HeyRuaHow to say “dirty” in Irish
- Irish:
- salach
- English:
- dirty, foul, obscene
- Word type:
- adjective
- Dirtier:
- níos salaí
- Dirtiest:
- is salaí
- Plural:
- salacha
- Pronunciation:
- “SAL-ukh” /ˈsˠalˠəx/
What does “salach” mean?
“Salach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- dirty
- Covered in dirt or marks; not clean.Also: filthy, grubby, unclean, soiled.
2 other meanings: foul or obscene
- 2foul
- Of weather, wet, stormy and unpleasant.Also: nasty, dirty, wet.
- 3obscene
- Of talk or jokes, rude and indecent.Also: dirty, smutty, indecent.
Other Irish adjectives for dirty: cáidheach (filthy)
“Salach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is salach after urlár (floor, masculine), after léine (shirt, 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: léine shalach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: urlár salach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, salacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: urláir shalacha; after other plurals it does not: léinte salacha.
Dirtier, dirtiest, very dirty
Tá do lámha níos salaí ná mo chuidse. Your hands are dirtier than mine.
| dirtier | níos salaí | in the past tense: ní ba shalaí |
|---|---|---|
| dirtiest | is salaí | in the past tense: ba shalaí |
| as dirty as | chomh salach le | no change after chomh |
| very dirty | an-salach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too dirty | róshalach | ró- lenites |
“Salach” 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.
Dirty in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for dirty?
The Irish for dirty is salach (pronounced “SAL-ukh”). It comes after the noun: urlár salach, a dirty floor; léine shalach, a dirty shirt.
How do you say dirtier and dirtiest in Irish?
níos salaí is dirtier and is salaí is dirtiest. In the past tense they become ní ba shalaí and ba shalaí.
Why does salach become shalach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So léine shalach (a dirty shirt) but urlár salach (a dirty floor), because urlár is masculine.
What is the plural of salach?
With a plural noun salach becomes salacha: urláir shalacha, léinte salacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very dirty in Irish?
an-salach. Too dirty is róshalach, and as dirty as is chomh salach le.
Does salach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Salach can mean dirty, foul or obscene, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the opposite of salach?
The opposite is glan, 'clean': Tá an seomra glan anois, 'The room is clean now'.
Can salach describe the weather?
Yes, lá salach or aimsir shalach means a wet, nasty day or foul weather.
