HeyRuaHow to say “reddish-brown” in Irish
- Irish:
- donndearg
- English:
- reddish-brown
- Word type:
- adjective
- More reddish-brown:
- níos donndeirge
- Most reddish-brown:
- is donndeirge
- Plural:
- donndearga
- Pronunciation:
- “down-DAR-ug” /ˌd̪ˠəun̪ˠˈdʲaɾˠəɡ/
What does “donndearg” mean?
- reddish-brown
- Having a brown colour with a red tinge, like rust or chestnut.Also: russet, auburn, chestnut, rust-coloured.
“Donndearg” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is donndearg after capall (horse, masculine), after bó (cow, 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: bó dhonndearg. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: capall donndearg.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, donndearga. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: capaill dhonndearga; after other plurals it does not: ba donndearga.
More reddish-brown, most reddish-brown, very reddish-brown
Tá a cuid gruaige níos donndeirge ná mo chuidse. Her hair is more reddish-brown than mine.
| more reddish-brown | níos donndeirge | in the past tense: ní ba dhonndeirge |
|---|---|---|
| most reddish-brown | is donndeirge | in the past tense: ba dhonndeirge |
| as reddish-brown as | chomh donndearg le | no change after chomh |
| very reddish-brown | an-donndearg | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too reddish-brown | ródhonndearg | ró- lenites |
“Donndearg” 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.
Reddish-brown in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for reddish-brown?
The Irish for reddish-brown is donndearg (pronounced “down-DAR-ug”). It comes after the noun: capall donndearg, a reddish-brown horse; bó dhonndearg, a reddish-brown cow.
How do you say more reddish-brown and most reddish-brown in Irish?
níos donndeirge is more reddish-brown and is donndeirge is most reddish-brown. In the past tense they become ní ba dhonndeirge and ba dhonndeirge.
Why does donndearg become dhonndearg?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bó dhonndearg (a reddish-brown cow) but capall donndearg (a reddish-brown horse), because capall is masculine.
What is the plural of donndearg?
With a plural noun donndearg becomes donndearga: capaill dhonndearga, ba donndearga. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very reddish-brown in Irish?
an-donndearg. Too reddish-brown is ródhonndearg, and as reddish-brown as is chomh donndearg le.
How is 'donndearg' different from 'rua'?
'Rua' is the usual word for red hair or a red-brown animal, while 'donndearg' is a more descriptive colour term for any reddish-brown thing.
