HeyRuaHow to say “sheltered” in Irish
- Irish:
- fothainiúil
- English:
- sheltered, sheltering
- Word type:
- adjective
- More sheltered:
- níos fothainiúla
- Most sheltered:
- is fothainiúla
- Plural:
- fothainiúla
- Pronunciation:
- “fo-hin-OO-il” /fˠɔhɪˈnʲuːlʲ/
What does “fothainiúil” mean?
“Fothainiúil” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- sheltered
- Protected from wind and bad weather.Also: protected, snug, shielded.
1 other meaning: sheltering
- 2sheltering
- Giving shelter or protection from the weather.Also: giving shelter, protective.
Other Irish adjectives for sheltered: cluthar (sheltered)
“Fothainiúil” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fothainiúil after gleann (glen, masculine), after áit (place, 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: áit fhothainiúil. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: gleann fothainiúil.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fothainiúla. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: áiteanna fothainiúla.
More sheltered, most sheltered, very sheltered
Tá an gairdín cúil níos fothainiúla ná an ceann tosaigh. The back garden is more sheltered than the front one.
| more sheltered | níos fothainiúla | in the past tense: ní b'fhothainiúla |
|---|---|---|
| most sheltered | is fothainiúla | in the past tense: ab fhothainiúla |
| as sheltered as | chomh fothainiúil le | no change after chomh |
| very sheltered | an-fhothainiúil | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sheltered | rófhothainiúil | ró- lenites |
“Fothainiúil” 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.
Sheltered in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sheltered?
The Irish for sheltered is fothainiúil (pronounced “fo-hin-OO-il”). It comes after the noun: gleann fothainiúil, a sheltered glen; áit fhothainiúil, a sheltered place.
How do you say more sheltered and most sheltered in Irish?
níos fothainiúla is more sheltered and is fothainiúla is most sheltered. In the past tense they become ní b'fhothainiúla and ab fhothainiúla.
Why does fothainiúil become fhothainiúil?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So áit fhothainiúil (a sheltered place) but gleann fothainiúil (a sheltered glen), because gleann is masculine.
What is the plural of fothainiúil?
With a plural noun fothainiúil becomes fothainiúla: gleannta fothainiúla, áiteanna fothainiúla.
How do you say very sheltered in Irish?
an-fhothainiúil. Too sheltered is rófhothainiúil, and as sheltered as is chomh fothainiúil le.
Does fothainiúil have more than one meaning?
Yes. Fothainiúil can mean sheltered or sheltering, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition goes with fothainiúil to say what something is sheltered from?
Use ó: "fothainiúil ón ngaoth" means sheltered from the wind.
Is fothainiúil the same as foscúil?
They are close in meaning, both describing a sheltered place; fothainiúil comes from "fothain" (shelter) and foscúil from "foscadh".
