HeyRuaHow to say “superlative” in Irish
- Irish:
- sárchéimeach
- English:
- superlative
- Word type:
- adjective
- More superlative:
- níos sárchéimí
- Most superlative:
- is sárchéimí
- Plural:
- sárchéimeacha
- Pronunciation:
- “SAWR-kay-mukh” /ˈsˠaːɾˠˌceːmʲəx/
What does “sárchéimeach” mean?
- superlative
- Describes the form of an adjective or adverb that expresses the highest degree, as in 'biggest'.Also: superlative degree.
“Sárchéimeach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is sárchéimeach after leagan (version, masculine), after céim (step, 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: céim shárchéimeach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: leagan sárchéimeach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, sárchéimeacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: céimeanna sárchéimeacha.
More superlative, most superlative, very superlative
Níl foirm ar bith níos sárchéimí ná seo. There is no form more superlative than this.
| more superlative | níos sárchéimí | in the past tense: ní ba shárchéimí |
|---|---|---|
| most superlative | is sárchéimí | in the past tense: ba shárchéimí |
| as superlative as | chomh sárchéimeach le | no change after chomh |
| very superlative | an-sárchéimeach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too superlative | róshárchéimeach | ró- lenites |
“Sárchéimeach” 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.
Superlative in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for superlative?
The Irish for superlative is sárchéimeach (pronounced “SAWR-kay-mukh”). It comes after the noun: leagan sárchéimeach, a superlative version; céim shárchéimeach, a superlative step.
How do you say more superlative and most superlative in Irish?
níos sárchéimí is more superlative and is sárchéimí is most superlative. In the past tense they become ní ba shárchéimí and ba shárchéimí.
Why does sárchéimeach become shárchéimeach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So céim shárchéimeach (a superlative step) but leagan sárchéimeach (a superlative version), because leagan is masculine.
What is the plural of sárchéimeach?
With a plural noun sárchéimeach becomes sárchéimeacha: leaganacha sárchéimeacha, céimeanna sárchéimeacha.
How do you say very superlative in Irish?
an-sárchéimeach. Too superlative is róshárchéimeach, and as superlative as is chomh sárchéimeach le.
How is the superlative formed in Irish?
Irish uses 'is' or 'ba' with the comparative form, for example 'an fear is mó', the biggest man. The grammatical term for this is 'sárchéim' and the adjective is 'sárchéimeach'.
