HeyRuaHow to say “sensitive” in Irish
- Irish:
- mothálach
- English:
- sensitive, emotional
- Word type:
- adjective
- More sensitive:
- níos mothálaí
- Most sensitive:
- is mothálaí
- Plural:
- mothálacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MUH-haw-lukh” /ˈmˠɔhaːl̪ˠəx/
What does “mothálach” mean?
“Mothálach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- sensitive
- Quick to feel or react to things, physically or emotionally.Also: feeling, responsive, perceptive.
1 other meaning: emotional
- 2emotional
- Showing or easily moved by feelings.Also: touching, moving.
Other Irish adjectives for sensitive: íogair (sensitive), mothúchánach (emotional)
“Mothálach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mothálach after duine (person, 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 mhothálach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: duine mothálach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mothálacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná mothálacha.
More sensitive, most sensitive, very sensitive
Tá sí níos mothálaí ná a deartháir. She is more sensitive than her brother.
| more sensitive | níos mothálaí | in the past tense: ní ba mhothálaí |
|---|---|---|
| most sensitive | is mothálaí | in the past tense: ba mhothálaí |
| as sensitive as | chomh mothálach le | no change after chomh |
| very sensitive | an-mhothálach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sensitive | rómhothálach | ró- lenites |
“Mothálach” 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.
Sensitive in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sensitive?
The Irish for sensitive is mothálach (pronounced “MUH-haw-lukh”). It comes after the noun: duine mothálach, a sensitive person; bean mhothálach, a sensitive woman.
How do you say more sensitive and most sensitive in Irish?
níos mothálaí is more sensitive and is mothálaí is most sensitive. In the past tense they become ní ba mhothálaí and ba mhothálaí.
Why does mothálach become mhothálach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean mhothálach (a sensitive woman) but duine mothálach (a sensitive person), because duine is masculine.
What is the plural of mothálach?
With a plural noun mothálach becomes mothálacha: daoine mothálacha, mná mothálacha.
How do you say very sensitive in Irish?
an-mhothálach. Too sensitive is rómhothálach, and as sensitive as is chomh mothálach le.
Does mothálach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mothálach can mean sensitive or emotional, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between mothálach and íogair?
Both mean sensitive, but íogair is also used for delicate or touchy matters, as in ceist íogair, a sensitive issue, while mothálach describes a person's capacity to feel.
