HeyRuaHow to say “thrifty” in Irish
- Irish:
- coigilteach
- English:
- thrifty
- Word type:
- adjective
- Thriftier:
- níos coigiltí
- Thriftiest:
- is coigiltí
- Plural:
- coigilteacha
- Pronunciation:
- “KIG-il-tchukh” /ˈkɪɟɪlʲtʲəx/
What does “coigilteach” mean?
- thrifty
- Careful with money or resources and not wasting them.Also: frugal, economical, sparing, saving.
Other Irish adjectives for thrifty: tíosach (thrifty)
“Coigilteach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is coigilteach 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 choigilteach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear coigilteach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, coigilteacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir choigilteacha; after other plurals it does not: mná coigilteacha.
Thriftier, thriftiest, very thrifty
Tá mo dheirfiúr níos coigiltí ná mise. My sister is more thrifty than me.
| thriftier | níos coigiltí | in the past tense: ní ba choigiltí |
|---|---|---|
| thriftiest | is coigiltí | in the past tense: ba choigiltí |
| as thrifty as | chomh coigilteach le | no change after chomh |
| very thrifty | an-choigilteach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too thrifty | róchoigilteach | ró- lenites |
“Coigilteach” 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.
Thrifty in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for thrifty?
The Irish for thrifty is coigilteach (pronounced “KIG-il-tchukh”). It comes after the noun: fear coigilteach, a thrifty man; bean choigilteach, a thrifty woman.
How do you say thriftier and thriftiest in Irish?
níos coigiltí is thriftier and is coigiltí is thriftiest. In the past tense they become ní ba choigiltí and ba choigiltí.
Why does coigilteach become choigilteach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean choigilteach (a thrifty woman) but fear coigilteach (a thrifty man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of coigilteach?
With a plural noun coigilteach becomes coigilteacha: fir choigilteacha, mná coigilteacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very thrifty in Irish?
an-choigilteach. Too thrifty is róchoigilteach, and as thrifty as is chomh coigilteach le.
Is coigilteach the same as sprionlaithe?
No. Coigilteach is positive and means thrifty or careful, while sprionlaithe means mean or stingy.
Which preposition goes with coigilteach?
Use le for what you are careful with: coigilteach le hairgead, thrifty with money.
