HeyRuaHow to say “deadly” in Irish
- Irish:
- marfach
- English:
- deadly, deadly boring
- Word type:
- adjective
- Deadlier:
- níos marfaí
- Deadliest:
- is marfaí
- Plural:
- marfacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MAR-uh-fukh” /ˈmˠaɾˠəfˠəx/
What does “marfach” mean?
“Marfach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- deadly
- Able to cause death; fatal or lethal.Also: fatal, lethal, mortal, killing.
1 other meaning: deadly boring
- 2deadly boring
- Extremely tiresome, tedious or hard to bear, used figuratively.Also: tedious, tiresome, killing.
“Marfach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is marfach after galar (disease, masculine), after scian (knife, 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: scian mharfach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: galar marfach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, marfacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: galair mharfacha; after other plurals it does not: sceana marfacha.
Deadlier, deadliest, very deadly
Tá an víreas seo níos marfaí ná an ceann eile. This virus is deadlier than the other one.
| deadlier | níos marfaí | in the past tense: ní ba mharfaí |
|---|---|---|
| deadliest | is marfaí | in the past tense: ba mharfaí |
| as deadly as | chomh marfach le | no change after chomh |
| very deadly | an-mharfach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too deadly | rómharfach | ró- lenites |
“Marfach” 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.
Deadly in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for deadly?
The Irish for deadly is marfach (pronounced “MAR-uh-fukh”). It comes after the noun: galar marfach, a deadly disease; scian mharfach, a deadly knife.
How do you say deadlier and deadliest in Irish?
níos marfaí is deadlier and is marfaí is deadliest. In the past tense they become ní ba mharfaí and ba mharfaí.
Why does marfach become mharfach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So scian mharfach (a deadly knife) but galar marfach (a deadly disease), because galar is masculine.
What is the plural of marfach?
With a plural noun marfach becomes marfacha: galair mharfacha, sceana marfacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very deadly in Irish?
an-mharfach. Too deadly is rómharfach, and as deadly as is chomh marfach le.
Does marfach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Marfach can mean deadly or deadly boring, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'marfach' and 'básmhar'?
'Marfach' means deadly or causing death, as in 'galar marfach', while 'básmhar' means mortal in the sense of subject to death, as in 'is duine básmhar é'.
How do you say 'mortal sin' in Irish?
A mortal sin is 'peaca marfach', the opposite of a venial sin, 'peaca solathach'.
