HeyRuaHow to say “taciturn” in Irish
- Irish:
- beagchainteach
- English:
- taciturn
- Word type:
- adjective
- More taciturn:
- níos beagchaintí
- Most taciturn:
- is beagchaintí
- Plural:
- beagchainteacha
- Pronunciation:
- “BYOG-khan-tyukh” /ˈbʲɔɡˌxanʲtʲəx/
What does “beagchainteach” mean?
- taciturn
- Describes a person who says little and does not talk much.Also: quiet, reticent, reserved, untalkative, of few words.
“Beagchainteach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is beagchainteach after fear (man, masculine), after bean (woman, 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: bean bheagchainteach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear beagchainteach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, beagchainteacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir bheagchainteacha; after other plurals it does not: mná beagchainteacha.
More taciturn, most taciturn, very taciturn
Tá Seán níos beagchaintí ná a dheartháir. Seán is quieter than his brother.
| more taciturn | níos beagchaintí | in the past tense: ní ba bheagchaintí |
|---|---|---|
| most taciturn | is beagchaintí | in the past tense: ba bheagchaintí |
| as taciturn as | chomh beagchainteach le | no change after chomh |
| very taciturn | an-bheagchainteach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too taciturn | róbheagchainteach | ró- lenites |
“Beagchainteach” 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.
Taciturn in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for taciturn?
The Irish for taciturn is beagchainteach (pronounced “BYOG-khan-tyukh”). It comes after the noun: fear beagchainteach, a taciturn man; bean bheagchainteach, a taciturn woman.
How do you say more taciturn and most taciturn in Irish?
níos beagchaintí is more taciturn and is beagchaintí is most taciturn. In the past tense they become ní ba bheagchaintí and ba bheagchaintí.
Why does beagchainteach become bheagchainteach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bheagchainteach (a taciturn woman) but fear beagchainteach (a taciturn man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of beagchainteach?
With a plural noun beagchainteach becomes beagchainteacha: fir bheagchainteacha, mná beagchainteacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very taciturn in Irish?
an-bheagchainteach. Too taciturn is róbheagchainteach, and as taciturn as is chomh beagchainteach le.
What is the opposite of beagchainteach?
The opposite is "cainteach" (talkative), and someone who talks too freely is "béalscaoilte".
How is beagchainteach different from ciúin?
"Ciúin" means quiet in general, for places or people, while "beagchainteach" refers specifically to a person who says little.
