folamh

Irish

Alternative forms

• falamh (Cois Fharraige)

Etymology

From Old Irish folam, falam.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠɔl̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠaːl̪ˠə/ (corresponding to the form falamh)
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠɔlˠuː/, /ˈfˠɔl̪ˠuː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠɔlˠu/, /ˈfˠɔl̪ˠu/

Adjective

folamh (genitive singular masculine folaimh, genitive singular feminine foilmhe, plural folmha, comparative foilmhe)

1. empty
2. empty-handed

   Nuair a thiocas an bás ní imeoidh sé folamh.

   When death comes, it won’t leave empty-handed.

Declension

Declension of folamh

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	folamh	fholamh	folmha; fholmha²
Vocative	fholaimh		folmha
Genitive		foilmhe	folmha	folamh
Dative	folamh; fholamh¹	fholamh; fholaimh (archaic)	folmha; fholmha²
Comparative	níos foilmhe
Superlative	is foilmhe

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

• folmhaigh (“empty”, verb)
• folúntas m (“emptiness, void”)
• folús m (“emptiness, void”)

Related terms

• foilmhe f (“emptiness, blankness”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
folamh	fholamh	bhfolamh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “folamh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “folamh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “folamh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024