HeyRuaHow to say “sick” in Irish
- Irish:
- breoite
- English:
- sick
- Word type:
- adjective
- Sicker:
- níos breoite
- Sickest:
- is breoite
- Pronunciation:
- “BRYOH-cha” /ˈbʲɾʲoːtʲə/
What does “breoite” mean?
- sick
- Not in good health; suffering from an illness.Also: ill, unwell, poorly, ailing.
“Breoite” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is breoite after páiste (child, 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 bhreoite. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: páiste breoite.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, breoite. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná breoite.
Sicker, sickest, very sick
Bhí sí níos breoite inné ná mar atá sí inniu. She was sicker yesterday than she is today.
| sicker | níos breoite | in the past tense: ní ba bhreoite |
|---|---|---|
| sickest | is breoite | in the past tense: ba bhreoite |
| as sick as | chomh breoite le | no change after chomh |
| very sick | an-bhreoite | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sick | róbhreoite | ró- lenites |
“Breoite” 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.
Sick in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sick?
The Irish for sick is breoite (pronounced “BRYOH-cha”). It comes after the noun: páiste breoite, a sick child; bean bhreoite, a sick woman.
How do you say sicker and sickest in Irish?
níos breoite is sicker and is breoite is sickest. In the past tense they become ní ba bhreoite and ba bhreoite.
Why does breoite become bhreoite?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bhreoite (a sick woman) but páiste breoite (a sick child), because páiste is masculine.
How do you say very sick in Irish?
an-bhreoite. Too sick is róbhreoite, and as sick as is chomh breoite le.
What is the difference between 'breoite' and 'tinn'?
Both mean ill: 'breoite' is the general word for being sick, while 'tinn' can also mean sore, as in 'Tá mo cheann tinn' (my head is sore).
How do I say I feel sick?
Say 'Táim breoite' or 'Tá mé breoite'. For nausea you can say 'Tá masmas orm'.
