HeyRuaHow to say “British” in Irish
- Irish:
- Briotanach
- English:
- British, Brythonic
- Word type:
- adjective
- More British:
- níos Briotanaí
- Most British:
- is Briotanaí
- Plural:
- Briotanacha
- Pronunciation:
- “BRIT-un-ukh” /ˈbʲɾʲɪt̪ˠən̪ˠəx/
What does “Briotanach” mean?
“Briotanach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- British
- Belonging to or coming from Britain or its people.Also: from Britain, of Britain.
1 other meaning: Brythonic
- 2Brythonic
- Relating to the ancient Britons or their Celtic languages, such as Welsh, Cornish and Breton.Also: brittonic, ancient British.
The same spelling has its own page as:
“Briotanach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is Briotanach after saighdiúir (soldier, 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 Bhriotanach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: saighdiúir Briotanach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, Briotanacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná Briotanacha.
More British, most British, very British
| more British | níos Briotanaí | in the past tense: ní ba Bhriotanaí |
|---|---|---|
| most British | is Briotanaí | in the past tense: ba Bhriotanaí |
| as British as | chomh Briotanach le | no change after chomh |
| very British | an-Bhriotanach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too British | ró-Bhriotanach | ró- lenites |
“Briotanach” 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.
British in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for British?
The Irish for British is Briotanach (pronounced “BRIT-un-ukh”). It comes after the noun: saighdiúir Briotanach, a British soldier; bean Bhriotanach, a British woman.
How do you say more British and most British in Irish?
níos Briotanaí is more British and is Briotanaí is most British. In the past tense they become ní ba Bhriotanaí and ba Bhriotanaí.
Why does Briotanach become Bhriotanach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean Bhriotanach (a British woman) but saighdiúir Briotanach (a British soldier), because saighdiúir is masculine.
What is the plural of Briotanach?
With a plural noun Briotanach becomes Briotanacha: saighdiúirí Briotanacha, mná Briotanacha.
How do you say very British in Irish?
an-Bhriotanach. Too British is ró-Bhriotanach, and as British as is chomh Briotanach le.
Does Briotanach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Briotanach can mean British or Brythonic, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between Briotanach and Briotánach?
Briotanach means British, while Briotánach means Breton, from An Bhriotáin (Brittany).
Is Briotanach the same as Sasanach?
No: Sasanach means English, from Sasana, while Briotanach covers Britain as a whole.
