HeyRuaHow to say “colourful” in Irish
- Irish:
- dathach
- English:
- colourful, coloured
- Word type:
- adjective
- More colourful:
- níos dathaí
- Most colourful:
- is dathaí
- Plural:
- dathacha
- Pronunciation:
- “DA-hokh” /ˈd̪ˠahəx/
What does “dathach” mean?
“Dathach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- colourful
- Having many bright colours.Also: colorful, bright, vivid, multicoloured.
1 other meaning: coloured
- 2coloured
- Having colour rather than being plain, white or black.Also: colored, tinted.
Other Irish adjectives for colourful: dathannach (colourful), daite (coloured)
“Dathach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is dathach after geansaí (jumper, masculine), after bróg (shoe, 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: bróg dhathach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: geansaí dathach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, dathacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: bróga dathacha.
More colourful, most colourful, very colourful
Tá an pictiúr seo níos dathaí ná an ceann eile. This picture is more colourful than the other one.
| more colourful | níos dathaí | in the past tense: ní ba dhathaí |
|---|---|---|
| most colourful | is dathaí | in the past tense: ba dhathaí |
| as colourful as | chomh dathach le | no change after chomh |
| very colourful | an-dathach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too colourful | ródhathach | ró- lenites |
“Dathach” 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.
Colourful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for colourful?
The Irish for colourful is dathach (pronounced “DA-hokh”). It comes after the noun: geansaí dathach, a colourful jumper; bróg dhathach, a colourful shoe.
How do you say more colourful and most colourful in Irish?
níos dathaí is more colourful and is dathaí is most colourful. In the past tense they become ní ba dhathaí and ba dhathaí.
Why does dathach become dhathach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bróg dhathach (a colourful shoe) but geansaí dathach (a colourful jumper), because geansaí is masculine.
What is the plural of dathach?
With a plural noun dathach becomes dathacha: geansaithe dathacha, bróga dathacha.
How do you say very colourful in Irish?
an-dathach. Too colourful is ródhathach, and as colourful as is chomh dathach le.
Does dathach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dathach can mean colourful or coloured, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'dathach' and 'ildaite'?
'Dathach' means colourful in general, while 'ildaite' specifically means multicoloured, having many different colours.
