HeyRuaHow to say “busy” in Irish
- Irish:
- gafa
- English:
- busy, caught, engaged, hooked
- Word type:
- adjective
- Busier:
- níos gafa
- Busiest:
- is gafa
- Pronunciation:
- “GAF-a” /ˈɡafˠə/
What does “gafa” mean?
“Gafa” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- busy
- Occupied with something and not free to do other things.Also: occupied, tied up, engaged.
3 other meanings: caught or engaged or hooked
- 2caught
- Taken or trapped, as by a person, a net or a situation.Also: trapped, captured, taken.
- 3engaged
- Of a telephone line, in use so that you cannot get through.Also: busy, in use.
- 4hooked
- Addicted to or very taken with something.Also: addicted, obsessed.
Other Irish adjectives for busy: gnóthach (busy), cruógach (busy)
“Gafa” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is gafa after fear (man, masculine), after líne (line, 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: líne ghafa. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear gafa.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, gafa. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir ghafa; after other plurals it does not: línte gafa.
Busier, busiest, very busy
Tá mé níos gafa ná riamh anois. I am busier than ever now.
| busier | níos gafa | in the past tense: ní ba ghafa |
|---|---|---|
| busiest | is gafa | in the past tense: ba ghafa |
| as busy as | chomh gafa le | no change after chomh |
| very busy | an-ghafa | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too busy | róghafa | ró- lenites |
“Gafa” 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.
Busy in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for busy?
The Irish for busy is gafa (pronounced “GAF-a”). It comes after the noun: fear gafa, a busy man; líne ghafa, a busy line.
How do you say busier and busiest in Irish?
níos gafa is busier and is gafa is busiest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghafa and ba ghafa.
Why does gafa become ghafa?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So líne ghafa (a busy line) but fear gafa (a busy man), because fear is masculine.
How do you say very busy in Irish?
an-ghafa. Too busy is róghafa, and as busy as is chomh gafa le.
Does gafa have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gafa can mean busy, caught, engaged or hooked, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition goes with gafa when you mean busy with something?
Use le: "Tá mé gafa le m'obair bhaile" means I am busy with my homework. With ar it means hooked on, as in "gafa ar na drugaí".
