HeyRuaHow to say “crooked” in Irish
- Irish:
- cam
- English:
- crooked, dishonest, squinting
- Word type:
- adjective
- More crooked:
- níos caime
- Most crooked:
- is caime
- Plural:
- cama
- Pronunciation:
- “kowm” /kaumˠ/
What does “cam” mean?
“Cam” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- crooked
- Not straight; bent or twisted in shape.Also: bent, twisted, curved.
2 other meanings: dishonest or squinting
- 2dishonest
- Not honest or fair; crooked in behaviour.Also: crooked, deceitful, devious.
- 3squinting
- Of eyes, not looking in the same direction.Also: cross-eyed, squint-eyed.
Other Irish adjectives for crooked: míchneasta (dishonest)
The same spelling has its own page as:
“Cam” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is cam after bóthar (road, masculine), after sráid (street, 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: sráid cham. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: bóthar cam.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, cama. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: sráideanna cama.
More crooked, most crooked, very crooked
Tá an líne seo níos caime ná an ceann eile. This line is more crooked than the other one.
| more crooked | níos caime | in the past tense: ní ba chaime |
|---|---|---|
| most crooked | is caime | in the past tense: ba chaime |
| as crooked as | chomh cam le | no change after chomh |
| very crooked | an-cham | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too crooked | rócham | ró- lenites |
“Cam” 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.
Crooked in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for crooked?
The Irish for crooked is cam (pronounced “kowm”). It comes after the noun: bóthar cam, a crooked road; sráid cham, a crooked street.
How do you say more crooked and most crooked in Irish?
níos caime is more crooked and is caime is most crooked. In the past tense they become ní ba chaime and ba chaime.
Why does cam become cham?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So sráid cham (a crooked street) but bóthar cam (a crooked road), because bóthar is masculine.
What is the plural of cam?
With a plural noun cam becomes cama: bóithre cama, sráideanna cama.
How do you say very crooked in Irish?
an-cham. Too crooked is rócham, and as crooked as is chomh cam le.
Does cam have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cam can mean crooked, dishonest or squinting, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the opposite of 'cam'?
The usual opposite is 'díreach', straight, as in 'líne dhíreach', a straight line.
Can 'cam' describe a person's character?
Yes, 'duine cam' means a dishonest or crooked person, just as in English.
