HeyRuaHow to say “poor” in Irish
- Irish:
- bocht
- English:
- poor
- Word type:
- adjective
- Poorer:
- níos boichte
- Poorest:
- is boichte
- Plural:
- bochta
- Pronunciation:
- “bukht” /bˠɔxt̪ˠ/
What does “bocht” mean?
“Bocht” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- poor
- Having little money or few possessions.Also: needy, impoverished, destitute.
2 other meanings:
“Bocht” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is bocht 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 bhocht. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear bocht.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, bochta. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir bhochta; after other plurals it does not: mná bochta.
Poorer, poorest, very poor
Tá an baile seo níos boichte ná an baile eile. This town is poorer than the other town.
| poorer | níos boichte | in the past tense: ní ba bhoichte |
|---|---|---|
| poorest | is boichte | in the past tense: ba bhoichte |
| as poor as | chomh bocht le | no change after chomh |
| very poor | an-bhocht | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too poor | róbhocht | ró- lenites |
“Bocht” 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.
Poor in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for poor?
The Irish for poor is bocht (pronounced “bukht”). It comes after the noun: fear bocht, a poor man; bean bhocht, a poor woman.
How do you say poorer and poorest in Irish?
níos boichte is poorer and is boichte is poorest. In the past tense they become ní ba bhoichte and ba bhoichte.
Why does bocht become bhocht?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bhocht (a poor woman) but fear bocht (a poor man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of bocht?
With a plural noun bocht becomes bochta: fir bhochta, mná bochta. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very poor in Irish?
an-bhocht. Too poor is róbhocht, and as poor as is chomh bocht le.
How do I say 'I'm sorry to hear that' using bocht?
Say 'Is bocht liom do scéal', literally 'your story is sad to me'.
What is the opposite of bocht?
The usual opposite is 'saibhir' (rich), as in 'fear saibhir' versus 'fear bocht'.
