HeyRuaHow to say “womanly” in Irish
- Irish:
- banúil
- English:
- womanly, modest
- Word type:
- adjective
- More womanly:
- níos banúla
- Most womanly:
- is banúla
- Plural:
- banúla
- Pronunciation:
- “BAN-ool” /ˈbˠanˠuːlʲ/
What does “banúil” mean?
“Banúil” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- womanly
- Having qualities traditionally thought typical of a woman, such as gentleness or grace.Also: feminine, ladylike, graceful.
1 other meaning: modest
- 2modest
- Behaving in a quiet, decent and modest way.Also: demure, decorous.
Other Irish adjectives for womanly: banda (feminine)
“Banúil” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is banúil after cailín (girl, 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 bhanúil. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: cailín banúil.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, banúla. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná banúla.
More womanly, most womanly, very womanly
Tá sí níos banúla ná a deirfiúr. She is more ladylike than her sister.
| more womanly | níos banúla | in the past tense: ní ba bhanúla |
|---|---|---|
| most womanly | is banúla | in the past tense: ba bhanúla |
| as womanly as | chomh banúil le | no change after chomh |
| very womanly | an-bhanúil | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too womanly | róbhanúil | ró- lenites |
“Banúil” 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.
Womanly in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for womanly?
The Irish for womanly is banúil (pronounced “BAN-ool”). It comes after the noun: cailín banúil, a womanly girl; bean bhanúil, a womanly woman.
How do you say more womanly and most womanly in Irish?
níos banúla is more womanly and is banúla is most womanly. In the past tense they become ní ba bhanúla and ba bhanúla.
Why does banúil become bhanúil?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bhanúil (a womanly woman) but cailín banúil (a womanly girl), because cailín is masculine.
What is the plural of banúil?
With a plural noun banúil becomes banúla: cailíní banúla, mná banúla.
How do you say very womanly in Irish?
an-bhanúil. Too womanly is róbhanúil, and as womanly as is chomh banúil le.
Does banúil have more than one meaning?
Yes. Banúil can mean womanly or modest, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the male counterpart of banúil?
The counterpart is fearúil, meaning manly, as in fear fearúil, a manly man.
