HeyRuaHow to say “safe” in Irish
- Irish:
- sábháilte
- English:
- safe, saved
- Word type:
- adjective
- Safer:
- níos sábháilte
- Safest:
- is sábháilte
- Pronunciation:
- “SAW-wal-cha” /ˈsˠɑːwəlʲtʲə/
What does “sábháilte” mean?
“Sábháilte” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- safe
- Free from danger or risk, not likely to cause harm.Also: secure, out of danger, harmless.
1 other meaning: saved
- 2saved
- Rescued or kept from harm or loss; also, of a crop, harvested and stored safely.Also: rescued, harvested.
Other Irish adjectives for safe: slán (safe)
“Sábháilte” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is sábháilte after fear (man, masculine), after cathair (city, 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: cathair shábháilte. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear sábháilte.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, sábháilte. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir shábháilte; after other plurals it does not: cathracha sábháilte.
Safer, safest, very safe
Tá an traein níos sábháilte ná an carr. The train is safer than the car.
| safer | níos sábháilte | in the past tense: ní ba shábháilte |
|---|---|---|
| safest | is sábháilte | in the past tense: ba shábháilte |
| as safe as | chomh sábháilte le | no change after chomh |
| very safe | an-sábháilte | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too safe | róshábháilte | ró- lenites |
“Sábháilte” 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.
Safe in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for safe?
The Irish for safe is sábháilte (pronounced “SAW-wal-cha”). It comes after the noun: fear sábháilte, a safe man; cathair shábháilte, a safe city.
How do you say safer and safest in Irish?
níos sábháilte is safer and is sábháilte is safest. In the past tense they become ní ba shábháilte and ba shábháilte.
Why does sábháilte become shábháilte?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cathair shábháilte (a safe city) but fear sábháilte (a safe man), because fear is masculine.
How do you say very safe in Irish?
an-sábháilte. Too safe is róshábháilte, and as safe as is chomh sábháilte le.
Does sábháilte have more than one meaning?
Yes. Sábháilte can mean safe or saved, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'sábháilte' and 'slán'?
'Sábháilte' means safe or secure, while 'slán' means whole, healthy or unharmed; together 'slán sábháilte' means safe and sound.
