HeyRuaHow to say “empty” in Irish
- Irish:
- folamh
- English:
- empty, empty-handed, empty, meaningless
- Word type:
- adjective
- Emptier:
- níos foilmhe
- Emptiest:
- is foilmhe
- Plural:
- folmha
- Pronunciation:
- “FUL-uv” /ˈfˠɔl̪ˠəvˠ/
What does “folamh” mean?
“Folamh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- empty
- Containing nothing, with nothing inside.Also: vacant, hollow, bare.
2 other meanings: empty-handed or empty, meaningless
- 2empty-handed
- Having nothing with you or nothing to show, as in coming back with nothing.Also: with nothing.
- 3empty, meaningless
- Without real value or meaning, as in empty words or promises.Also: empty, meaningless, hollow, idle.
Other Irish adjectives for empty: toll (hollow)
“Folamh” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is folamh after buidéal (bottle, masculine), after cathaoir (chair, 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: cathaoir fholamh. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: buidéal folamh.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, folmha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: buidéil fholmha; after other plurals it does not: cathaoireacha folmha.
Emptier, emptiest, very empty
Tá an teach seo níos foilmhe ná riamh. This house is emptier than ever.
| emptier | níos foilmhe | in the past tense: ní b'fhoilmhe |
|---|---|---|
| emptiest | is foilmhe | in the past tense: ab fhoilmhe |
| as empty as | chomh folamh le | no change after chomh |
| very empty | an-fholamh | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too empty | rófholamh | ró- lenites |
“Folamh” 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.
Empty in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for empty?
The Irish for empty is folamh (pronounced “FUL-uv”). It comes after the noun: buidéal folamh, an empty bottle; cathaoir fholamh, an empty chair.
How do you say emptier and emptiest in Irish?
níos foilmhe is emptier and is foilmhe is emptiest. In the past tense they become ní b'fhoilmhe and ab fhoilmhe.
Why does folamh become fholamh?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cathaoir fholamh (an empty chair) but buidéal folamh (an empty bottle), because buidéal is masculine.
What is the plural of folamh?
With a plural noun folamh becomes folmha: buidéil fholmha, cathaoireacha folmha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very empty in Irish?
an-fholamh. Too empty is rófholamh, and as empty as is chomh folamh le.
Does folamh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Folamh can mean empty, empty-handed or empty, meaningless, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say I came back empty-handed?
You can say "Tháinig mé ar ais folamh" or "Tháinig mé ar ais le mo dhá lámh fholmha".
What is the opposite of folamh?
The opposite is "lán", full, as in "buidéal lán" against "buidéal folamh".
