HeyRuaHow to say “plain” in Irish
- Irish:
- pléineáilte
- English:
- plain, plain-spoken
- Word type:
- adjective
- Plainer:
- níos pléineáilte
- Plainest:
- is pléineáilte
- Pronunciation:
- “PLAY-nawl-cha” /pʲlʲeːnʲaːlʲtʲə/
What does “pléineáilte” mean?
“Pléineáilte” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- plain
- Simple and ordinary, without decoration or anything special.Also: simple, unadorned, ordinary.
1 other meaning: plain-spoken
- 2plain-spoken
- Said or speaking in a clear, direct and honest way.Also: frank, straightforward, blunt.
Other Irish adjectives for plain: tur (dry)
“Pléineáilte” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is pléineáilte after gúna (dress, masculine), after bróg (shoe, 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: bróg phléineáilte. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: gúna pléineáilte.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, pléineáilte. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: bróga pléineáilte.
Plainer, plainest, very plain
Tá an seomra seo níos pléineáilte ná an ceann eile. This room is plainer than the other one.
| plainer | níos pléineáilte | in the past tense: ní ba phléineáilte |
|---|---|---|
| plainest | is pléineáilte | in the past tense: ba phléineáilte |
| as plain as | chomh pléineáilte le | no change after chomh |
| very plain | an-phléineáilte | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too plain | róphléineáilte | ró- lenites |
“Pléineáilte” 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.
Plain in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for plain?
The Irish for plain is pléineáilte (pronounced “PLAY-nawl-cha”). It comes after the noun: gúna pléineáilte, a plain dress; bróg phléineáilte, a plain shoe.
How do you say plainer and plainest in Irish?
níos pléineáilte is plainer and is pléineáilte is plainest. In the past tense they become ní ba phléineáilte and ba phléineáilte.
Why does pléineáilte become phléineáilte?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bróg phléineáilte (a plain shoe) but gúna pléineáilte (a plain dress), because gúna is masculine.
How do you say very plain in Irish?
an-phléineáilte. Too plain is róphléineáilte, and as plain as is chomh pléineáilte le.
Does pléineáilte have more than one meaning?
Yes. Pléineáilte can mean plain or plain-spoken, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'pléineáilte' the same as 'simplí'?
They overlap: 'pléineáilte' stresses plainness or lack of decoration, while 'simplí' means simple or easy. For simple food or clothes either can be used, but 'simplí' is more formal.
