HeyRuaHow to say “pale” in Irish
- Irish:
- mílítheach
- English:
- pale
- Word type:
- adjective
- More pale:
- níos mílíthí
- Most pale:
- is mílíthí
- Plural:
- mílítheacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MEE-lee-hukh” /ˈmʲiːlʲiːhəx/
What does “mílítheach” mean?
- pale
- Having a pale, sickly or wan colour in the face, often from illness or fear.Also: pallid, sallow, wan, sickly-looking.
“Mílítheach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mílítheach after fear (man, masculine), after aghaidh (face, 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: aghaidh mhílítheach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear mílítheach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mílítheacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir mhílítheacha; after other plurals it does not: aghaidheanna mílítheacha.
More pale, most pale, very pale
Tá sé níos mílíthí inniu ná mar a bhí inné. He is paler today than he was yesterday.
| more pale | níos mílíthí | in the past tense: ní ba mhílíthí |
|---|---|---|
| most pale | is mílíthí | in the past tense: ba mhílíthí |
| as pale as | chomh mílítheach le | no change after chomh |
| very pale | an-mhílítheach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too pale | rómhílítheach | ró- lenites |
“Mílítheach” 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.
Pale in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for pale?
The Irish for pale is mílítheach (pronounced “MEE-lee-hukh”). It comes after the noun: fear mílítheach, a pale man; aghaidh mhílítheach, a pale face.
How do you say more pale and most pale in Irish?
níos mílíthí is more pale and is mílíthí is most pale. In the past tense they become ní ba mhílíthí and ba mhílíthí.
Why does mílítheach become mhílítheach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aghaidh mhílítheach (a pale face) but fear mílítheach (a pale man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of mílítheach?
With a plural noun mílítheach becomes mílítheacha: fir mhílítheacha, aghaidheanna mílítheacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very pale in Irish?
an-mhílítheach. Too pale is rómhílítheach, and as pale as is chomh mílítheach le.
What is the difference between 'mílítheach' and 'bán'?
'Bán' simply means white or fair, while 'mílítheach' means pale in an unhealthy way, as in 'Tá cuma mhílítheach air', he looks pale and unwell.
