HeyRuaHow to say “declining” in Irish
- Irish:
- meathlach
- English:
- declining, sickly
- Word type:
- adjective
- More declining:
- níos meathlaí
- Most declining:
- is meathlaí
- Plural:
- meathlacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MAH-lukh” /ˈmʲahləx/
What does “meathlach” mean?
“Meathlach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- declining
- Getting weaker, poorer or smaller over time; in decline.Also: decaying, failing, waning.
1 other meaning: sickly
- 2sickly
- Weak and in poor health, ailing or fading.Also: ailing, feeble, wasting.
“Meathlach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is meathlach after tionscal (industry, masculine), after cathair (city, 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: cathair mheathlach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: tionscal meathlach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, meathlacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: tionscail mheathlacha; after other plurals it does not: cathracha meathlacha.
More declining, most declining, very declining
Tá an ceantar níos meathlaí ná riamh. The area is more run-down than ever.
| more declining | níos meathlaí | in the past tense: ní ba mheathlaí |
|---|---|---|
| most declining | is meathlaí | in the past tense: ba mheathlaí |
| as declining as | chomh meathlach le | no change after chomh |
| very declining | an-mheathlach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too declining | rómheathlach | ró- lenites |
“Meathlach” 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.
Declining in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for declining?
The Irish for declining is meathlach (pronounced “MAH-lukh”). It comes after the noun: tionscal meathlach, a declining industry; cathair mheathlach, a declining city.
How do you say more declining and most declining in Irish?
níos meathlaí is more declining and is meathlaí is most declining. In the past tense they become ní ba mheathlaí and ba mheathlaí.
Why does meathlach become mheathlach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cathair mheathlach (a declining city) but tionscal meathlach (a declining industry), because tionscal is masculine.
What is the plural of meathlach?
With a plural noun meathlach becomes meathlacha: tionscail mheathlacha, cathracha meathlacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very declining in Irish?
an-mheathlach. Too declining is rómheathlach, and as declining as is chomh meathlach le.
Does meathlach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Meathlach can mean declining or sickly, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which word is meathlach related to?
It comes from the verb 'meath', to decay or decline, and the noun 'meath', decline.
