HeyRuaHow to say “illegal” in Irish
- Irish:
- mídhleathach
- English:
- illegal
- Word type:
- adjective
- More illegal:
- níos mídhleathaí
- Most illegal:
- is mídhleathaí
- Plural:
- mídhleathacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MEE-yla-hukh” /ˈmʲiːˌɣʲlʲahəx/
What does “mídhleathach” mean?
- illegal
- Not allowed by law.Also: unlawful, illicit, against the law.
Other Irish adjectives for illegal: coiriúil (criminal), neamhdhlíthiúil (illegal), neamhdhleathach (illegal)
“Mídhleathach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mídhleathach after gnó (business, masculine), after gníomhaíocht (activity, 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: gníomhaíocht mhídhleathach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: gnó mídhleathach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mídhleathacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: gníomhaíochtaí mídhleathacha.
More illegal, most illegal, very illegal
| more illegal | níos mídhleathaí | in the past tense: ní ba mhídhleathaí |
|---|---|---|
| most illegal | is mídhleathaí | in the past tense: ba mhídhleathaí |
| as illegal as | chomh mídhleathach le | no change after chomh |
| very illegal | an-mhídhleathach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too illegal | rómhídhleathach | ró- lenites |
“Mídhleathach” 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.
Illegal in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for illegal?
The Irish for illegal is mídhleathach (pronounced “MEE-yla-hukh”). It comes after the noun: gnó mídhleathach, an illegal business; gníomhaíocht mhídhleathach, an illegal activity.
How do you say more illegal and most illegal in Irish?
níos mídhleathaí is more illegal and is mídhleathaí is most illegal. In the past tense they become ní ba mhídhleathaí and ba mhídhleathaí.
Why does mídhleathach become mhídhleathach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So gníomhaíocht mhídhleathach (an illegal activity) but gnó mídhleathach (an illegal business), because gnó is masculine.
What is the plural of mídhleathach?
With a plural noun mídhleathach becomes mídhleathacha: gnóthaí mídhleathacha, gníomhaíochtaí mídhleathacha.
How do you say very illegal in Irish?
an-mhídhleathach. Too illegal is rómhídhleathach, and as illegal as is chomh mídhleathach le.
What is the opposite of 'mídhleathach'?
The opposite is 'dleathach' (legal, lawful). 'Neamhdhleathach' is also used with a similar meaning to 'mídhleathach'.
