HeyRuaHow to say “bony” in Irish
- Irish:
- cnámhach
- English:
- bony, full of bones, big-boned
- Word type:
- adjective
- Bonier:
- níos cnámhaí
- Boniest:
- is cnámhaí
- Plural:
- cnámhacha
- Pronunciation:
- “KRAW-wukh” /ˈkɾˠɑːwəx/
What does “cnámhach” mean?
“Cnámhach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- bony
- Having prominent bones or very little flesh, so the bones show.Also: skinny, scrawny, gaunt, angular.
2 other meanings: full of bones or big-boned
- 2full of bones
- Containing many bones, as fish or meat can.Also: bony.
- 3big-boned
- Having a large, strong bone structure.Also: rawboned, large-framed.
“Cnámhach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is cnámhach after fear (man, masculine), after lámh (hand, 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: lámh chnámhach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear cnámhach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, cnámhacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir chnámhacha; after other plurals it does not: lámha cnámhacha.
Bonier, boniest, very bony
Tá an t-iasc seo níos cnámhaí ná an bradán. This fish is bonier than the salmon.
| bonier | níos cnámhaí | in the past tense: ní ba chnámhaí |
|---|---|---|
| boniest | is cnámhaí | in the past tense: ba chnámhaí |
| as bony as | chomh cnámhach le | no change after chomh |
| very bony | an-chnámhach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too bony | róchnámhach | ró- lenites |
“Cnámhach” 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.
Bony in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bony?
The Irish for bony is cnámhach (pronounced “KRAW-wukh”). It comes after the noun: fear cnámhach, a bony man; lámh chnámhach, a bony hand.
How do you say bonier and boniest in Irish?
níos cnámhaí is bonier and is cnámhaí is boniest. In the past tense they become ní ba chnámhaí and ba chnámhaí.
Why does cnámhach become chnámhach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So lámh chnámhach (a bony hand) but fear cnámhach (a bony man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of cnámhach?
With a plural noun cnámhach becomes cnámhacha: fir chnámhacha, lámha cnámhacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very bony in Irish?
an-chnámhach. Too bony is róchnámhach, and as bony as is chomh cnámhach le.
Does cnámhach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cnámhach can mean bony, full of bones or big-boned, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'cnámhach' the same as 'tanaí'?
Not quite: 'tanaí' simply means thin, while 'cnámhach' means bony, with the bones showing, as in 'aghaidh chnámhach', a bony face.
