Introduction
to Adjectives
The adjective in Irish generally follows the noun it
qualifies. It agrees with the noun in case and number.
Some adjectives:
| ard |
high |
 |
geal |
bright |
| bán |
white |
|
glas |
green |
| beag |
small |
|
gorm |
blue |
| buí |
yellow |
|
íseal |
low |
| cróga |
brave |
|
luath |
early |
| dána |
bold |
|
mór |
big |
| dearg |
red |
|
neodrach |
neutral |
| donn |
brown |
|
óg |
young |
| dorcha |
dark |
|
pearsanta |
personal |
| dubh |
black |
|
ramhar |
fat |
| éadrom |
light |
|
saolta |
worldly |
| fada |
long |
|
te |
hot |
| gaofar |
windy |
|
uafásach |
horrible |
Noun and Adjective
nom./acc./dat. case--singular
|
Feminine
Noun
|
|
Masculine
Noun
|
| abhainn mhór |
a big river |
|
asal beag |
a small donkey |
| bean bheag |
a small woman |
|
bád éadrom |
a light boat |
| cistin fhada |
a long kitchen |
|
cat dána |
a bold cat |
| deifir mhór |
great haste |
|
éan cróga |
a brave bird |
| páirc ghlas |
a green field |
|
doras beag |
a small door |
| bean chóir |
a just woman |
|
misniúiul |
a brave man |
| páirc cháiliúil |
a famous field |
|
scéal áitiúila |
a local story |
Rule: the initial consonant of the adjective
is always aspirated when the noun it qualifies is feminine,
and when that noun is in the nominative, accusative
and dative case, definite or indefinite.
|
Feminine
Noun
|
|
Masculine
Noun
|
| an chistin fhada |
the long kitchen |
|
an t-asal beag |
the small donkey |
| an bhean bheag |
the small woman |
|
an bád éadrom |
the light boat |
There are three (3) types or declensions of adjectives:
|
Cineál 1
(Type 1)
|
|
Cineál
2
(Type 2)
|
|
Cineál
3
(Type 3)
|
|
bán
|
white |
|
áitual |
local |
|
cróga |
brave |
| beag |
small |
|
bliantúil |
annual |
|
dána |
bold |
| gaofar |
windy |
|
misniúil |
courageous |
|
dorcha |
dark |
| ard |
high |
|
cóir |
right |
|
fada |
long |
| glic |
clever |
|
foirmiúil |
formal |
|
blasta |
tasty |
| maith |
good |
|
oifigiúil |
official |
|
cinnte |
certainly |
| súgach |
tipsy |
|
cuideachtiúil |
sociable |
|
te |
hot |
| bocht |
poor |
|
cóir |
right |
|
breá |
fine |
| cruinn |
exact |
|
deacair |
difficult |
|
céanna |
same |
| olc |
bad |
|
socair |
calm |
|
dona |
bad |
| milis |
sweet |
|
sásúil |
satisfactory |
|
sásta |
satisfied |
Most adjectives belong to type 1; they may end in a
broad or slender consonant.
Type 2 adjectives end in –úil. A
few end in –ir.
Type 3 adjectives end in a vowel.
