HeyRuaHow to say “handsome” in Irish
- Irish:
- dathúil
- English:
- handsome, colourful, generous
- Word type:
- adjective
- More handsome:
- níos dathúla
- Most handsome:
- is dathúla
- Plural:
- dathúla
- Pronunciation:
- “DA-hool” /ˈd̪ˠahuːlʲ/
What does “dathúil” mean?
“Dathúil” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- handsome
- Pleasant to look at, good-looking, usually said of a person.Also: good-looking, attractive, beautiful, pretty.
“Dathúil” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is dathúil after fear (man, masculine), after girseach (girl, 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: girseach dhathúil. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear dathúil.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, dathúla. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir dhathúla; after other plurals it does not: girseacha dathúla.
More handsome, most handsome, very handsome
Tá a deartháir níos dathúla ná é. His brother is more handsome than him.
| more handsome | níos dathúla | in the past tense: ní ba dhathúla |
|---|---|---|
| most handsome | is dathúla | in the past tense: ba dhathúla |
| as handsome as | chomh dathúil le | no change after chomh |
| very handsome | an-dathúil | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too handsome | ródhathúil | ró- lenites |
“Dathúil” 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.
Handsome in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for handsome?
The Irish for handsome is dathúil (pronounced “DA-hool”). It comes after the noun: fear dathúil, a handsome man; girseach dhathúil, a handsome girl.
How do you say more handsome and most handsome in Irish?
níos dathúla is more handsome and is dathúla is most handsome. In the past tense they become ní ba dhathúla and ba dhathúla.
Why does dathúil become dhathúil?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So girseach dhathúil (a handsome girl) but fear dathúil (a handsome man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of dathúil?
With a plural noun dathúil becomes dathúla: fir dhathúla, girseacha dathúla. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very handsome in Irish?
an-dathúil. Too handsome is ródhathúil, and as handsome as is chomh dathúil le.
Does dathúil have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dathúil can mean handsome, colourful or generous, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between dathúil and daite?
Dathúil usually means handsome or good-looking, though it can mean colourful, while daite simply means coloured or dyed, as in páipéar daite.
Is dathúil used for both men and women?
Yes, you can say fear dathúil or bean dhathúil, though for women álainn or gleoite are also very common.
