HeyRuaHow to say “diligent” in Irish
- Irish:
- dícheallach
- English:
- diligent
- Word type:
- adjective
- More diligent:
- níos dícheallaí
- Most diligent:
- is dícheallaí
- Plural:
- dícheallacha
- Pronunciation:
- “DEE-hyal-ukh” /ˈdʲiːçəl̪ˠəx/
What does “dícheallach” mean?
- diligent
- Always doing your best and working hard and carefully.Also: hard-working, industrious, assiduous, earnest.
Other Irish adjectives for diligent: díograiseach (diligent), dlúsúil (diligent)
“Dícheallach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is dícheallach after dalta (pupil, 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 dhícheallach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: dalta dícheallach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, dícheallacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: girseacha dícheallacha.
More diligent, most diligent, very diligent
Tá Máire níos dícheallaí ná a deartháir. Máire is more diligent than her brother.
| more diligent | níos dícheallaí | in the past tense: ní ba dhícheallaí |
|---|---|---|
| most diligent | is dícheallaí | in the past tense: ba dhícheallaí |
| as diligent as | chomh dícheallach le | no change after chomh |
| very diligent | an-dícheallach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too diligent | ródhícheallach | ró- lenites |
“Dícheallach” 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.
Diligent in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for diligent?
The Irish for diligent is dícheallach (pronounced “DEE-hyal-ukh”). It comes after the noun: dalta dícheallach, a diligent pupil; girseach dhícheallach, a diligent girl.
How do you say more diligent and most diligent in Irish?
níos dícheallaí is more diligent and is dícheallaí is most diligent. In the past tense they become ní ba dhícheallaí and ba dhícheallaí.
Why does dícheallach become dhícheallach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So girseach dhícheallach (a diligent girl) but dalta dícheallach (a diligent pupil), because dalta is masculine.
What is the plural of dícheallach?
With a plural noun dícheallach becomes dícheallacha: daltaí dícheallacha, girseacha dícheallacha.
How do you say very diligent in Irish?
an-dícheallach. Too diligent is ródhícheallach, and as diligent as is chomh dícheallach le.
What noun is 'dícheallach' related to?
It comes from 'dícheall', meaning one's best effort, as in 'Rinne sé a dhícheall' (He did his best).
