HeyRuaHow to say “sandy-haired” in Irish
- Irish:
- fionnrua
- English:
- sandy-haired
- Word type:
- adjective
- More sandy-haired:
- níos fionnrua
- Most sandy-haired:
- is fionnrua
- Pronunciation:
- “FYUN-roo-a” /ˈfʲʊn̪ˠɾˠuə/
What does “fionnrua” mean?
- sandy-haired
- Having hair of a light reddish or sandy colour, between fair and red.Also: strawberry blond, light auburn, sandy, ginger-fair.
“Fionnrua” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fionnrua after buachaill (boy, masculine), after bean (woman, 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: bean fhionnrua. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: buachaill fionnrua.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fionnrua. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná fionnrua.
More sandy-haired, most sandy-haired, very sandy-haired
Tá a deirfiúr níos fionnrua ná í féin. Her sister is more strawberry blond than she is.
| more sandy-haired | níos fionnrua | in the past tense: ní b'fhionnrua |
|---|---|---|
| most sandy-haired | is fionnrua | in the past tense: ab fhionnrua |
| as sandy-haired as | chomh fionnrua le | no change after chomh |
| very sandy-haired | an-fhionnrua | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sandy-haired | rófhionnrua | ró- lenites |
“Fionnrua” 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.
Sandy-haired in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sandy-haired?
The Irish for sandy-haired is fionnrua (pronounced “FYUN-roo-a”). It comes after the noun: buachaill fionnrua, a sandy-haired boy; bean fhionnrua, a sandy-haired woman.
How do you say more sandy-haired and most sandy-haired in Irish?
níos fionnrua is more sandy-haired and is fionnrua is most sandy-haired. In the past tense they become ní b'fhionnrua and ab fhionnrua.
Why does fionnrua become fhionnrua?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean fhionnrua (a sandy-haired woman) but buachaill fionnrua (a sandy-haired boy), because buachaill is masculine.
How do you say very sandy-haired in Irish?
an-fhionnrua. Too sandy-haired is rófhionnrua, and as sandy-haired as is chomh fionnrua le.
How is 'fionnrua' different from 'rua' and 'fionn'?
'Rua' means red-haired and 'fionn' means fair-haired; 'fionnrua' combines them for a light reddish or sandy shade.
