HeyRuaHow to say “tribal” in Irish
- Irish:
- treibheach
- English:
- tribal
- Word type:
- adjective
- More tribal:
- níos treibhí
- Most tribal:
- is treibhí
- Plural:
- treibheacha
- Pronunciation:
- “TREV-ach” /ˈtʲɾʲevʲəx/
What does “treibheach” mean?
- tribal
- Relating to a tribe or tribes, or organised in tribes.Also: of a tribe, clannish.
“Treibheach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is treibheach after cultúr (culture, masculine), after sochaí (society, 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: sochaí threibheach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: cultúr treibheach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, treibheacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: cultúir threibheacha; after other plurals it does not: sochaithe treibheacha.
More tribal, most tribal, very tribal
Bhí an tír níos treibhí an uair sin. The country was more tribal at that time.
| more tribal | níos treibhí | in the past tense: ní ba threibhí |
|---|---|---|
| most tribal | is treibhí | in the past tense: ba threibhí |
| as tribal as | chomh treibheach le | no change after chomh |
| very tribal | an-treibheach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too tribal | róthreibheach | ró- lenites |
“Treibheach” 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.
Tribal in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for tribal?
The Irish for tribal is treibheach (pronounced “TREV-ach”). It comes after the noun: cultúr treibheach, a tribal culture; sochaí threibheach, a tribal society.
How do you say more tribal and most tribal in Irish?
níos treibhí is more tribal and is treibhí is most tribal. In the past tense they become ní ba threibhí and ba threibhí.
Why does treibheach become threibheach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So sochaí threibheach (a tribal society) but cultúr treibheach (a tribal culture), because cultúr is masculine.
What is the plural of treibheach?
With a plural noun treibheach becomes treibheacha: cultúir threibheacha, sochaithe treibheacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very tribal in Irish?
an-treibheach. Too tribal is róthreibheach, and as tribal as is chomh treibheach le.
What noun is treibheach formed from?
It comes from 'treibh', meaning a tribe, so 'treibheach' means tribal. Do not confuse it with 'treabhach', related to ploughing.
