HeyRuaHow to say “ugly” in Irish
- Irish:
- gránna
- English:
- ugly, nasty
- Word type:
- adjective
- Uglier:
- níos gránna
- Ugliest:
- is gránna
- Pronunciation:
- “GRAW-na” /ˈɡɾˠɑːn̪ˠə/
What does “gránna” mean?
“Gránna” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- ugly
- Not pleasant to look at.Also: unattractive, unsightly, hideous.
1 other meaning: nasty
- 2nasty
- Unpleasant, mean or offensive in behaviour or nature.Also: horrible, vile, disagreeable, mean.
Other Irish adjectives for ugly: míofar (ugly)
“Gránna” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is gránna after teach (house, masculine), after aimsir (weather, 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: aimsir ghránna. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: teach gránna.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, gránna. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: aimsirí gránna.
Uglier, ugliest, very ugly
Tá an dath seo níos gránna ná an ceann eile. This colour is uglier than the other one.
| uglier | níos gránna | in the past tense: ní ba ghránna |
|---|---|---|
| ugliest | is gránna | in the past tense: ba ghránna |
| as ugly as | chomh gránna le | no change after chomh |
| very ugly | an-ghránna | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too ugly | róghránna | ró- lenites |
“Gránna” 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.
Ugly in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for ugly?
The Irish for ugly is gránna (pronounced “GRAW-na”). It comes after the noun: teach gránna, an ugly house; aimsir ghránna, ugly weather.
How do you say uglier and ugliest in Irish?
níos gránna is uglier and is gránna is ugliest. In the past tense they become ní ba ghránna and ba ghránna.
Why does gránna become ghránna?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aimsir ghránna (ugly weather) but teach gránna (an ugly house), because teach is masculine.
How do you say very ugly in Irish?
an-ghránna. Too ugly is róghránna, and as ugly as is chomh gránna le.
Does gránna have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gránna can mean ugly or nasty, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between gránna and míofar?
Both can mean ugly, but gránna is the general word and also means nasty, as in 'ba ghránna an rud é'. Míofar is more strictly about appearance.
