HeyRuaHow to say “scarce” in Irish
- Irish:
- gann
- English:
- scarce, sparse, short of
- Word type:
- adjective
- Scarcer:
- níos gainne
- Scarcest:
- is gainne
- Plural:
- ganna
- Pronunciation:
- “gown” /ɡɑːn̪ˠ/
What does “gann” mean?
“Gann” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- scarce
- There is not much of it available; it is in short supply.Also: scant, in short supply, rare, limited.
2 other meanings: sparse or short of
- 2sparse
- Thin or thinly spread, with little of something.Also: thin, meagre, scanty.
- 3short of
- Lacking or not having enough of something, used with 'i' or 'ar'.Also: lacking, deficient, wanting.
“Gann” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is gann after fear (man, 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 ghann. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear gann.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, ganna. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir ghanna; after other plurals it does not: aimsirí ganna.
Scarcer, scarcest, very scarce
Tá uisce níos gainne anois ná riamh. Water is scarcer now than ever.
| scarcer | níos gainne | in the past tense: ní ba ghainne |
|---|---|---|
| scarcest | is gainne | in the past tense: ba ghainne |
| as scarce as | chomh gann le | no change after chomh |
| very scarce | an-ghann | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too scarce | róghann | ró- lenites |
“Gann” 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.
Scarce in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for scarce?
The Irish for scarce is gann (pronounced “gown”). It comes after the noun: fear gann, a scarce man; aimsir ghann, scarce weather.
How do you say scarcer and scarcest in Irish?
níos gainne is scarcer and is gainne is scarcest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghainne and ba ghainne.
Why does gann become ghann?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aimsir ghann (scarce weather) but fear gann (a scarce man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of gann?
With a plural noun gann becomes ganna: fir ghanna, aimsirí ganna. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very scarce in Irish?
an-ghann. Too scarce is róghann, and as scarce as is chomh gann le.
Does gann have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gann can mean scarce, sparse or short of, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'scarcely' with gann?
Use 'is gann' with a clause: 'Is gann a chuala mé é' means 'I scarcely heard it'.
Which preposition goes with gann for 'short of'?
Say 'tá airgead gann orm' (money is scarce on me) or 'gann ar airgead' or 'gann i gcéill' for 'short of sense'.
