HeyRuaHow to say “cheerful” in Irish
- Irish:
- soilbhir
- English:
- cheerful, pleasant
- Word type:
- adjective
- More cheerful:
- níos soilbhre
- Most cheerful:
- is soilbhre
- Plural:
- soilbhre
- Pronunciation:
- “SIL-iv-ir” /ˈsɪlʲəvʲəɾʲ/
What does “soilbhir” mean?
“Soilbhir” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- cheerful
- Happy and pleasant in manner, with a bright, friendly disposition.Also: pleasant, genial, good-humoured, jovial.
1 other meaning: pleasant
- 2pleasant
- Bright and agreeable, used of things such as weather, a face or a place.Also: bright, agreeable, sunny.
Other Irish adjectives for cheerful: gealgháireach (cheerful), spleodrach (exuberant)
“Soilbhir” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is soilbhir after fear (man, masculine), after aghaidh (face, 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: aghaidh shoilbhir. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear soilbhir.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, soilbhre. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir shoilbhre; after other plurals it does not: aghaidheanna soilbhre.
More cheerful, most cheerful, very cheerful
Tá Máire níos soilbhre ná a deartháir. Máire is more cheerful than her brother.
| more cheerful | níos soilbhre | in the past tense: ní ba shoilbhre |
|---|---|---|
| most cheerful | is soilbhre | in the past tense: ba shoilbhre |
| as cheerful as | chomh soilbhir le | no change after chomh |
| very cheerful | an-soilbhir | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too cheerful | róshoilbhir | ró- lenites |
“Soilbhir” 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.
Cheerful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for cheerful?
The Irish for cheerful is soilbhir (pronounced “SIL-iv-ir”). It comes after the noun: fear soilbhir, a cheerful man; aghaidh shoilbhir, a cheerful face.
How do you say more cheerful and most cheerful in Irish?
níos soilbhre is more cheerful and is soilbhre is most cheerful. In the past tense they become ní ba shoilbhre and ba shoilbhre.
Why does soilbhir become shoilbhir?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aghaidh shoilbhir (a cheerful face) but fear soilbhir (a cheerful man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of soilbhir?
With a plural noun soilbhir becomes soilbhre: fir shoilbhre, aghaidheanna soilbhre. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very cheerful in Irish?
an-soilbhir. Too cheerful is róshoilbhir, and as cheerful as is chomh soilbhir le.
Does soilbhir have more than one meaning?
Yes. Soilbhir can mean cheerful or pleasant, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the opposite of soilbhir?
The usual opposite is "gruama" (gloomy) or "dúr" (dour), as in "duine gruama" (a gloomy person).
Is soilbhir the same as gealgháireach?
They are close: "soilbhir" means cheerful or genial in general, while "gealgháireach" stresses a bright, smiling manner.
