HeyRuaHow to say “certain” in Irish
- Irish:
- deimhin
- English:
- certain
- Word type:
- adjective
- More certain:
- níos deimhne
- Most certain:
- is deimhne
- Plural:
- deimhne
- Pronunciation:
- “DEV-in” /dʲɪvʲənʲ/
What does “deimhin” mean?
- certain
- Known to be true without any doubt.Also: sure, definite, positive.
Other Irish adjectives for certain: áirithe (certain), cinnte (sure), dearfa (certain), siúráilte (sure)
“Deimhin” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is deimhin after fear (man, masculine), after tuairim (opinion, 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: tuairim dheimhin. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear deimhin.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, deimhne. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir dheimhne; after other plurals it does not: tuairimí deimhne.
More certain, most certain, very certain
| more certain | níos deimhne | in the past tense: ní ba dheimhne |
|---|---|---|
| most certain | is deimhne | in the past tense: ba dheimhne |
| as certain as | chomh deimhin le | no change after chomh |
| very certain | an-deimhin | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too certain | ródheimhin | ró- lenites |
“Deimhin” 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.
Certain in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for certain?
The Irish for certain is deimhin (pronounced “DEV-in”). It comes after the noun: fear deimhin, a certain man; tuairim dheimhin, a certain opinion.
How do you say more certain and most certain in Irish?
níos deimhne is more certain and is deimhne is most certain. In the past tense they become ní ba dheimhne and ba dheimhne.
Why does deimhin become dheimhin?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So tuairim dheimhin (a certain opinion) but fear deimhin (a certain man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of deimhin?
With a plural noun deimhin becomes deimhne: fir dheimhne, tuairimí deimhne. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very certain in Irish?
an-deimhin. Too certain is ródheimhin, and as certain as is chomh deimhin le.
What is the difference between 'deimhin' and 'cinnte'?
Both mean certain, but 'cinnte' is far more common in speech, while 'deimhin' is more literary and appears in fixed phrases such as 'go deimhin' (indeed) and 'is deimhin liom' (I am sure).
