HeyRuaHow to say “neat” in Irish
- Irish:
- pointeáilte
- English:
- neat, particular, punctual
- Word type:
- adjective
- Neater:
- níos pointeáilte
- Neatest:
- is pointeáilte
- Pronunciation:
- “PEEN-chaal-cha” /ˈpˠiːnʲtʲɑːlʲtʲə/
What does “pointeáilte” mean?
“Pointeáilte” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- neat
- Tidy and smart in appearance, well turned out.Also: tidy, smart, dapper, spruce, well-groomed.
2 other meanings: particular or punctual
- 2particular
- Careful and exact about details, fastidious.Also: fastidious, punctilious, precise, exact.
- 3punctual
- Always on time, prompt.Also: prompt, on time.
Other Irish adjectives for neat: slachtmhar (neat), néata (neat), innealta (neat), ordúil (orderly)
“Pointeáilte” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is pointeáilte 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 phointeáilte. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear pointeáilte.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, pointeáilte. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir phointeáilte; after other plurals it does not: mná pointeáilte.
Neater, neatest, very neat
Tá Seán níos pointeáilte ná a dheartháir. Seán is neater than his brother.
| neater | níos pointeáilte | in the past tense: ní ba phointeáilte |
|---|---|---|
| neatest | is pointeáilte | in the past tense: ba phointeáilte |
| as neat as | chomh pointeáilte le | no change after chomh |
| very neat | an-phointeáilte | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too neat | róphointeáilte | ró- lenites |
“Pointeáilte” 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.
Neat in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for neat?
The Irish for neat is pointeáilte (pronounced “PEEN-chaal-cha”). It comes after the noun: fear pointeáilte, a neat man; bean phointeáilte, a neat woman.
How do you say neater and neatest in Irish?
níos pointeáilte is neater and is pointeáilte is neatest. In the past tense they become ní ba phointeáilte and ba phointeáilte.
Why does pointeáilte become phointeáilte?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean phointeáilte (a neat woman) but fear pointeáilte (a neat man), because fear is masculine.
How do you say very neat in Irish?
an-phointeáilte. Too neat is róphointeáilte, and as neat as is chomh pointeáilte le.
Does pointeáilte have more than one meaning?
Yes. Pointeáilte can mean neat, particular or punctual, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say someone is neatly dressed?
Use the adverb form: tá sé gléasta go pointeáilte, he is neatly dressed.
