HeyRuaHow to say “rough” in Irish
- Irish:
- garg
- English:
- rough, bitter, harsh-sounding
- Word type:
- adjective
- Rougher:
- níos gairge
- Roughest:
- is gairge
- Plural:
- garga
- Pronunciation:
- “GAR-ug” /ˈɡaɾˠəɡ/
What does “garg” mean?
“Garg” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- rough
- Harsh, rough or fierce in manner or nature.Also: harsh, fierce, gruff, abrasive.
2 other meanings: bitter or harsh-sounding
- 2bitter
- Sharp, bitter or pungent in taste or smell.Also: acrid, pungent, sharp, tart.
- 3harsh-sounding
- Of a voice or sound, rough and grating to hear.Also: strident, raucous, grating.
Other Irish adjectives for rough: garbh (rough), neamhchothrom (uneven)
“Garg” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is garg after blas (taste, masculine), after aimsir (weather, 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: aimsir gharg. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: blas garg.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, garga. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: aimsirí garga.
Rougher, roughest, very rough
Tá an t-úll seo níos gairge ná an ceann eile. This apple is sharper than the other one.
| rougher | níos gairge | in the past tense: ní ba ghairge |
|---|---|---|
| roughest | is gairge | in the past tense: ba ghairge |
| as rough as | chomh garg le | no change after chomh |
| very rough | an-gharg | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too rough | rógharg | ró- lenites |
“Garg” 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.
Rough in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for rough?
The Irish for rough is garg (pronounced “GAR-ug”). It comes after the noun: blas garg, a rough taste; aimsir gharg, rough weather.
How do you say rougher and roughest in Irish?
níos gairge is rougher and is gairge is roughest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghairge and ba ghairge.
Why does garg become gharg?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aimsir gharg (rough weather) but blas garg (a rough taste), because blas is masculine.
What is the plural of garg?
With a plural noun garg becomes garga: blasanna garga, aimsirí garga.
How do you say very rough in Irish?
an-gharg. Too rough is rógharg, and as rough as is chomh garg le.
Does garg have more than one meaning?
Yes. Garg can mean rough, bitter or harsh-sounding, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between garg and garbh?
Garbh means rough in texture or coarse, as in 'éadach garbh', while garg suggests harshness or bitterness, as in 'blas garg' or 'guth garg'.
Which preposition goes with garg when talking about how someone treats people?
Use 'le': 'Bhí sé garg liom' means he was harsh with me.
