HeyRuaHow to say “sandy” in Irish
- Irish:
- gainmheach
- English:
- sandy
- Word type:
- adjective
- Sandier:
- níos gainmhí
- Sandiest:
- is gainmhí
- Plural:
- gainmheacha
- Pronunciation:
- “GAN-yuh-vukh” /ˈɡanʲəvʲəx/
What does “gainmheach” mean?
- sandy
- Covered with, full of, or made of sand.Also: sand-covered, gritty.
“Gainmheach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is gainmheach after cladach (shore, masculine), after trá (beach, 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: trá ghainmheach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: cladach gainmheach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, gainmheacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: tránna gainmheacha.
Sandier, sandiest, very sandy
Tá an ithir seo níos gainmhí ná an ithir sa ghairdín. This soil is sandier than the soil in the garden.
| sandier | níos gainmhí | in the past tense: ní ba ghainmhí |
|---|---|---|
| sandiest | is gainmhí | in the past tense: ba ghainmhí |
| as sandy as | chomh gainmheach le | no change after chomh |
| very sandy | an-ghainmheach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sandy | róghainmheach | ró- lenites |
“Gainmheach” 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 in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sandy?
The Irish for sandy is gainmheach (pronounced “GAN-yuh-vukh”). It comes after the noun: cladach gainmheach, a sandy shore; trá ghainmheach, a sandy beach.
How do you say sandier and sandiest in Irish?
níos gainmhí is sandier and is gainmhí is sandiest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghainmhí and ba ghainmhí.
Why does gainmheach become ghainmheach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So trá ghainmheach (a sandy beach) but cladach gainmheach (a sandy shore), because cladach is masculine.
What is the plural of gainmheach?
With a plural noun gainmheach becomes gainmheacha: cladaí gainmheacha, tránna gainmheacha.
How do you say very sandy in Irish?
an-ghainmheach. Too sandy is róghainmheach, and as sandy as is chomh gainmheach le.
Which noun is 'gainmheach' related to?
It comes from 'gaineamh', meaning sand, so 'trá ghainmheach' is a beach of sand.
