HeyRuaHow to say “careful” in Irish
- Irish:
- cúramach
- English:
- careful, painstaking, busy
- Word type:
- adjective
- More careful:
- níos cúramaí
- Most careful:
- is cúramaí
- Plural:
- cúramacha
- Pronunciation:
- “KOO-ra-mukh” /ˈkuːɾˠəmˠəx/
What does “cúramach” mean?
“Cúramach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- careful
- Taking care to avoid mistakes, harm or danger.Also: cautious, attentive, mindful.
2 other meanings: painstaking or busy
- 2painstaking
- Doing something thoroughly and with great attention to detail.Also: meticulous, thorough, conscientious.
- 3busy
- Having many cares or responsibilities to attend to.Also: full of care, occupied.
Other Irish adjectives for careful: aireach (careful), faichilleach (careful)
“Cúramach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is cúramach after tiománaí (driver, 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 chúramach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: tiománaí cúramach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, cúramacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná cúramacha.
More careful, most careful, very careful
Bíonn tiománaithe cúramacha níos sábháilte ar an mbóthar. Careful drivers are safer on the road.
| more careful | níos cúramaí | in the past tense: ní ba chúramaí |
|---|---|---|
| most careful | is cúramaí | in the past tense: ba chúramaí |
| as careful as | chomh cúramach le | no change after chomh |
| very careful | an-chúramach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too careful | róchúramach | ró- lenites |
“Cúramach” 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.
Careful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for careful?
The Irish for careful is cúramach (pronounced “KOO-ra-mukh”). It comes after the noun: tiománaí cúramach, a careful driver; bean chúramach, a careful woman.
How do you say more careful and most careful in Irish?
níos cúramaí is more careful and is cúramaí is most careful. In the past tense they become ní ba chúramaí and ba chúramaí.
Why does cúramach become chúramach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean chúramach (a careful woman) but tiománaí cúramach (a careful driver), because tiománaí is masculine.
What is the plural of cúramach?
With a plural noun cúramach becomes cúramacha: tiománaithe cúramacha, mná cúramacha.
How do you say very careful in Irish?
an-chúramach. Too careful is róchúramach, and as careful as is chomh cúramach le.
Does cúramach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cúramach can mean careful, painstaking or busy, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'carefully' in Irish?
Put go before the adjective: go cúramach, as in Labhair sí go cúramach, 'She spoke carefully'.
What is the opposite of cúramach?
The usual opposites are míchúramach or neamhchúramach, meaning 'careless'.
