HeyRuaHow to say “to lessen” in Irish
- Irish:
- maolaigh
- English:
- to lessen, blunt, make bald, lower
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- maolú (ag maolú, lessening)
- Verbal adjective:
- maolaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “MWAY-lee” /ˈmˠeːlˠiː/
What does “maolaigh” mean?
“Maolaigh” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to lessen
- To make or become less severe, strong or intense, such as pain, anger or a punishment.Also: mitigate, ease, abate, soften, subside.
3 other meanings: blunt or make bald or lower
- 2to blunt
- To make or become blunt, so that an edge or point is no longer sharp.Also: dull, become blunt.
- 3to make bald
- To make or become bald or bare, or to crop something closely.Also: grow bald, crop, shear.
- 4to lower
- To make something lower or flatter, such as a slope or a heap.Also: flatten, level.
Other Irish verbs for to lessen: laghdaigh (reduce)
“Maolaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Mhaolaigh méI lessened | Níor mhaolaigh méI did not lessen | Ar mhaolaigh mé?Did I lessen? |
| tú (you) | Mhaolaigh túYou lessened | Níor mhaolaigh túYou did not lessen | Ar mhaolaigh tú?Did you lessen? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Mhaolaigh sé / síHe lessened | Níor mhaolaigh sé / síHe did not lessen | Ar mhaolaigh sé / sí?Did he lessen? |
| sinn (we) | MhaolaíomarWe lessened | Níor mhaolaíomarWe did not lessen | Ar mhaolaíomar?Did we lessen? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Mhaolaigh sibhYou lessened | Níor mhaolaigh sibhYou did not lessen | Ar mhaolaigh sibh?Did you lessen? |
| siad (they) | Mhaolaigh siadThey lessened | Níor mhaolaigh siadThey did not lessen | Ar mhaolaigh siad?Did they lessen? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Maolaíodh | Níor maolaíodh | Ar maolaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | MaolaímI lessen | Ní mhaolaímI do not lessen | An maolaím?Do I lessen? |
| tú (you) | Maolaíonn túYou lessen | Ní mhaolaíonn túYou do not lessen | An maolaíonn tú?Do you lessen? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Maolaíonn sé / síHe lessens | Ní mhaolaíonn sé / síHe does not lessen | An maolaíonn sé / sí?Does he lessen? |
| sinn (we) | MaolaímidWe lessen | Ní mhaolaímidWe do not lessen | An maolaímid?Do we lessen? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Maolaíonn sibhYou lessen | Ní mhaolaíonn sibhYou do not lessen | An maolaíonn sibh?Do you lessen? |
| siad (they) | Maolaíonn siadThey lessen | Ní mhaolaíonn siadThey do not lessen | An maolaíonn siad?Do they lessen? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Maolaítear | Ní mhaolaítear | An maolaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Maolóidh méI will lessen | Ní mhaolóidh méI will not lessen | An maolóidh mé?Will I lessen? |
| tú (you) | Maolóidh túYou will lessen | Ní mhaolóidh túYou will not lessen | An maolóidh tú?Will you lessen? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Maolóidh sé / síHe will lessen | Ní mhaolóidh sé / síHe will not lessen | An maolóidh sé / sí?Will he lessen? |
| sinn (we) | MaolóimidWe will lessen | Ní mhaolóimidWe will not lessen | An maolóimid?Will we lessen? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Maolóidh sibhYou will lessen | Ní mhaolóidh sibhYou will not lessen | An maolóidh sibh?Will you lessen? |
| siad (they) | Maolóidh siadThey will lessen | Ní mhaolóidh siadThey will not lessen | An maolóidh siad?Will they lessen? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Maolófar | Ní mhaolófar | An maolófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | MhaolóinnI would lessen | Ní mhaolóinnI would not lessen | An maolóinn?Would I lessen? |
| tú (you) | MhaolófáYou would lessen | Ní mhaolófáYou would not lessen | An maolófá?Would you lessen? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Mhaolódh sé / síHe would lessen | Ní mhaolódh sé / síHe would not lessen | An maolódh sé / sí?Would he lessen? |
| sinn (we) | MhaolóimisWe would lessen | Ní mhaolóimisWe would not lessen | An maolóimis?Would we lessen? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Mhaolódh sibhYou would lessen | Ní mhaolódh sibhYou would not lessen | An maolódh sibh?Would you lessen? |
| siad (they) | MhaolóidísThey would lessen | Ní mhaolóidísThey would not lessen | An maolóidís?Would they lessen? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Mhaolófaí | Ní mhaolófaí | An maolófaí? |
“Maolaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Mhaolaigh an pian tar éis tamaill.
The pain eased after a while.
Maolaíonn an leigheas sin an tinneas cinn.
That medicine eases the headache.
Maolóidh an ghaoth roimh an oíche.
The wind will die down before night.
Mhaolódh focal cineálta a fhearg.
A kind word would soften his anger.
Níor mhaolaigh an breitheamh an phianbhreith.
The judge did not reduce the sentence.
Ar mhaolaigh an stoirm fós?
Has the storm abated yet?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To lessen in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to lessen?
The Irish for to lessen is maolaigh (pronounced “MWAY-lee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is maolú.
What is the verbal noun of maolaigh?
The verbal noun of maolaigh is maolú, used after ag for the continuous: ag maolú (lessening). The verbal adjective is maolaithe.
How do you say maolaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Mhaolaigh mé; negative Níor mhaolaigh mé; question Ar mhaolaigh mé?. Future: Maolóidh mé; negative Ní mhaolóidh mé; question An maolóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of maolaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Mhaolóinn (I would lessen); negative Ní mhaolóinn; question An maolóinn?.
Does maolaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Maolaigh can mean to lessen, to blunt, to make bald or to lower, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'mitigating circumstances' in Irish?
Use 'cúinsí maolaitheacha', from the same root as 'maolaigh'.
Is 'maolaigh' the same as 'laghdaigh'?
'Laghdaigh' means to reduce in amount, while 'maolaigh' suggests softening or easing something, like pain or anger: 'mhaolaigh an phian'.
