HeyRuaHow to say “quick” in Irish
- Irish:
- mear
- English:
- quick, lively, hasty, crazy
- Word type:
- adjective
- Quicker:
- níos mire
- Quickest:
- is mire
- Plural:
- meara
- Pronunciation:
- “myar” /mʲaɾˠ/
What does “mear” mean?
“Mear” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- quick
- Moving or happening at great speed.Also: fast, swift, rapid, nimble.
3 other meanings: lively or hasty or crazy
- 2lively
- Full of energy and spirit.Also: spirited, brisk.
- 3hasty
- Acting too quickly without thinking; rash or quick-tempered.Also: rash, impetuous, quick-tempered.
- 4crazy
- Mad, wild or furious.Also: mad, furious, wild.
Other Irish adjectives for quick: tapa (quick), gasta (quick), sciobtha (quick), pras (prompt)
“Mear” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mear after capall (horse, masculine), after abhainn (river, 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: abhainn mhear. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: capall mear.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, meara. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: capaill mheara; after other plurals it does not: aibhneacha meara.
Quicker, quickest, very quick
Tá an traein seo níos mire ná an bus. This train is faster than the bus.
| quicker | níos mire | in the past tense: ní ba mhire |
|---|---|---|
| quickest | is mire | in the past tense: ba mhire |
| as quick as | chomh mear le | no change after chomh |
| very quick | an-mhear | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too quick | rómhear | ró- lenites |
“Mear” 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.
Quick in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for quick?
The Irish for quick is mear (pronounced “myar”). It comes after the noun: capall mear, a quick horse; abhainn mhear, a quick river.
How do you say quicker and quickest in Irish?
níos mire is quicker and is mire is quickest. In the past tense they become ní ba mhire and ba mhire.
Why does mear become mhear?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So abhainn mhear (a quick river) but capall mear (a quick horse), because capall is masculine.
What is the plural of mear?
With a plural noun mear becomes meara: capaill mheara, aibhneacha meara. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very quick in Irish?
an-mhear. Too quick is rómhear, and as quick as is chomh mear le.
Does mear have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mear can mean quick, lively, hasty or crazy, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How is 'mear' different from 'tapa' and 'gasta'?
All mean quick, but 'mear' is more literary and can also suggest rashness or wildness, while 'tapa' and 'gasta' are the everyday words for fast.
What does 'ar mire' mean?
'Ar mire' uses the related noun 'mire' and means mad or in a frenzy, as in 'Tá sé ar mire', he is furious.
