HeyRuaHow to say “Irish” in Irish
- Irish:
- Gaelach
- English:
- Irish, Gaelic, homely
- Word type:
- adjective
- More Irish:
- níos Gaelaí
- Most Irish:
- is Gaelaí
- Plural:
- Gaelacha
- Pronunciation:
- “GAY-lukh” /ˈɡeːl̪ˠəx/
What does “Gaelach” mean?
“Gaelach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- Irish
- Belonging to Ireland, the Irish people or their native culture.Also: Gaelic, native Irish, Celtic.
2 other meanings: Gaelic or homely
- 2Gaelic
- Relating to the Gaels, their language and traditions.Also: Gaelic-speaking, Irish-language.
- 3homely
- Native, familiar and pleasant in an unpretentious way.Also: pleasant, unpretentious, native.
“Gaelach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is Gaelach after ceol (music, 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 Ghaelach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: ceol Gaelach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, Gaelacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná Gaelacha.
More Irish, most Irish, very Irish
Tá an baile seo níos Gaelaí ná riamh. This town is more Irish than ever.
| more Irish | níos Gaelaí | in the past tense: ní ba Ghaelaí |
|---|---|---|
| most Irish | is Gaelaí | in the past tense: ba Ghaelaí |
| as Irish as | chomh Gaelach le | no change after chomh |
| very Irish | an-Ghaelach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too Irish | ró-Ghaelach | ró- lenites |
“Gaelach” 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.
Irish in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for Irish?
The Irish for Irish is Gaelach (pronounced “GAY-lukh”). It comes after the noun: ceol Gaelach, Irish music; bean Ghaelach, an Irish woman.
How do you say more Irish and most Irish in Irish?
níos Gaelaí is more Irish and is Gaelaí is most Irish. In the past tense they become ní ba Ghaelaí and ba Ghaelaí.
Why does Gaelach become Ghaelach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean Ghaelach (an Irish woman) but ceol Gaelach (Irish music), because ceol is masculine.
What is the plural of Gaelach?
With a plural noun Gaelach becomes Gaelacha: ceolta Gaelacha, mná Gaelacha.
How do you say very Irish in Irish?
an-Ghaelach. Too Irish is ró-Ghaelach, and as Irish as is chomh Gaelach le.
Does Gaelach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gaelach can mean Irish, Gaelic or homely, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between Gaelach and Éireannach?
Éireannach means Irish in the national or citizenship sense, while Gaelach refers to native Gaelic culture and language, as in ceol Gaelach. The opposite of Gaelach is Gallda, foreign or anglicised.
