HeyRuaHow to say “soft” in Irish
- Irish:
- maoth
- English:
- soft, moist, tender-hearted
- Word type:
- adjective
- Softer:
- níos maoithe
- Softest:
- is maoithe
- Plural:
- maotha
- Pronunciation:
- “mway” /mˠeːh/
What does “maoth” mean?
“Maoth” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- soft
- Soft and tender to the touch, yielding easily.Also: tender, delicate.
2 other meanings: moist or tender-hearted
- 2moist
- Slightly wet or damp.Also: damp, humid.
- 3tender-hearted
- Easily moved to emotion, sentimental or tearful.Also: sentimental, soppy, emotional.
Other Irish adjectives for soft: bog (soft)
“Maoth” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is maoth after croí (heart, masculine), after feoil (meat, 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: feoil mhaoth. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: croí maoth.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, maotha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: feolta maotha.
Softer, softest, very soft
Tá an fheoil seo níos maoithe ná an fheoil eile. This meat is more tender than the other meat.
| softer | níos maoithe | in the past tense: ní ba mhaoithe |
|---|---|---|
| softest | is maoithe | in the past tense: ba mhaoithe |
| as soft as | chomh maoth le | no change after chomh |
| very soft | an-mhaoth | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too soft | rómhaoth | ró- lenites |
“Maoth” 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.
Soft in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for soft?
The Irish for soft is maoth (pronounced “mway”). It comes after the noun: croí maoth, a soft heart; feoil mhaoth, soft meat.
How do you say softer and softest in Irish?
níos maoithe is softer and is maoithe is softest. In the past tense they become ní ba mhaoithe and ba mhaoithe.
Why does maoth become mhaoth?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So feoil mhaoth (soft meat) but croí maoth (a soft heart), because croí is masculine.
What is the plural of maoth?
With a plural noun maoth becomes maotha: croíthe maotha, feolta maotha.
How do you say very soft in Irish?
an-mhaoth. Too soft is rómhaoth, and as soft as is chomh maoth le.
Does maoth have more than one meaning?
Yes. Maoth can mean soft, moist or tender-hearted, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How is 'maoth' different from 'bog'?
'Bog' is the everyday word for soft, while 'maoth' is more literary and often suggests tenderness or moistness, as in 'croí maoth', a tender heart.
