HeyRuaHow to say “difficult” in Irish
- Irish:
- deacair
- English:
- difficult, troublesome, reluctant
- Word type:
- adjective
- More difficult:
- níos deacra
- Most difficult:
- is deacra
- Plural:
- deacra
- Pronunciation:
- “JA-kir” /ˈdʲakəɾʲ/
What does “deacair” mean?
“Deacair” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- difficult
- Not easy to do, understand or deal with.Also: hard, tough, tricky.
2 other meanings: troublesome or reluctant
- 2troublesome
- Hard to please or deal with, of a person or thing that causes trouble.Also: awkward, hard to deal with.
- 3reluctant
- Slow or unwilling to do something, used in the phrase 'is deacair liom'.Also: loath, unwilling.
Other Irish adjectives for difficult: doiligh (difficult), deacrach (difficult)
“Deacair” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is deacair after scrúdú (examination, masculine), after tuairim (opinion, 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: tuairim dheacair. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: scrúdú deacair.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, deacra. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: tuairimí deacra.
More difficult, most difficult, very difficult
Tá an Fhraincis níos deacra ná an Spáinnis. French is more difficult than Spanish.
| more difficult | níos deacra | in the past tense: ní ba dheacra |
|---|---|---|
| most difficult | is deacra | in the past tense: ba dheacra |
| as difficult as | chomh deacair le | no change after chomh |
| very difficult | an-deacair | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too difficult | ródheacair | ró- lenites |
“Deacair” 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.
Difficult in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for difficult?
The Irish for difficult is deacair (pronounced “JA-kir”). It comes after the noun: scrúdú deacair, a difficult examination; tuairim dheacair, a difficult opinion.
How do you say more difficult and most difficult in Irish?
níos deacra is more difficult and is deacra is most difficult. In the past tense they become ní ba dheacra and ba dheacra.
Why does deacair become dheacair?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So tuairim dheacair (a difficult opinion) but scrúdú deacair (a difficult examination), because scrúdú is masculine.
What is the plural of deacair?
With a plural noun deacair becomes deacra: scrúduithe deacra, tuairimí deacra.
How do you say very difficult in Irish?
an-deacair. Too difficult is ródheacair, and as difficult as is chomh deacair le.
Does deacair have more than one meaning?
Yes. Deacair can mean difficult, troublesome or reluctant, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'deacair' and 'crua'?
'Deacair' means difficult, as in 'ceist dheacair'. 'Crua' basically means hard to the touch, though it can also mean tough, as in 'saol crua'.
How do I say 'I find it hard to...'?
Use 'is deacair liom', for example 'Is deacair liom éirí go luath', I find it hard to get up early.
