HeyRuaHow to say “small” in Irish
- Irish:
- mion
- English:
- small, fine, detailed
- Word type:
- adjective
- Smaller:
- níos mine
- Smallest:
- is mine
- Plural:
- miona
- Pronunciation:
- “min” /mʲɪn̪ˠ/
What does “mion” mean?
“Mion” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- small
- Very small or tiny in size, often of pieces or particles.Also: tiny, minute, little.
2 other meanings: fine or detailed
- 2fine
- Made of very small grains or pieces, not coarse.Also: powdery, finely ground.
- 3detailed
- Done carefully, paying attention to small details.Also: minute, thorough, meticulous.
Other Irish adjectives for small: beag (small)
“Mion” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mion after fear (man, 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 mhion. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear mion.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, miona. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir mhiona; after other plurals it does not: mná miona.
Smaller, smallest, very small
Tá an plúr seo níos mine ná an ceann eile. This flour is finer than the other one.
| smaller | níos mine | in the past tense: ní ba mhine |
|---|---|---|
| smallest | is mine | in the past tense: ba mhine |
| as small as | chomh mion le | no change after chomh |
| very small | an-mhion | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too small | rómhion | ró- lenites |
“Mion” 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.
Small in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for small?
The Irish for small is mion (pronounced “min”). It comes after the noun: fear mion, a small man; bean mhion, a small woman.
How do you say smaller and smallest in Irish?
níos mine is smaller and is mine is smallest. In the past tense they become ní ba mhine and ba mhine.
Why does mion become mhion?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean mhion (a small woman) but fear mion (a small man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of mion?
With a plural noun mion becomes miona: fir mhiona, mná miona. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very small in Irish?
an-mhion. Too small is rómhion, and as small as is chomh mion le.
Does mion have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mion can mean small, fine or detailed, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What does 'go mion' mean?
'Go mion' means in detail, as in 'Phléigh siad an scéal go mion', they discussed the matter in detail.
Is 'mion' used as a prefix?
Yes, 'mion' often forms compounds such as 'mionsonraí' (details) and 'mionlach' is related (minority).
