HeyRuaHow to say “formal” in Irish
- Irish:
- formalach
- English:
- formal
- Word type:
- adjective
- More formal:
- níos formalaí
- Most formal:
- is formalaí
- Plural:
- formalacha
- Pronunciation:
- “FOR-um-ah-lukh” /ˈfɔɾˠəmˠəl̪ˠəx/
What does “formalach” mean?
- formal
- Following official rules, customs or proper procedure rather than being casual.Also: official, ceremonial, conventional.
Other Irish adjectives for formal: foirmiúil (formal), foirmeálta (formal)
“Formalach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is formalach 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 fhormalach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: cruinniú formalach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, formalacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: litreacha formalacha.
More formal, most formal, very formal
Tá an óráid seo níos formalaí ná an ceann eile. This speech is more formal than the other one.
| more formal | níos formalaí | in the past tense: ní b'fhormalaí |
|---|---|---|
| most formal | is formalaí | in the past tense: ab fhormalaí |
| as formal as | chomh formalach le | no change after chomh |
| very formal | an-fhormalach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too formal | rófhormalach | ró- lenites |
“Formalach” 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 formalach (pronounced “FOR-um-ah-lukh”). It comes after the noun: cruinniú formalach, a formal meeting; litir fhormalach, a formal letter.
How do you say more formal and most formal in Irish?
níos formalaí is more formal and is formalaí is most formal. In the past tense they become ní b'fhormalaí and ab fhormalaí.
Why does formalach become fhormalach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So litir fhormalach (a formal letter) but cruinniú formalach (a formal meeting), because cruinniú is masculine.
What is the plural of formalach?
With a plural noun formalach becomes formalacha: cruinnithe formalacha, litreacha formalacha.
How do you say very formal in Irish?
an-fhormalach. Too formal is rófhormalach, and as formal as is chomh formalach le.
What is the difference between 'formalach' and 'foirmiúil'?
Both mean formal; 'foirmiúil' is very common for formal manner or dress, while 'formalach' is often used in contexts like 'oideachas formalach' (formal education). The opposite is 'neamhfhoirmiúil'.
