HeyRuaHow to say “homely” in Irish
- Irish:
- tíriúil
- English:
- homely, earthy
- Word type:
- adjective
- More homely:
- níos tíriúla
- Most homely:
- is tíriúla
- Plural:
- tíriúla
- Pronunciation:
- “TEER-ool” /ˈtʲiːɾʲuːlʲ/
What does “tíriúil” mean?
“Tíriúil” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- homely
- Friendly, warm and unpretentious, making people feel at home.Also: sociable, friendly, kindly, warm-hearted.
1 other meaning: earthy
- 2earthy
- Plain, down to earth and close to the people of the countryside.Also: down to earth, unpretentious, folksy.
“Tíriúil” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is tíriúil 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 thíriúil. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear tíriúil.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, tíriúla. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir thíriúla; after other plurals it does not: girseacha tíriúla.
More homely, most homely, very homely
Tá sí níos tíriúla ná a deirfiúr. She is friendlier than her sister.
| more homely | níos tíriúla | in the past tense: ní ba thíriúla |
|---|---|---|
| most homely | is tíriúla | in the past tense: ba thíriúla |
| as homely as | chomh tíriúil le | no change after chomh |
| very homely | an-tíriúil | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too homely | róthíriúil | ró- lenites |
“Tíriúil” 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.
Homely in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for homely?
The Irish for homely is tíriúil (pronounced “TEER-ool”). It comes after the noun: fear tíriúil, a homely man; girseach thíriúil, a homely girl.
How do you say more homely and most homely in Irish?
níos tíriúla is more homely and is tíriúla is most homely. In the past tense they become ní ba thíriúla and ba thíriúla.
Why does tíriúil become thíriúil?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So girseach thíriúil (a homely girl) but fear tíriúil (a homely man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of tíriúil?
With a plural noun tíriúil becomes tíriúla: fir thíriúla, girseacha tíriúla. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very homely in Irish?
an-tíriúil. Too homely is róthíriúil, and as homely as is chomh tíriúil le.
Does tíriúil have more than one meaning?
Yes. Tíriúil can mean homely or earthy, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Does 'tíriúil' mean 'patriotic'?
No. Although it comes from 'tír', 'tíriúil' means homely or sociable; 'patriotic' is 'tírghrách'.
