maith

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish maith (compare Scottish Gaelic math and Manx mie), from Proto-Celtic *matis (compare Welsh and Breton mad, Cornish mas).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /mˠa/, /mˠah/
  • (Ulster) IPA(key): /mˠaɪ/, /mˠaɪh/

Adjective

maith (genitive singular masculine maith, genitive singular feminine maithe, plural maithe, comparative fearr)

  1. good

Usage notes
  • Takes the adverbial construction go maith when used predicatively after a form of bí:
  • Tá an anraith seo go maith. ― This soup is good.

Declension
Declension of maith
Singular Plural (m/f)
Positive Masculine Feminine (strong noun) (weak noun)
Nominative maith mhaith maithe;
mhaithe²
Vocative mhaith maithe
Genitive maithe maithe maith
Dative maith;
mhaith¹		 mhaith maithe;
mhaithe²
Comparative níos fearr
Superlative is fearr

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Derived terms

Noun

maith f (genitive singular maithe, nominative plural maithe)

  1. good, goodness

Declension
Declension of maith

Second declension

Bare forms

Case Singular Plural
Nominative maith maithe
Vocative a mhaith a mhaithe
Genitive maithe maithe
Dative maith maithe

Forms with the definite article

Case Singular Plural
Nominative an mhaith na maithe
Genitive na maithe na maithe
Dative leis an maith

don mhaith

 leis na maithe

Verb

maith (present analytic maitheann, future analytic maithfidh, verbal noun maitheamh, past participle maite)

  1. forgive, pardon

Inflection
First Conjugation (A)
singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative present maithim maitheann tú;
maithir†		 maitheann sé, sí maithimid maitheann sibh maitheann siad;
maithid†		 a mhaitheann; a mhaitheas /
a maitheann*; a maitheas*		 maitear
past mhaith mé; mhaitheas mhaith tú; mhaithis mhaith sé, sí mhaitheamar; mhaith muid mhaith sibh; mhaitheabhair mhaith siad; mhaitheadar a mhaith /
ar mhaith*		 maitheadh
past habitual mhaithinn mhaiteá mhaitheadh sé, sí mhaithimis; mhaitheadh muid mhaitheadh sibh mhaithidís; mhaitheadh siad a mhaitheadh /
ar mhaitheadh*		 mhaití
future maithfidh mé;
maithfead		 maithfidh tú;
maithfir†		 maithfidh sé, sí maithfimid;
maithfidh muid		 maithfidh sibh maithfidh siad;
maithfid†		 a mhaithfidh; a mhaithfeas /
a maithfidh*; a maithfeas*		 maithfear
conditional mhaithfinn / maithfinn‡‡ mhaithfeá / maithfeᇇ mhaithfeadh sé, sí / maithfeadh sé, s퇇 mhaithfimis; mhaithfeadh muid / maithfimis‡‡; maithfeadh muid‡‡ mhaithfeadh sibh / maithfeadh sibh‡‡ mhaithfidís; mhaithfeadh siad / maithfidís‡‡; maithfeadh siad‡‡ a mhaithfeadh /
ar mhaithfeadh*		 mhaithfí / maithf퇇
subjunctive present go maithe mé;
go maithead†		 go maithe tú;
go maithir†		 go maithe sé, sí go maithimid;
go maithe muid		 go maithe sibh go maithe siad;
go maithid†		 — go maitear
past dá maithinn dá maiteá dá maitheadh sé, sí dá maithimis;
dá maitheadh muid		 dá maitheadh sibh dá maithidís;
dá maitheadh siad		 — dá maití
imperative maithim maith maitheadh sé, sí maithimis maithigí;
maithidh†		 maithidís — maitear
verbal noun maitheamh
past participle maite

* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form
‡‡ Dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Mutation
Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
maith mhaith not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading
  • "maith" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
  • “maith” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Old Irish

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /maθʲ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *matis, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂tis (“ripe, good”), from *meh₂- (“to ripen, to mature”). Cognate with Welsh mad and Gaulish mat.

Alternative forms

Adjective

maith (comparative ferr, superlative dech)

  1. good
Declension
i-stem
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative maith maith maith
Vocative maith
Accusative maith maith
Genitive maith maithe maith
Dative maith maith maith
Plural Masculine Feminine/neuter
Nominative maithi maithi
Vocative maithi
Accusative maithi
Genitive maith*
maithe
Dative maithib
Notes *not when substantivized
Descendants

Further reading
  • “maith” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

·maith

  1. third-person singular present indicative conjunct of maidid

Mutation
Old Irish mutation
RadicalLenitionNasalization
maith
also mmaith after a proclitic		 maith
pronounced with /ṽ(ʲ)-/		 maith
also mmaith after a proclitic
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Scottish Gaelic

Verb

maith (past mhaith, future maithidh, verbal noun mathadh, past participle maithte)

  1. Alternative form of math

Noun

maith m

  1. genitive singular of math
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