HeyRuaHow to say “brown” in Irish
- Irish:
- donn
- English:
- brown, brown-haired
- Word type:
- adjective
- Browner:
- níos doinne
- Brownest:
- is doinne
- Plural:
- donna
- Pronunciation:
- “down” /d̪ˠaun̪ˠ/
What does “donn” mean?
“Donn” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- brown
- Having the colour of earth, wood or chocolate.Also: dark brown, tan.
1 other meaning: brown-haired
- 2brown-haired
- Having brown hair, used of a person.Also: brunette, dark-haired.
“Donn” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is donn after madra (dog, masculine), after bó (cow, 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: bó dhonn. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: madra donn.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, donna. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: ba donna.
Browner, brownest, very brown
Tá mo ghruaig níos doinne ná do ghruaig. My hair is browner than your hair.
| browner | níos doinne | in the past tense: ní ba dhoinne |
|---|---|---|
| brownest | is doinne | in the past tense: ba dhoinne |
| as brown as | chomh donn le | no change after chomh |
| very brown | an-donn | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too brown | ródhonn | ró- lenites |
“Donn” 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.
Brown in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for brown?
The Irish for brown is donn (pronounced “down”). It comes after the noun: madra donn, a brown dog; bó dhonn, a brown cow.
How do you say browner and brownest in Irish?
níos doinne is browner and is doinne is brownest. In the past tense they become ní ba dhoinne and ba dhoinne.
Why does donn become dhonn?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bó dhonn (a brown cow) but madra donn (a brown dog), because madra is masculine.
What is the plural of donn?
With a plural noun donn becomes donna: madraí donna, ba donna.
How do you say very brown in Irish?
an-donn. Too brown is ródhonn, and as brown as is chomh donn le.
Does donn have more than one meaning?
Yes. Donn can mean brown or brown-haired, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between donn and rua?
Donn is ordinary brown, as in gruaig dhonn, brown hair, while rua is reddish brown or red, as in gruaig rua, red hair.
