HeyRuaHow to say “bigger” in Irish
- Irish:
- mó
- English:
- bigger, biggest
- Word type:
- adjective
- More bigger:
- níos mó
- Most bigger:
- is mó
- Pronunciation:
- “moe” /mˠoː/
What does “mó” mean?
“Mó” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- bigger
- The comparative form of 'mór', used after 'níos' or 'is' to mean bigger, greater or more.Also: greater, larger, more.
1 other meaning: biggest
- 2biggest
- Used after 'is' in a relative clause to mean the biggest or the most.Also: greatest, largest, most.
“Mó” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mó after teach (house, 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 mhó. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: teach mó.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mó. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: cathracha mó.
More bigger, most bigger, very bigger
Tá mo dheartháir níos mó ná mise. My brother is bigger than me.
| more bigger | níos mó | in the past tense: ní ba mhó |
|---|---|---|
| most bigger | is mó | in the past tense: ba mhó |
| as bigger as | chomh mó le | no change after chomh |
| very bigger | an-mhó | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too bigger | rómhó | ró- lenites |
“Mó” 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.
Bigger in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bigger?
The Irish for bigger is mó (pronounced “moe”). It comes after the noun: teach mó, a bigger house; cathair mhó, a bigger city.
How do you say more bigger and most bigger in Irish?
níos mó is more bigger and is mó is most bigger. In the past tense they become ní ba mhó and ba mhó.
Why does mó become mhó?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cathair mhó (a bigger city) but teach mó (a bigger house), because teach is masculine.
How do you say very bigger in Irish?
an-mhó. Too bigger is rómhó, and as bigger as is chomh mó le.
Does mó have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mó can mean bigger or biggest, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'mó' a separate word from 'mór'?
No, 'mó' is the comparative and superlative form of 'mór', used as 'níos mó' (bigger, more) and 'is mó' (biggest, most).
How do I say 'more' as in a greater amount?
Use 'níos mó', for example 'Tá níos mó airgid aige' means 'He has more money'.
