HeyRuaHow to say “hot” in Irish
- Irish:
- te
- English:
- hot, warm, spicy, passionate
- Word type:
- adjective
- Hotter:
- níos teo
- Hottest:
- is teo
- Plural:
- teo
- Pronunciation:
- “cheh” /tʲɛ/
What does “te” mean?
“Te” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- hot
- Having a high temperature, such as food, water or the weather.Also: warm, heated.
3 other meanings: warm or spicy or passionate
- 2warm
- Pleasantly warm, not cold.Also: snug, mild.
- 3spicy
- Having a hot, peppery taste.Also: hot, peppery, piquant.
- 4passionate
- Heated or intense in feeling, as in a hot argument.Also: heated, fiery, intense.
Other Irish adjectives for hot: teobhlasta (spicy)
“Te” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is te after tae (tea, masculine), after aimsir (weather, 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: aimsir the. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: tae te.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, teo. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: aimsirí teo.
Hotter, hottest, very hot
Tá an Spáinn níos teo ná Éire. Spain is hotter than Ireland.
| hotter | níos teo | in the past tense: ní ba theo |
|---|---|---|
| hottest | is teo | in the past tense: ba theo |
| as hot as | chomh te le | no change after chomh |
| very hot | an-te | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too hot | róthe | ró- lenites |
“Te” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Phrases with te: Tá mé te (I'm hot), Tá sé te (it's warm)
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Phrases with “te”
Hot in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for hot?
The Irish for hot is te (pronounced “cheh”). It comes after the noun: tae te, hot tea; aimsir the, hot weather.
How do you say hotter and hottest in Irish?
níos teo is hotter and is teo is hottest. In the past tense they become ní ba theo and ba theo.
Why does te become the?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aimsir the (hot weather) but tae te (hot tea), because tae is masculine.
What is the plural of te?
With a plural noun te becomes teo: taenna teo, aimsirí teo.
How do you say very hot in Irish?
an-te. Too hot is róthe, and as hot as is chomh te le.
Does te have more than one meaning?
Yes. Te can mean hot, warm, spicy or passionate, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'too hot' in Irish?
Use the prefix ró-, which lenites: róthe, as in 'Bhí sé róthe' (It was too hot).
What does 'te bruite' mean?
'Te bruite' means piping hot or fresh from the pot, and is also used figuratively for brand-new news.
