HeyRuaHow to say “feeble” in Irish
- Irish:
- fannlag
- English:
- feeble
- Word type:
- adjective
- More feeble:
- níos fannlaige
- Most feeble:
- is fannlaige
- Plural:
- fannlaga
- Pronunciation:
- “FOWN-lug” /ˈfˠaunˠl̪ˠəɡ/
What does “fannlag” mean?
- feeble
- Very weak and lacking strength or energy, especially in the body.Also: weak, faint, languid, frail.
“Fannlag” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fannlag after seanfhear (old man, masculine), after lámh (hand, 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: lámh fhannlag. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: seanfhear fannlag.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fannlaga. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: seanfhir fhannlaga; after other plurals it does not: lámha fannlaga.
More feeble, most feeble, very feeble
Tá sé níos fannlaige inniu ná mar a bhí inné. He is feebler today than he was yesterday.
| more feeble | níos fannlaige | in the past tense: ní b'fhannlaige |
|---|---|---|
| most feeble | is fannlaige | in the past tense: ab fhannlaige |
| as feeble as | chomh fannlag le | no change after chomh |
| very feeble | an-fhannlag | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too feeble | rófhannlag | ró- lenites |
“Fannlag” 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.
Feeble in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for feeble?
The Irish for feeble is fannlag (pronounced “FOWN-lug”). It comes after the noun: seanfhear fannlag, a feeble old man; lámh fhannlag, a feeble hand.
How do you say more feeble and most feeble in Irish?
níos fannlaige is more feeble and is fannlaige is most feeble. In the past tense they become ní b'fhannlaige and ab fhannlaige.
Why does fannlag become fhannlag?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So lámh fhannlag (a feeble hand) but seanfhear fannlag (a feeble old man), because seanfhear is masculine.
What is the plural of fannlag?
With a plural noun fannlag becomes fannlaga: seanfhir fhannlaga, lámha fannlaga. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very feeble in Irish?
an-fhannlag. Too feeble is rófhannlag, and as feeble as is chomh fannlag le.
How is 'fannlag' different from 'lag'?
'Fannlag' combines 'fann' (faint) and 'lag' (weak), so it is a stronger word for being feeble or exhausted, while 'lag' is the everyday word for weak.
