on the screen.
Athraigh cúldath an leathanaigh, le do thoil.
Change the background colour of the page, please.
Tá mo chúldath ródhorcha don téacs dubh.
My background colour is too dark for the black text.
Roghnaigh sí cúldath bán don phóstaer.
She chose a white background colour for the poster.
Tá a lán cúldathanna éagsúla sa ríomhchlár seo.
There are lots of different background colours in this program.
Ní fheictear na litreacha go maith sa chúldath sin.
The letters don't show up well against that background colour.
Bhí an cúldath glas sa phictiúr an-suaimhneach.
The green background in the picture was very calming.

Other nouns in Irish

More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.

Background colour in Irish: frequently asked questions

What is the Irish for background colour?

The Irish for background colour is cúldath (pronounced “KOOL-dah”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cúldathanna.

How do you pronounce cúldath in Irish?

Cúldath is said like “KOOL-dah” (IPA /ˈkuːlˌdah/).

What is the plural of background colour in Irish?

The plural of cúldath is cúldathanna; with the article, na cúldathanna means “the background colours”. The genitive plural is cúldathanna, as in rogha na gcúldathanna (the choice of background colours).

Why does cúldath change to chúldath or gcúldath?

Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cúldath becomes mo chúldath (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcúldath (eclipsis).

What is the difference between 'cúldath' and 'cúlra'?

'Cúldath' is specifically a background colour, while 'cúlra' is a background in general, including someone's personal background.

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