HeyRuaHow to say “short” in Irish
- Irish:
- gairid
- English:
- short
- Word type:
- adjective
- Shorter:
- níos gairide
- Shortest:
- is gairide
- Plural:
- gairide
- Pronunciation:
- “GAR-idj” /ˈɡaɾʲədʲ/
What does “gairid” mean?
“Gairid” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- short
- Lasting only a little time, or brief.Also: brief, quick, short-lived.
1 other meaning:
- 2short
- Having a small length or distance; near.Also: near, close.
Other Irish adjectives for short: gearr (short)
“Gairid” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is gairid after scéal (story, masculine), after abairt (sentence, 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: abairt ghairid. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: scéal gairid.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, gairide. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: abairtí gairide.
Shorter, shortest, very short
Bhí an chaint seo níos gairide ná an chéad cheann. This talk was shorter than the first one.
| shorter | níos gairide | in the past tense: ní ba ghairide |
|---|---|---|
| shortest | is gairide | in the past tense: ba ghairide |
| as short as | chomh gairid le | no change after chomh |
| very short | an-ghairid | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too short | róghairid | ró- lenites |
“Gairid” 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.
Short in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for short?
The Irish for short is gairid (pronounced “GAR-idj”). It comes after the noun: scéal gairid, a short story; abairt ghairid, a short sentence.
How do you say shorter and shortest in Irish?
níos gairide is shorter and is gairide is shortest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghairide and ba ghairide.
Why does gairid become ghairid?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So abairt ghairid (a short sentence) but scéal gairid (a short story), because scéal is masculine.
What is the plural of gairid?
With a plural noun gairid becomes gairide: scéalta gairide, abairtí gairide.
How do you say very short in Irish?
an-ghairid. Too short is róghairid, and as short as is chomh gairid le.
What is the difference between 'gairid' and 'gearr'?
Both mean short, and 'gearr' is more common in everyday speech, as in 'bóthar gearr'. 'Gairid' is often used of time, as in 'go gairid' (soon) or 'Is gairid an saol'.
How do I say 'near to' with 'gairid'?
Use 'gairid do', for example 'gairid don bhaile' means near the town.
