HeyRuaHow to say “honest” in Irish
- Irish:
- cneasta
- English:
- honest, mild-mannered, mild
- Word type:
- adjective
- More honest:
- níos cneasta
- Most honest:
- is cneasta
- Pronunciation:
- “KNAS-ta” /ˈkʲnʲasˠt̪ˠə/
What does “cneasta” mean?
“Cneasta” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- honest
- Truthful and fair in dealing with others.Also: sincere, decent, upright.
2 other meanings: mild-mannered or mild
- 2mild-mannered
- Gentle, kind and calm in manner.Also: gentle, kindly, meek.
- 3mild
- Calm and gentle, as of weather or conditions.Also: calm.
Other Irish adjectives for honest: fírinneach (truthful), macánta (honest), ionraic (honest)
“Cneasta” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is cneasta 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 chneasta. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear cneasta.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, cneasta. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir chneasta; after other plurals it does not: mná cneasta.
More honest, most honest, very honest
Tá Seán níos cneasta ná a dheartháir. Seán is more honest than his brother.
| more honest | níos cneasta | in the past tense: ní ba chneasta |
|---|---|---|
| most honest | is cneasta | in the past tense: ba chneasta |
| as honest as | chomh cneasta le | no change after chomh |
| very honest | an-chneasta | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too honest | róchneasta | ró- lenites |
“Cneasta” 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.
Honest in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for honest?
The Irish for honest is cneasta (pronounced “KNAS-ta”). It comes after the noun: fear cneasta, an honest man; bean chneasta, an honest woman.
How do you say more honest and most honest in Irish?
níos cneasta is more honest and is cneasta is most honest. In the past tense they become ní ba chneasta and ba chneasta.
Why does cneasta become chneasta?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean chneasta (an honest woman) but fear cneasta (an honest man), because fear is masculine.
How do you say very honest in Irish?
an-chneasta. Too honest is róchneasta, and as honest as is chomh cneasta le.
Does cneasta have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cneasta can mean honest, mild-mannered or mild, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'cneasta' and 'macánta'?
Both can mean honest, but 'macánta' is the usual word for honest, while 'cneasta' suggests a decent, gentle and good-natured person as well.
