HeyRuaHow to say “fatty” in Irish
- Irish:
- geireach
- English:
- fatty, sebaceous
- Word type:
- adjective
- Fattier:
- níos geirí
- Fattiest:
- is geirí
- Plural:
- geireacha
- Pronunciation:
- “GER-ukh” /ˈɟɛɾʲəx/
What does “geireach” mean?
“Geireach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- fatty
- Containing a lot of fat or grease.Also: greasy, fat, suety.
1 other meaning: sebaceous
- 2sebaceous
- Relating to or producing the oily substance of the skin.Also: oily.
“Geireach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is geireach after bia (food, masculine), after feoil (meat, 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: feoil gheireach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: bia geireach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, geireacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: feolta geireacha.
Fattier, fattiest, very fatty
Tá an mhuiceoil níos geirí ná an sicín. The pork is fattier than the chicken.
| fattier | níos geirí | in the past tense: ní ba gheirí |
|---|---|---|
| fattiest | is geirí | in the past tense: ba gheirí |
| as fatty as | chomh geireach le | no change after chomh |
| very fatty | an-gheireach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too fatty | rógheireach | ró- lenites |
“Geireach” 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.
Fatty in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for fatty?
The Irish for fatty is geireach (pronounced “GER-ukh”). It comes after the noun: bia geireach, fatty food; feoil gheireach, fatty meat.
How do you say fattier and fattiest in Irish?
níos geirí is fattier and is geirí is fattiest. In the past tense they become ní ba gheirí and ba gheirí.
Why does geireach become gheireach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So feoil gheireach (fatty meat) but bia geireach (fatty food), because bia is masculine.
What is the plural of geireach?
With a plural noun geireach becomes geireacha: bianna geireacha, feolta geireacha.
How do you say very fatty in Irish?
an-gheireach. Too fatty is rógheireach, and as fatty as is chomh geireach le.
Does geireach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Geireach can mean fatty or sebaceous, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'geireach' and 'ramhar'?
'Geireach' describes food or tissue full of fat, as in 'feoil gheireach', while 'ramhar' usually means fat or thick of a person or animal, as in 'fear ramhar'.
