HeyRuaHow to say “strong” in Irish
- Irish:
- tréan
- English:
- strong, intense, brave
- Word type:
- adjective
- Stronger:
- níos treise
- Strongest:
- is treise
- Plural:
- tréana
- Pronunciation:
- “train” /tʲɾʲeːnˠ/
What does “tréan” mean?
“Tréan” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- strong
- Having great physical strength or power.Also: powerful, mighty, stout.
2 other meanings: intense or brave
“Tréan” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is tréan after fear (man, masculine), after gaoth (wind, 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: gaoth thréan. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear tréan.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, tréana. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir thréana; after other plurals it does not: gaotha tréana.
Stronger, strongest, very strong
Tá an sruth níos treise inniu ná inné. The current is stronger today than yesterday.
| stronger | níos treise | in the past tense: ní ba threise |
|---|---|---|
| strongest | is treise | in the past tense: ba threise |
| as strong as | chomh tréan le | no change after chomh |
| very strong | an-tréan | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too strong | róthréan | ró- lenites |
“Tréan” 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.
Strong in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for strong?
The Irish for strong is tréan (pronounced “train”). It comes after the noun: fear tréan, a strong man; gaoth thréan, a strong wind.
How do you say stronger and strongest in Irish?
níos treise is stronger and is treise is strongest. In the past tense they become ní ba threise and ba threise.
Why does tréan become thréan?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So gaoth thréan (a strong wind) but fear tréan (a strong man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of tréan?
With a plural noun tréan becomes tréana: fir thréana, gaotha tréana. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very strong in Irish?
an-tréan. Too strong is róthréan, and as strong as is chomh tréan le.
Does tréan have more than one meaning?
Yes. Tréan can mean strong, intense or brave, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between tréan and láidir?
Láidir is the everyday word for strong, while tréan is more literary and also suggests force or intensity, as in báisteach thréan, heavy rain.
What does 'go tréan' mean?
'Go tréan' is an adverb meaning strongly or vigorously, as in ag obair go tréan, working hard.
