HeyRuaHow to say “formal” in Irish
- Irish:
- foirmeálta
- English:
- formal
- Word type:
- adjective
- More formal:
- níos foirmeálta
- Most formal:
- is foirmeálta
- Pronunciation:
- “FIR-im-awl-ta” /ˈfˠɛɾʲəmʲaːl̪ˠt̪ˠə/
What does “foirmeálta” mean?
- formal
- Following official rules, customs or a serious, correct style rather than a relaxed one.Also: official, ceremonial, conventional.
Other Irish adjectives for formal: foirmiúil (formal), formalach (formal)
“Foirmeálta” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is foirmeálta after cruinniú (meeting, masculine), after litir (letter, 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: litir fhoirmeálta. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: cruinniú foirmeálta.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, foirmeálta. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: litreacha foirmeálta.
More formal, most formal, very formal
Tá an litir seo níos foirmeálta ná ríomhphost. This letter is more formal than an email.
| more formal | níos foirmeálta | in the past tense: ní b'fhoirmeálta |
|---|---|---|
| most formal | is foirmeálta | in the past tense: ab fhoirmeálta |
| as formal as | chomh foirmeálta le | no change after chomh |
| very formal | an-fhoirmeálta | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too formal | rófhoirmeálta | ró- lenites |
“Foirmeálta” 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.
Formal in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for formal?
The Irish for formal is foirmeálta (pronounced “FIR-im-awl-ta”). It comes after the noun: cruinniú foirmeálta, a formal meeting; litir fhoirmeálta, a formal letter.
How do you say more formal and most formal in Irish?
níos foirmeálta is more formal and is foirmeálta is most formal. In the past tense they become ní b'fhoirmeálta and ab fhoirmeálta.
Why does foirmeálta become fhoirmeálta?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So litir fhoirmeálta (a formal letter) but cruinniú foirmeálta (a formal meeting), because cruinniú is masculine.
How do you say very formal in Irish?
an-fhoirmeálta. Too formal is rófhoirmeálta, and as formal as is chomh foirmeálta le.
What is the opposite of 'foirmeálta'?
The usual opposite is 'neamhfhoirmiúil', meaning informal, as in 'caint neamhfhoirmiúil' (informal talk).
