HeyRuaHow to say “devout” in Irish
- Irish:
- deabhóideach
- English:
- devout
- Word type:
- adjective
- More devout:
- níos deabhóidí
- Most devout:
- is deabhóidí
- Plural:
- deabhóideacha
- Pronunciation:
- “dyow-OH-jakh” /dʲəˈwoːdʲəx/
What does “deabhóideach” mean?
- devout
- Deeply religious and faithful in prayer and worship.Also: pious, devoted, religious, godly.
Other Irish adjectives for devout: cráifeach (pious)
“Deabhóideach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is deabhóideach after fear (man, masculine), after girseach (girl, 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: girseach dheabhóideach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear deabhóideach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, deabhóideacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir dheabhóideacha; after other plurals it does not: girseacha deabhóideacha.
More devout, most devout, very devout
Tá mo mháthair níos deabhóidí ná m'athair. My mother is more devout than my father.
| more devout | níos deabhóidí | in the past tense: ní ba dheabhóidí |
|---|---|---|
| most devout | is deabhóidí | in the past tense: ba dheabhóidí |
| as devout as | chomh deabhóideach le | no change after chomh |
| very devout | an-deabhóideach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too devout | ródheabhóideach | ró- lenites |
“Deabhóideach” 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.
Devout in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for devout?
The Irish for devout is deabhóideach (pronounced “dyow-OH-jakh”). It comes after the noun: fear deabhóideach, a devout man; girseach dheabhóideach, a devout girl.
How do you say more devout and most devout in Irish?
níos deabhóidí is more devout and is deabhóidí is most devout. In the past tense they become ní ba dheabhóidí and ba dheabhóidí.
Why does deabhóideach become dheabhóideach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So girseach dheabhóideach (a devout girl) but fear deabhóideach (a devout man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of deabhóideach?
With a plural noun deabhóideach becomes deabhóideacha: fir dheabhóideacha, girseacha deabhóideacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very devout in Irish?
an-deabhóideach. Too devout is ródheabhóideach, and as devout as is chomh deabhóideach le.
What is the difference between 'deabhóideach' and 'cráifeach'?
Both mean devout or pious; 'cráifeach' is the more traditional native word, while 'deabhóideach' is closer to English 'devout' and stresses devotion in prayer.
