HeyRuaHow to say “bold” in Irish
- Irish:
- dána
- English:
- bold, naughty, presumptuous
- Word type:
- adjective
- Bolder:
- níos dána
- Boldest:
- is dána
- Pronunciation:
- “DAW-na” /ˈd̪ˠɑːn̪ˠə/
What does “dána” mean?
“Dána” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- bold
- Willing to take risks and face danger without fear.Also: daring, courageous, brave, audacious.
2 other meanings: naughty or presumptuous
“Dána” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is dána after buachaill (boy, masculine), after girseach (girl, 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: girseach dhána. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: buachaill dána.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, dána. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: girseacha dána.
Bolder, boldest, very bold
Tá an madra seo níos dána ná an cat. This dog is bolder than the cat.
| bolder | níos dána | in the past tense: ní ba dhána |
|---|---|---|
| boldest | is dána | in the past tense: ba dhána |
| as bold as | chomh dána le | no change after chomh |
| very bold | an-dána | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too bold | ródhána | ró- lenites |
“Dána” 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.
Bold in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bold?
The Irish for bold is dána (pronounced “DAW-na”). It comes after the noun: buachaill dána, a bold boy; girseach dhána, a bold girl.
How do you say bolder and boldest in Irish?
níos dána is bolder and is dána is boldest. In the past tense they become ní ba dhána and ba dhána.
Why does dána become dhána?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So girseach dhána (a bold girl) but buachaill dána (a bold boy), because buachaill is masculine.
How do you say very bold in Irish?
an-dána. Too bold is ródhána, and as bold as is chomh dána le.
Does dána have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dána can mean bold, naughty or presumptuous, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Does 'dána' mean brave or naughty?
Both: 'dána' can mean daring, as in 'gníomh dána' (a bold deed), but in everyday speech about children, 'páiste dána' means a naughty child, like Hiberno-English 'bold'.
What is the difference between 'dána' and 'crosta'?
'Crosta' also means naughty or contrary, and is common for children, while 'dána' also covers courage and audacity.
