HeyRuaHow to say “bright” in Irish
- Irish:
- geal
- English:
- bright, white, dear, cheerful
- Word type:
- adjective
- Brighter:
- níos gile
- Brightest:
- is gile
- Plural:
- geala
- Pronunciation:
- “gyal” /ɟalˠ/
What does “geal” mean?
“Geal” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- bright
- Full of light or shining, like the sun or a lamp.Also: shining, light, brilliant.
3 other meanings: white or dear or cheerful
- 2white
- Of a pale, white colour, especially of skin, teeth or snow.Also: fair, pale.
- 3dear
- Much loved; used affectionately of a person.Also: beloved, fond, darling.
- 4cheerful
- Happy and glad in mood or appearance.Also: glad, happy, joyful.
Other Irish adjectives for bright: lonrach (shining), solasmhar (bright)
“Geal” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is geal after lá (day, masculine), after maidin (morning, 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: maidin gheal. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: lá geal.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, geala. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: maidineacha geala.
Brighter, brightest, very bright
Tá an seomra seo níos gile ná an chistin. This room is brighter than the kitchen.
| brighter | níos gile | in the past tense: ní ba ghile |
|---|---|---|
| brightest | is gile | in the past tense: ba ghile |
| as bright as | chomh geal le | no change after chomh |
| very bright | an-gheal | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too bright | rógheal | ró- lenites |
“Geal” 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.
Bright in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bright?
The Irish for bright is geal (pronounced “gyal”). It comes after the noun: lá geal, a bright day; maidin gheal, a bright morning.
How do you say brighter and brightest in Irish?
níos gile is brighter and is gile is brightest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghile and ba ghile.
Why does geal become gheal?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So maidin gheal (a bright morning) but lá geal (a bright day), because lá is masculine.
What is the plural of geal?
With a plural noun geal becomes geala: laethanta geala, maidineacha geala.
How do you say very bright in Irish?
an-gheal. Too bright is rógheal, and as bright as is chomh geal le.
Does geal have more than one meaning?
Yes. Geal can mean bright, white, dear or cheerful, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'geal' and 'bán'?
'Bán' is the ordinary word for the colour white, while 'geal' stresses brightness or brilliance, as in 'solas geal' (bright light). 'Gléigeal' means pure white or brilliant.
What does 'mo ghrá geal' mean?
'Mo ghrá geal' means 'my bright love' or 'my dear love', an affectionate phrase common in songs and poetry.
