HeyRuaHow to say “bushy” in Irish
- Irish:
- mothallach
- English:
- bushy, hairy
- Word type:
- adjective
- Bushier:
- níos mothallaí
- Bushiest:
- is mothallaí
- Plural:
- mothallacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MUH-hal-ukh” /ˈmɔhəlˠəx/
What does “mothallach” mean?
“Mothallach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- bushy
- Having thick, shaggy hair or growth, like a bushy head of hair or a bushy tree.Also: shaggy, thick-haired, tousled.
1 other meaning: hairy
- 2hairy
- Covered with a lot of hair or fluffy fibres.Also: fluffy, fleecy, fuzzy.
“Mothallach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mothallach after madra (dog, masculine), after féasóg (beard, 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: féasóg mhothallach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: madra mothallach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mothallacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: féasóga mothallacha.
Bushier, bushiest, very bushy
Tá a chuid gruaige níos mothallaí ná riamh. His hair is bushier than ever.
| bushier | níos mothallaí | in the past tense: ní ba mhothallaí |
|---|---|---|
| bushiest | is mothallaí | in the past tense: ba mhothallaí |
| as bushy as | chomh mothallach le | no change after chomh |
| very bushy | an-mhothallach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too bushy | rómhothallach | ró- lenites |
“Mothallach” 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.
Bushy in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for bushy?
The Irish for bushy is mothallach (pronounced “MUH-hal-ukh”). It comes after the noun: madra mothallach, a bushy dog; féasóg mhothallach, a bushy beard.
How do you say bushier and bushiest in Irish?
níos mothallaí is bushier and is mothallaí is bushiest. In the past tense they become ní ba mhothallaí and ba mhothallaí.
Why does mothallach become mhothallach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So féasóg mhothallach (a bushy beard) but madra mothallach (a bushy dog), because madra is masculine.
What is the plural of mothallach?
With a plural noun mothallach becomes mothallacha: madraí mothallacha, féasóga mothallacha.
How do you say very bushy in Irish?
an-mhothallach. Too bushy is rómhothallach, and as bushy as is chomh mothallach le.
Does mothallach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mothallach can mean bushy or hairy, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between mothallach and gruagach?
Gruagach simply means hairy, while mothallach suggests thick, shaggy or bushy growth, as in féasóg mhothallach, a bushy beard.
