HeyRuaHow to say “unsuccessful” in Irish
- Irish:
- mírathúil
- English:
- unsuccessful, unlucky
- Word type:
- adjective
- More unsuccessful:
- níos mírathúla
- Most unsuccessful:
- is mírathúla
- Plural:
- mírathúla
- Pronunciation:
- “mee-RA-hool” /ˈmʲiːɾˠahuːlʲ/
What does “mírathúil” mean?
“Mírathúil” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- unsuccessful
- Not having success or good fortune; failing to prosper.Also: unprosperous, unfortunate, failed.
1 other meaning: unlucky
- 2unlucky
- Bringing or having bad luck.Also: ill-fated, luckless.
“Mírathúil” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is mírathúil after fear (man, masculine), after bliain (year, 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: bliain mhírathúil. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: fear mírathúil.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, mírathúla. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: fir mhírathúla; after other plurals it does not: blianta mírathúla.
More unsuccessful, most unsuccessful, very unsuccessful
Bhí an dara gnó níos mírathúla ná an chéad cheann. The second business was less successful than the first.
| more unsuccessful | níos mírathúla | in the past tense: ní ba mhírathúla |
|---|---|---|
| most unsuccessful | is mírathúla | in the past tense: ba mhírathúla |
| as unsuccessful as | chomh mírathúil le | no change after chomh |
| very unsuccessful | an-mhírathúil | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too unsuccessful | rómhírathúil | ró- lenites |
“Mírathúil” 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.
Unsuccessful in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for unsuccessful?
The Irish for unsuccessful is mírathúil (pronounced “mee-RA-hool”). It comes after the noun: fear mírathúil, an unsuccessful man; bliain mhírathúil, an unsuccessful year.
How do you say more unsuccessful and most unsuccessful in Irish?
níos mírathúla is more unsuccessful and is mírathúla is most unsuccessful. In the past tense they become ní ba mhírathúla and ba mhírathúla.
Why does mírathúil become mhírathúil?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bliain mhírathúil (an unsuccessful year) but fear mírathúil (an unsuccessful man), because fear is masculine.
What is the plural of mírathúil?
With a plural noun mírathúil becomes mírathúla: fir mhírathúla, blianta mírathúla. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very unsuccessful in Irish?
an-mhírathúil. Too unsuccessful is rómhírathúil, and as unsuccessful as is chomh mírathúil le.
Does mírathúil have more than one meaning?
Yes. Mírathúil can mean unsuccessful or unlucky, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the opposite of 'mírathúil'?
The opposite is 'rathúil', meaning successful or prosperous; 'mírathúil' adds the negative prefix 'mí-'.
