HeyRuaHow to say “colourful” in Irish
- Irish:
- dathannach
- English:
- colourful, vivid
- Word type:
- adjective
- More colourful:
- níos dathannaí
- Most colourful:
- is dathannaí
- Plural:
- dathannacha
- Pronunciation:
- “DA-hun-ukh” /ˈd̪ˠahən̪ˠəx/
What does “dathannach” mean?
“Dathannach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- colourful
- Having many bright colours.Also: colorful, multicoloured, brightly coloured, vivid.
“Dathannach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is dathannach after gúna (dress, masculine), after bratach (flag, 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: bratach dhathannach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: gúna dathannach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, dathannacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: bratacha dathannacha.
More colourful, most colourful, very colourful
Tá do phictiúr níos dathannaí ná mo cheannsa. Your picture is more colourful than mine.
| more colourful | níos dathannaí | in the past tense: ní ba dhathannaí |
|---|---|---|
| most colourful | is dathannaí | in the past tense: ba dhathannaí |
| as colourful as | chomh dathannach le | no change after chomh |
| very colourful | an-dathannach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too colourful | ródhathannach | ró- lenites |
“Dathannach” 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 dathannach (pronounced “DA-hun-ukh”). It comes after the noun: gúna dathannach, a colourful dress; bratach dhathannach, a colourful flag.
How do you say more colourful and most colourful in Irish?
níos dathannaí is more colourful and is dathannaí is most colourful. In the past tense they become ní ba dhathannaí and ba dhathannaí.
Why does dathannach become dhathannach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bratach dhathannach (a colourful flag) but gúna dathannach (a colourful dress), because gúna is masculine.
What is the plural of dathannach?
With a plural noun dathannach becomes dathannacha: gúnaí dathannacha, bratacha dathannacha.
How do you say very colourful in Irish?
an-dathannach. Too colourful is ródhathannach, and as colourful as is chomh dathannach le.
Does dathannach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dathannach can mean colourful or vivid, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'dathannach' and 'ildathach'?
'Dathannach' means colourful in general, while 'ildathach' stresses having many different colours, multicoloured. They often overlap, as in 'bláthanna dathannacha' or 'bláthanna ildathacha'.
