HeyRuaHow to say “big” in Irish
- Irish:
- mór
- English:
- big, great, friendly with
- Word type:
- adjective
- Bigger:
- níos mó
- Biggest:
- is mó
- Plural:
- móra
- Pronunciation:
- “more” /mˠoːɾˠ/
What does “mór” mean?
“Mór” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- big
- Large in size, amount or degree.Also: large, huge, sizeable.
2 other meanings: great or friendly with
- 2great
- Important, serious or considerable in extent.Also: major, serious, important.
- 3friendly with
- On close, friendly terms with someone, used with 'le'.Also: close to, intimate with.
“Mór” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mór after fear (man, masculine), after bean (woman, 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: bean mhór. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear mór.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, móra. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir mhóra; after other plurals it does not: mná móra.
Bigger, biggest, very big
Tá mo dheartháir níos mó ná mise. My brother is bigger than me.
| bigger | níos mó | in the past tense: ní ba mhó |
|---|---|---|
| biggest | is mó | in the past tense: ba mhó |
| as big as | chomh mór le | no change after chomh |
| very big | an-mhór | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too big | rómhór | ró- lenites |
“Mór” 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.
Big in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for big?
The Irish for big is mór (pronounced “more”). It comes after the noun: fear mór, a big man; bean mhór, a big woman.
How do you say bigger and biggest in Irish?
níos mó is bigger and is mó is biggest. In the past tense they become ní ba mhó and ba mhó.
Why does mór become mhór?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean mhór (a big woman) but fear mór (a big man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of mór?
With a plural noun mór becomes móra: fir mhóra, mná móra. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very big in Irish?
an-mhór. Too big is rómhór, and as big as is chomh mór le.
Does mór have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mór can mean big, great or friendly with, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What does 'nach mór' mean?
'Nach mór' means almost or nearly, as in 'Tá sé nach mór réidh' (It's almost ready).
What is the comparative of 'mór'?
It is irregular: 'níos mó' means bigger or more, and 'is mó' means biggest or most.
