HeyRuaHow to say “painful” in Irish
- Irish:
- pianmhar
- English:
- painful, distressing
- Word type:
- adjective
- More painful:
- níos pianmhaire
- Most painful:
- is pianmhaire
- Plural:
- pianmhara
- Pronunciation:
- “PEE-an-war” /pʲiən̪ˠwəɾˠ/
What does “pianmhar” mean?
“Pianmhar” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- painful
- Causing physical pain or hurting.Also: sore, hurtful, aching.
1 other meaning: distressing
- 2distressing
- Causing mental pain or suffering, hard to bear.Also: agonising, grievous, harrowing.
Other Irish adjectives for painful: nimhneach (sore)
“Pianmhar” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is pianmhar after galar (disease, masculine), after cos (foot, 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: cos phianmhar. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: galar pianmhar.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, pianmhara. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: galair phianmhara; after other plurals it does not: cosa pianmhara.
More painful, most painful, very painful
Bhí an dara gortú níos pianmhaire ná an chéad cheann. The second injury was more painful than the first.
| more painful | níos pianmhaire | in the past tense: ní ba phianmhaire |
|---|---|---|
| most painful | is pianmhaire | in the past tense: ba phianmhaire |
| as painful as | chomh pianmhar le | no change after chomh |
| very painful | an-phianmhar | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too painful | róphianmhar | ró- lenites |
“Pianmhar” 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.
Painful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for painful?
The Irish for painful is pianmhar (pronounced “PEE-an-war”). It comes after the noun: galar pianmhar, a painful disease; cos phianmhar, a painful foot.
How do you say more painful and most painful in Irish?
níos pianmhaire is more painful and is pianmhaire is most painful. In the past tense they become ní ba phianmhaire and ba phianmhaire.
Why does pianmhar become phianmhar?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cos phianmhar (a painful foot) but galar pianmhar (a painful disease), because galar is masculine.
What is the plural of pianmhar?
With a plural noun pianmhar becomes pianmhara: galair phianmhara, cosa pianmhara. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very painful in Irish?
an-phianmhar. Too painful is róphianmhar, and as painful as is chomh pianmhar le.
Does pianmhar have more than one meaning?
Yes. Pianmhar can mean painful or distressing, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between pianmhar and nimhneach?
Both can mean painful, but 'nimhneach' often suggests something sore or tender to touch, as in 'cneá nimhneach', while 'pianmhar' is the general word for causing pain.
