HeyRuaHow to say “beautiful” in Irish
- Irish:
- álainn
- English:
- beautiful, delightful
- Word type:
- adjective
- More beautiful:
- níos áille
- Most beautiful:
- is áille
- Plural:
- áille
- Pronunciation:
- “AW-lin” /ˈɑːl̪ˠɪnʲ/
What does “álainn” mean?
“Álainn” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- beautiful
- Very pleasing to look at, hear or experience.Also: lovely, pretty, gorgeous, fair.
1 other meaning: delightful
- 2delightful
- Very pleasant or enjoyable, used of days, weather, places and experiences.Also: lovely, wonderful, splendid.
“Álainn” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is álainn after radharc (sight, masculine), after bean (woman, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, áille.
More beautiful, most beautiful, very beautiful
Tá an trá seo níos áille ná an ceann eile. This beach is more beautiful than the other one.
| more beautiful | níos áille | in the past tense: ní b'áille |
|---|---|---|
| most beautiful | is áille | in the past tense: ab áille |
| as beautiful as | chomh hálainn le | chomh puts an h before a vowel |
| very beautiful | an-álainn | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too beautiful | ró-álainn | ró- lenites |
“Álainn” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Phrases with álainn: Tá an aimsir go hálainn (the weather is lovely), Tá tú go hálainn (you are beautiful)
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Phrases with “álainn”
Beautiful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for beautiful?
The Irish for beautiful is álainn (pronounced “AW-lin”). It comes after the noun: radharc álainn, a beautiful sight; bean álainn, a beautiful woman.
How do you say more beautiful and most beautiful in Irish?
níos áille is more beautiful and is áille is most beautiful. In the past tense they become ní b'áille and ab áille.
What is the plural of álainn?
With a plural noun álainn becomes áille: radhairc áille, mná áille.
How do you say very beautiful in Irish?
an-álainn. Too beautiful is ró-álainn, and as beautiful as is chomh hálainn le.
Does álainn have more than one meaning?
Yes. Álainn can mean beautiful or delightful, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why do I see 'go hálainn' after tá?
As a predicate after tá, álainn usually takes go, which prefixes h to a vowel: Tá an teach go hálainn.
What is the difference between álainn and dathúil?
Álainn means beautiful and can describe anything, such as lá álainn, while dathúil means handsome or good-looking and is used mainly of people.
