HeyRuaHow to say “speckled” in Irish
- Irish:
- breac
- English:
- speckled, middling
- Word type:
- adjective
- More speckled:
- níos brice
- Most speckled:
- is brice
- Plural:
- breaca
- Pronunciation:
- “brack” /bʲɾʲak/
What does “breac” mean?
“Breac” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- speckled
- Covered with small spots or marks of a different colour.Also: spotted, dappled, mottled, freckled.
1 other meaning: middling
- 2middling
- Partly one thing and partly another, mixed or only fair in amount or quality.Also: mixed, fair, moderate.
The same spelling has its own page as:
“Breac” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is breac after capall (horse, masculine), after cearc (hen, 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: cearc bhreac. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: capall breac.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, breaca. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: capaill bhreaca; after other plurals it does not: cearca breaca.
More speckled, most speckled, very speckled
Tá an bhó seo níos brice ná an ceann eile. This cow is more spotted than the other one.
| more speckled | níos brice | in the past tense: ní ba bhrice |
|---|---|---|
| most speckled | is brice | in the past tense: ba bhrice |
| as speckled as | chomh breac le | no change after chomh |
| very speckled | an-bhreac | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too speckled | róbhreac | ró- lenites |
“Breac” 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.
Speckled in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for speckled?
The Irish for speckled is breac (pronounced “brack”). It comes after the noun: capall breac, a speckled horse; cearc bhreac, a speckled hen.
How do you say more speckled and most speckled in Irish?
níos brice is more speckled and is brice is most speckled. In the past tense they become ní ba bhrice and ba bhrice.
Why does breac become bhreac?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So cearc bhreac (a speckled hen) but capall breac (a speckled horse), because capall is masculine.
What is the plural of breac?
With a plural noun breac becomes breaca: capaill bhreaca, cearca breaca. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very speckled in Irish?
an-bhreac. Too speckled is róbhreac, and as speckled as is chomh breac le.
Does breac have more than one meaning?
Yes. Breac can mean speckled or middling, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'breac' only an adjective?
No, 'breac' is also a common noun meaning a trout, and a verb meaning to speckle or jot down, as in 'breac síos é' (jot it down).
What does 'breac le' mean?
'Breac le' means dotted or sprinkled with, for example 'bhí an trá breac le daoine' (the beach was dotted with people).
