HeyRuaHow to say “good man” in Irish
- Irish:
- dea-fhear
- English:
- good man
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine
- Pronunciation:
- “DYA-ar” /ˈdʲa ˌaɾ/
- Plural:
- dea-fhir (good men)
- Genitive singular:
- dea-fhir, an dea-fhir (e.g. cáil an dea-fhir, the reputation of the good man)
- Genitive plural:
- dea-fhear, na ndea-fhear (e.g. gníomhartha na ndea-fhear, the deeds of the good men)
What does “dea-fhear” mean?
- good man
- A man who is decent, kind or worthy; also used to praise someone who has done well.Also: decent man, worthy man, gentleman.
“Dea-fhear” with the article
The plural of good man in Irish is dea-fhir. Here is dea-fhear after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Dea-fhear” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using dea-fhear, the Irish word for good man.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Good man in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for good man?
The Irish for good man is dea-fhear (pronounced “DYA-ar”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is dea-fhir.
How do you pronounce dea-fhear in Irish?
Dea-fhear is said like “DYA-ar” (IPA /ˈdʲa ˌaɾ/).
What is the plural of good man in Irish?
The plural of dea-fhear is dea-fhir; with the article, na dea-fhir means “the good men”. The genitive plural is dea-fhear, as in gníomhartha na ndea-fhear (the deeds of the good men).
Why does dea-fhear change to dhea-fhear or ndea-fhear?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) dea-fhear becomes mo dhea-fhear (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ndea-fhear (eclipsis).
How do I say 'good man!' to praise someone in Irish?
The usual everyday expression is 'Maith an fear!' (or 'Maith an cailín!' for a girl); 'dea-fhear' is more a descriptive noun for a decent man.
Why is there lenition after 'dea-'?
The prefix 'dea-' (good) lenites the following word and is joined with a hyphen, as in 'dea-fhear', 'dea-scéal', 'dea-bhéasa'.
