HeyRuaHow to say “rainy” in Irish
- Irish:
- fearthainneach
- English:
- rainy
- Word type:
- adjective
- Rainier:
- níos fearthainní
- Rainiest:
- is fearthainní
- Plural:
- fearthainneacha
- Pronunciation:
- “FAR-han-yukh” /ˈfʲaɾˠhənʲəx/
What does “fearthainneach” mean?
- rainy
- Describes weather, a day or a place with a lot of rain.Also: wet, showery, raining.
Other Irish adjectives for rainy: ceathach (showery), báistiúil (rainy), fliuchánta (wet), frasach (showery)
“Fearthainneach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fearthainneach after lá (day, masculine), after oíche (night, 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: oíche fhearthainneach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: lá fearthainneach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fearthainneacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: oícheanta fearthainneacha.
Rainier, rainiest, very rainy
Tá an t-iarthar níos fearthainní ná an t-oirthear. The west is rainier than the east.
| rainier | níos fearthainní | in the past tense: ní b'fhearthainní |
|---|---|---|
| rainiest | is fearthainní | in the past tense: ab fhearthainní |
| as rainy as | chomh fearthainneach le | no change after chomh |
| very rainy | an-fhearthainneach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too rainy | rófhearthainneach | ró- lenites |
“Fearthainneach” 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.
Rainy in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for rainy?
The Irish for rainy is fearthainneach (pronounced “FAR-han-yukh”). It comes after the noun: lá fearthainneach, a rainy day; oíche fhearthainneach, a rainy night.
How do you say rainier and rainiest in Irish?
níos fearthainní is rainier and is fearthainní is rainiest. In the past tense they become ní b'fhearthainní and ab fhearthainní.
Why does fearthainneach become fhearthainneach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So oíche fhearthainneach (a rainy night) but lá fearthainneach (a rainy day), because lá is masculine.
What is the plural of fearthainneach?
With a plural noun fearthainneach becomes fearthainneacha: laethanta fearthainneacha, oícheanta fearthainneacha.
How do you say very rainy in Irish?
an-fhearthainneach. Too rainy is rófhearthainneach, and as rainy as is chomh fearthainneach le.
What is the difference between 'fearthainneach' and 'fliuch'?
'Fearthainneach' means rainy, describing weather with rain falling, from 'fearthainn' (rain). 'Fliuch' means wet in general, so 'lá fliuch' and 'lá fearthainneach' both work for weather, but only 'fliuch' suits wet clothes.
