HeyRuaHow to say “sudden” in Irish
- Irish:
- tobann
- English:
- sudden, hasty, quick-tempered
- Word type:
- adjective
- More sudden:
- níos tobainne
- Most sudden:
- is tobainne
- Plural:
- tobanna
- Pronunciation:
- “TUB-un” /ˈt̪ˠʊbˠən̪ˠ/
What does “tobann” mean?
“Tobann” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- sudden
- Happening quickly and without warning.Also: unexpected, abrupt, snap.
2 other meanings: hasty or quick-tempered
- 2hasty
- Acting or done too quickly, without enough thought.Also: rash, impulsive, impetuous.
- 3quick-tempered
- Easily and quickly made angry.Also: short-tempered, irascible, hot-tempered.
“Tobann” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is tobann after bás (death, 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 thobann. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: bás tobann.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, tobanna. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: gaotha tobanna.
More sudden, most sudden, very sudden
| more sudden | níos tobainne | in the past tense: ní ba thobainne |
|---|---|---|
| most sudden | is tobainne | in the past tense: ba thobainne |
| as sudden as | chomh tobann le | no change after chomh |
| very sudden | an-tobann | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sudden | róthobann | ró- lenites |
“Tobann” 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.
Sudden in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sudden?
The Irish for sudden is tobann (pronounced “TUB-un”). It comes after the noun: bás tobann, a sudden death; gaoth thobann, a sudden wind.
How do you say more sudden and most sudden in Irish?
níos tobainne is more sudden and is tobainne is most sudden. In the past tense they become ní ba thobainne and ba thobainne.
Why does tobann become thobann?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So gaoth thobann (a sudden wind) but bás tobann (a sudden death), because bás is masculine.
What is the plural of tobann?
With a plural noun tobann becomes tobanna: básanna tobanna, gaotha tobanna.
How do you say very sudden in Irish?
an-tobann. Too sudden is róthobann, and as sudden as is chomh tobann le.
Does tobann have more than one meaning?
Yes. Tobann can mean sudden, hasty or quick-tempered, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'suddenly' in Irish?
Use 'go tobann', for example 'Stad sé go tobann', he stopped suddenly.
Is 'obann' the same as 'tobann'?
Yes, 'obann' is a related, more literary word meaning sudden, but 'tobann' is the usual everyday form.
