HeyRuaHow to say “masculine” in Irish
- Irish:
- firinscneach
- English:
- masculine, male
- Word type:
- adjective
- More masculine:
- níos firinscní
- Most masculine:
- is firinscní
- Plural:
- firinscneacha
- Pronunciation:
- “FIR-in-shkyan-ukh” /ˈfʲɪɾʲənʲʃcənʲəx/
What does “firinscneach” mean?
“Firinscneach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- masculine
- Belonging to the masculine grammatical gender, as a noun or other word.Also: masculine gender, male gender.
1 other meaning: male
- 2male
- Relating to males or to the male sex.Also: masculine.
Other Irish adjectives for masculine: fearúil (manly), fireannach (male)
“Firinscneach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is firinscneach after ainmfhocal (noun, masculine), after foirm (form, 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: foirm fhirinscneach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: ainmfhocal firinscneach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, firinscneacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: ainmfhocail fhirinscneacha; after other plurals it does not: foirmeacha firinscneacha.
More masculine, most masculine, very masculine
Níl focal ar bith níos firinscní ná é sin. No word is more masculine than that.
| more masculine | níos firinscní | in the past tense: ní b'fhirinscní |
|---|---|---|
| most masculine | is firinscní | in the past tense: ab fhirinscní |
| as masculine as | chomh firinscneach le | no change after chomh |
| very masculine | an-fhirinscneach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too masculine | rófhirinscneach | ró- lenites |
“Firinscneach” 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.
Masculine in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for masculine?
The Irish for masculine is firinscneach (pronounced “FIR-in-shkyan-ukh”). It comes after the noun: ainmfhocal firinscneach, a masculine noun; foirm fhirinscneach, a masculine form.
How do you say more masculine and most masculine in Irish?
níos firinscní is more masculine and is firinscní is most masculine. In the past tense they become ní b'fhirinscní and ab fhirinscní.
Why does firinscneach become fhirinscneach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So foirm fhirinscneach (a masculine form) but ainmfhocal firinscneach (a masculine noun), because ainmfhocal is masculine.
What is the plural of firinscneach?
With a plural noun firinscneach becomes firinscneacha: ainmfhocail fhirinscneacha, foirmeacha firinscneacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very masculine in Irish?
an-fhirinscneach. Too masculine is rófhirinscneach, and as masculine as is chomh firinscneach le.
Does firinscneach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Firinscneach can mean masculine or male, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'firinscneach' and 'fireann'?
'Firinscneach' is used for grammatical gender, as in 'ainmfhocal firinscneach', while 'fireann' means male in the biological sense, as in 'ainmhí fireann'.
What is the opposite of 'firinscneach'?
The opposite is 'baininscneach', feminine, as in 'ainmfhocal baininscneach'.
