HeyRuaHow to say “generous” in Irish
- Irish:
- fialmhar
- English:
- generous, hospitable
- Word type:
- adjective
- More generous:
- níos fialmhaire
- Most generous:
- is fialmhaire
- Plural:
- fialmhara
- Pronunciation:
- “FEE-al-vur” /ˈfʲiəlˠəwəɾˠ/
What does “fialmhar” mean?
“Fialmhar” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- generous
- Willing to give freely of money, time or help to others.Also: open-handed, liberal, munificent, bountiful.
1 other meaning: hospitable
- 2hospitable
- Warm and generous towards guests and visitors.Also: welcoming, kind.
Other Irish adjectives for generous: flaithiúil (generous), flaithiúlach (generous), flaithbheartach (generous), tabhartasach (generous)
“Fialmhar” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fialmhar after fear (man, masculine), after bean (woman, 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: bean fhialmhar. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear fialmhar.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fialmhara. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir fhialmhara; after other plurals it does not: mná fialmhara.
More generous, most generous, very generous
Tá sí níos fialmhaire ná a deartháir. She is more generous than her brother.
| more generous | níos fialmhaire | in the past tense: ní b'fhialmhaire |
|---|---|---|
| most generous | is fialmhaire | in the past tense: ab fhialmhaire |
| as generous as | chomh fialmhar le | no change after chomh |
| very generous | an-fhialmhar | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too generous | rófhialmhar | ró- lenites |
“Fialmhar” 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.
Generous in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for generous?
The Irish for generous is fialmhar (pronounced “FEE-al-vur”). It comes after the noun: fear fialmhar, a generous man; bean fhialmhar, a generous woman.
How do you say more generous and most generous in Irish?
níos fialmhaire is more generous and is fialmhaire is most generous. In the past tense they become ní b'fhialmhaire and ab fhialmhaire.
Why does fialmhar become fhialmhar?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean fhialmhar (a generous woman) but fear fialmhar (a generous man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of fialmhar?
With a plural noun fialmhar becomes fialmhara: fir fhialmhara, mná fialmhara. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very generous in Irish?
an-fhialmhar. Too generous is rófhialmhar, and as generous as is chomh fialmhar le.
Does fialmhar have more than one meaning?
Yes. Fialmhar can mean generous or hospitable, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'fialmhar', 'fial' and 'flaithiúil'?
All three mean generous. 'Fial' is the shorter basic form, 'fialmhar' means much the same, and 'flaithiúil' is very common in speech for someone lavish or open-handed.
Which preposition goes with 'fialmhar'?
Use 'le': 'fialmhar le daoine bochta' means generous to poor people, and 'fialmhar lena chuid' means generous with his belongings.
