HeyRuaHow to say “sharp” in Irish
- Irish:
- géar
- English:
- sharp, sour, severe, keen
- Word type:
- adjective
- Sharper:
- níos géire
- Sharpest:
- is géire
- Plural:
- géara
- Pronunciation:
- “gyare” /ɟeːɾˠ/
What does “géar” mean?
“Géar” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- sharp
- Having a fine edge or point that cuts easily.Also: keen, pointed.
3 other meanings: sour or severe or keen
- 2sour
- Having an acid or bitter taste.Also: acid, tart, bitter.
- 3severe
- Harsh, intense or fierce, as of punishment, cold, pain or competition.Also: harsh, fierce, biting, acute.
- 4keen
- Quick and alert, of the mind or senses, or close and intent, of attention.Also: acute, shrewd, intent, cutting.
Other Irish adjectives for sharp: biorach (pointed)
“Géar” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is géar after fear (man, masculine), after scian (knife, 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: scian ghéar. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear géar.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, géara. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir ghéara; after other plurals it does not: sceana géara.
Sharper, sharpest, very sharp
Tá an scian seo níos géire ná an ceann eile. This knife is sharper than the other one.
| sharper | níos géire | in the past tense: ní ba ghéire |
|---|---|---|
| sharpest | is géire | in the past tense: ba ghéire |
| as sharp as | chomh géar le | no change after chomh |
| very sharp | an-ghéar | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sharp | róghéar | ró- lenites |
“Géar” 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.
Sharp in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sharp?
The Irish for sharp is géar (pronounced “gyare”). It comes after the noun: fear géar, a sharp man; scian ghéar, a sharp knife.
How do you say sharper and sharpest in Irish?
níos géire is sharper and is géire is sharpest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghéire and ba ghéire.
Why does géar become ghéar?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So scian ghéar (a sharp knife) but fear géar (a sharp man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of géar?
With a plural noun géar becomes géara: fir ghéara, sceana géara. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very sharp in Irish?
an-ghéar. Too sharp is róghéar, and as sharp as is chomh géar le.
Does géar have more than one meaning?
Yes. Géar can mean sharp, sour, severe or keen, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What does 'go géar' mean before a verb like 'éist' or 'féach'?
Used as an adverb, 'go géar' means closely or intently: 'Éist go géar' means listen carefully.
Is 'géar' the word for sour milk?
Yes, 'bainne géar' is sour milk, while 'goirt' means salty and 'searbh' means bitter.
