HeyRuaHow to say “polite” in Irish
- Irish:
- béasach
- English:
- polite, well-behaved
- Word type:
- adjective
- More polite:
- níos béasaí
- Most polite:
- is béasaí
- Plural:
- béasacha
- Pronunciation:
- “BAY-sukh” /bʲeːsˠəx/
What does “béasach” mean?
“Béasach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- polite
- Having good manners and behaving respectfully towards other people.Also: well-mannered, mannerly, courteous, civil.
1 other meaning: well-behaved
- 2well-behaved
- Behaving properly and causing no trouble, especially of a child.Also: good, mannerly.
Other Irish adjectives for polite: múinte (polite), cúirtéiseach (courteous), dea-bhéasach (well-mannered), dea-mhúinte (well-mannered)
“Béasach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is béasach after buachaill (boy, 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 bhéasach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: buachaill béasach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, béasacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná béasacha.
More polite, most polite, very polite
Tá sí níos béasaí ná a deartháir. She is more polite than her brother.
| more polite | níos béasaí | in the past tense: ní ba bhéasaí |
|---|---|---|
| most polite | is béasaí | in the past tense: ba bhéasaí |
| as polite as | chomh béasach le | no change after chomh |
| very polite | an-bhéasach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too polite | róbhéasach | ró- lenites |
“Béasach” 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.
Polite in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for polite?
The Irish for polite is béasach (pronounced “BAY-sukh”). It comes after the noun: buachaill béasach, a polite boy; bean bhéasach, a polite woman.
How do you say more polite and most polite in Irish?
níos béasaí is more polite and is béasaí is most polite. In the past tense they become ní ba bhéasaí and ba bhéasaí.
Why does béasach become bhéasach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bhéasach (a polite woman) but buachaill béasach (a polite boy), because buachaill is masculine.
What is the plural of béasach?
With a plural noun béasach becomes béasacha: buachaillí béasacha, mná béasacha.
How do you say very polite in Irish?
an-bhéasach. Too polite is róbhéasach, and as polite as is chomh béasach le.
Does béasach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Béasach can mean polite or well-behaved, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between béasach and múinte?
Both mean polite; múinte is the more common everyday word, while béasach stresses good manners (béasa).
How do I say impolite?
Use drochbhéasach or mímhúinte, for example: Bhí sé mímhúinte liom.
