HeyRuaHow to say “guilty” in Irish
- Irish:
- ciontach
- English:
- guilty, blameworthy
- Word type:
- adjective
- Guiltier:
- níos ciontaí
- Guiltiest:
- is ciontaí
- Plural:
- ciontacha
- Pronunciation:
- “KYUN-tukh” /ˈcun̪ˠt̪ˠəx/
What does “ciontach” mean?
“Ciontach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- guilty
- Having done something wrong or having committed a crime.Also: culpable, at fault, to blame.
1 other meaning: blameworthy
- 2blameworthy
- Deserving blame for something bad that happened.Also: responsible, blameable.
The same spelling has its own page as:
“Ciontach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is ciontach 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 chiontach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear ciontach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, ciontacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir chiontacha; after other plurals it does not: mná ciontacha.
Guiltier, guiltiest, very guilty
Bhí seisean níos ciontaí ná a dheartháir. He was more to blame than his brother.
| guiltier | níos ciontaí | in the past tense: ní ba chiontaí |
|---|---|---|
| guiltiest | is ciontaí | in the past tense: ba chiontaí |
| as guilty as | chomh ciontach le | no change after chomh |
| very guilty | an-chiontach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too guilty | róchiontach | ró- lenites |
“Ciontach” 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.
Guilty in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for guilty?
The Irish for guilty is ciontach (pronounced “KYUN-tukh”). It comes after the noun: fear ciontach, a guilty man; bean chiontach, a guilty woman.
How do you say guiltier and guiltiest in Irish?
níos ciontaí is guiltier and is ciontaí is guiltiest. In the past tense they become ní ba chiontaí and ba chiontaí.
Why does ciontach become chiontach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean chiontach (a guilty woman) but fear ciontach (a guilty man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of ciontach?
With a plural noun ciontach becomes ciontacha: fir chiontacha, mná ciontacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very guilty in Irish?
an-chiontach. Too guilty is róchiontach, and as guilty as is chomh ciontach le.
Does ciontach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ciontach can mean guilty or blameworthy, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition is used with ciontach for the crime?
Use i: ciontach i ndúnmharú means guilty of murder, and ciontach sa choir means guilty of the crime.
What is the opposite of ciontach?
The opposite is neamhchiontach, innocent or not guilty: fuarthas neamhchiontach í, she was found not guilty.
