HeyRuaHow to say “thorny” in Irish
- Irish:
- deilgneach
- English:
- thorny, difficult
- Word type:
- adjective
- Thornier:
- níos deilgní
- Thorniest:
- is deilgní
- Plural:
- deilgneacha
- Pronunciation:
- “JEL-ig-nukh” /ˈdʲɛlʲəɡnʲəx/
What does “deilgneach” mean?
“Deilgneach” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- thorny
- Having thorns or prickles, like a briar or a thorn bush.Also: prickly, spiny, barbed.
1 other meaning: difficult
- 2difficult
- Hard to deal with or full of problems, said of a question or situation.Also: thorny, tricky, awkward.
The same spelling has its own page as:
“Deilgneach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is deilgneach after tor (bush, masculine), after sceach (whitethorn, 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: sceach dheilgneach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: tor deilgneach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, deilgneacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: toir dheilgneacha; after other plurals it does not: sceacha deilgneacha.
Thornier, thorniest, very thorny
Tá an dris seo níos deilgní ná an ceann eile. This briar is pricklier than the other one.
| thornier | níos deilgní | in the past tense: ní ba dheilgní |
|---|---|---|
| thorniest | is deilgní | in the past tense: ba dheilgní |
| as thorny as | chomh deilgneach le | no change after chomh |
| very thorny | an-deilgneach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too thorny | ródheilgneach | ró- lenites |
“Deilgneach” 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.
Thorny in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for thorny?
The Irish for thorny is deilgneach (pronounced “JEL-ig-nukh”). It comes after the noun: tor deilgneach, a thorny bush; sceach dheilgneach, a thorny whitethorn.
How do you say thornier and thorniest in Irish?
níos deilgní is thornier and is deilgní is thorniest. In the past tense they become ní ba dheilgní and ba dheilgní.
Why does deilgneach become dheilgneach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So sceach dheilgneach (a thorny whitethorn) but tor deilgneach (a thorny bush), because tor is masculine.
What is the plural of deilgneach?
With a plural noun deilgneach becomes deilgneacha: toir dheilgneacha, sceacha deilgneacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very thorny in Irish?
an-deilgneach. Too thorny is ródheilgneach, and as thorny as is chomh deilgneach le.
Does deilgneach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Deilgneach can mean thorny or difficult, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the noun related to deilgneach?
It comes from 'dealg', a thorn, with plural 'dealga' or 'deilgne', as in 'sceacha a bhfuil deilgne orthu'.
