HeyRuaHow to say “cold” in Irish
- Irish:
- fuar
- English:
- cold, bleak
- Word type:
- adjective
- Colder:
- níos fuaire
- Coldest:
- is fuaire
- Plural:
- fuara
- Pronunciation:
- “foo-ar” /fˠuəɾˠ/
What does “fuar” mean?
“Fuar” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- cold
- Having a low temperature, not warm.Also: chilly, freezing, cool.
2 other meanings: bleak
- 2cold
- Unfriendly or lacking warmth of feeling.Also: unfriendly, distant, aloof.
- 3bleak
- Dreary and comfortless, as of a place or prospect.Also: cheerless, dreary.
“Fuar” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fuar after lá (day, masculine), after oíche (night, 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: oíche fhuar. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: lá fuar.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fuara. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: oícheanta fuara.
Colder, coldest, very cold
Tá an t-uisce níos fuaire ná an t-aer. The water is colder than the air.
| colder | níos fuaire | in the past tense: ní b'fhuaire |
|---|---|---|
| coldest | is fuaire | in the past tense: ab fhuaire |
| as cold as | chomh fuar le | no change after chomh |
| very cold | an-fhuar | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too cold | rófhuar | ró- lenites |
“Fuar” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Phrases with fuar: Tá mé fuar (I'm cold), Tá sé fuar (it's cold)
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Phrases with “fuar”
Cold in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for cold?
The Irish for cold is fuar (pronounced “foo-ar”). It comes after the noun: lá fuar, a cold day; oíche fhuar, a cold night.
How do you say colder and coldest in Irish?
níos fuaire is colder and is fuaire is coldest. In the past tense they become ní b'fhuaire and ab fhuaire.
Why does fuar become fhuar?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So oíche fhuar (a cold night) but lá fuar (a cold day), because lá is masculine.
What is the plural of fuar?
With a plural noun fuar becomes fuara: laethanta fuara, oícheanta fuara.
How do you say very cold in Irish?
an-fhuar. Too cold is rófhuar, and as cold as is chomh fuar le.
Does fuar have more than one meaning?
Yes. Fuar can mean cold or bleak, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'I am cold' in Irish?
For a person you usually say 'Tá fuacht orm' (literally, cold is on me), while 'Tá sé fuar' describes the weather or an object.
What is the opposite of 'fuar'?
The opposite is 'te' (hot, warm), as in 'tae te' (hot tea) versus 'uisce fuar' (cold water).
