HeyRuaHow to say “terrible” in Irish
- Irish:
- millteanach
- English:
- terrible, destructive, tremendous
- Word type:
- adjective
- More terrible:
- níos millteanaí
- Most terrible:
- is millteanaí
- Plural:
- millteanacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MIL-tchan-ukh” /mʲɪl̠ʲtʲənˠəx/
What does “millteanach” mean?
“Millteanach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- terrible
- Very bad, awful or dreadful.Also: awful, dreadful, horrible.
2 other meanings: destructive or tremendous
- 2destructive
- Causing damage, ruin or destruction.Also: ruinous, damaging, harmful.
- 3tremendous
- Very great in amount or degree, often used as an intensifier.Also: enormous, huge, extreme.
Other Irish adjectives for terrible: uafásach (terrible)
“Millteanach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is millteanach after ionsaí (attack, masculine), after stoirm (storm, 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: stoirm mhillteanach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: ionsaí millteanach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, millteanacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: stoirmeacha millteanacha.
More terrible, most terrible, very terrible
Bhí an aimsir níos millteanaí inniu ná inné. The weather was worse today than yesterday.
| more terrible | níos millteanaí | in the past tense: ní ba mhillteanaí |
|---|---|---|
| most terrible | is millteanaí | in the past tense: ba mhillteanaí |
| as terrible as | chomh millteanach le | no change after chomh |
| very terrible | an-mhillteanach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too terrible | rómhillteanach | ró- lenites |
“Millteanach” 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.
Terrible in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for terrible?
The Irish for terrible is millteanach (pronounced “MIL-tchan-ukh”). It comes after the noun: ionsaí millteanach, a terrible attack; stoirm mhillteanach, a terrible storm.
How do you say more terrible and most terrible in Irish?
níos millteanaí is more terrible and is millteanaí is most terrible. In the past tense they become ní ba mhillteanaí and ba mhillteanaí.
Why does millteanach become mhillteanach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So stoirm mhillteanach (a terrible storm) but ionsaí millteanach (a terrible attack), because ionsaí is masculine.
What is the plural of millteanach?
With a plural noun millteanach becomes millteanacha: ionsaithe millteanacha, stoirmeacha millteanacha.
How do you say very terrible in Irish?
an-mhillteanach. Too terrible is rómhillteanach, and as terrible as is chomh millteanach le.
Does millteanach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Millteanach can mean terrible, destructive or tremendous, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'millteanach' and 'uafásach'?
Both mean terrible, but 'millteanach' comes from 'mill' (destroy) and can also mean destructive, while 'uafásach' is the more general everyday word for awful.
Can 'millteanach' be used as an intensifier?
Yes, as in 'millteanach mór' meaning tremendously big, much like 'uafásach' in 'uafásach deas'.
