HeyRuaHow to say “thick” in Irish
- Irish:
- tiubh
- English:
- thick, dense, fast
- Word type:
- adjective
- Thicker:
- níos tibhe
- Thickest:
- is tibhe
- Plural:
- tiubha
- Pronunciation:
- “tyoov” /tʲʊvˠ/
What does “tiubh” mean?
“Tiubh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- thick
- Having a large distance between its two sides, or not flowing easily.Also: heavy, viscous.
2 other meanings: dense or fast
- 2dense
- Closely packed together, with many things in a small space.Also: closely set, crowded, thick.
- 3fast
- Coming quickly one after another, frequent and rapid.Also: frequent, rapid, thick and fast.
“Tiubh” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is tiubh after ceo (fog, masculine), after bróg (shoe, 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: bróg thiubh. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: ceo tiubh.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, tiubha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: bróga tiubha.
Thicker, thickest, very thick
Tá an t-anraith seo níos tibhe ná an ceann eile. This soup is thicker than the other one.
| thicker | níos tibhe | in the past tense: ní ba thibhe |
|---|---|---|
| thickest | is tibhe | in the past tense: ba thibhe |
| as thick as | chomh tiubh le | no change after chomh |
| very thick | an-tiubh | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too thick | róthiubh | ró- lenites |
“Tiubh” 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.
Thick in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for thick?
The Irish for thick is tiubh (pronounced “tyoov”). It comes after the noun: ceo tiubh, thick fog; bróg thiubh, a thick shoe.
How do you say thicker and thickest in Irish?
níos tibhe is thicker and is tibhe is thickest. In the past tense they become ní ba thibhe and ba thibhe.
Why does tiubh become thiubh?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bróg thiubh (a thick shoe) but ceo tiubh (thick fog), because ceo is masculine.
What is the plural of tiubh?
With a plural noun tiubh becomes tiubha: ceonna tiubha, bróga tiubha.
How do you say very thick in Irish?
an-tiubh. Too thick is róthiubh, and as thick as is chomh tiubh le.
Does tiubh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Tiubh can mean thick, dense or fast, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between tiubh and ramhar?
Tiubh means thick or dense, for things like fog, walls or soup, while ramhar usually means fat or plump, for people and animals.
How do I say something is happening thick and fast?
Use go tiubh or tiubh te, for example: Bhí na ceisteanna ag teacht go tiubh.
