Adverbs
Wh-adverbs
Temporal adverbs
Other adverbs
Equivalents of that
Conjunctions
The term ‘adverb’ – from Latin adverbium, from ad- ‘to’ (expressing an addition) + verbum ‘word, verb’ – is used as a cover term for a whole series of words which qualify others. Adverbs are non-compulsory elements of a sentence but often function as optional verbal complements, telling something about the manner in which the action of a verb was carried out. Here an adverb can be a single word or a phrase, e.g. She spoke quietly. She spoke in a quite voice. Such uses are prototypical for adverbs but there are also a range of other uses which could be regarded as extensions of the type of verb qualification just illustrated. In particular adverbs can qualify adjectives or other adverbs, e.g. She spoke reasonably well. She is a reasonably good speaker.
All the uses just quoted for English occur in Irish as well.
Labhair sí go ciúin. ‘She spoke quietly.’
Labhair sí le guth ciúin. ‘She spoke in a quite voice.’
Labhair sí réasúnta maith. ‘She spoke reasonably well.’
Is cainteoir réasúnta maith í. ‘She is a reasonably good speaker.’
The following sentences show further uses of adverbs in Irish. Note that many adjectives can be used as an adverb by placing the particle go before it.
Ní raibh sé in ann féachaint go maith.
‘He wasn’t able to see well.’
Rinne sé an obair sách tapaidh.
‘He did the work quite quickly.’
Ní chanann an cailín beag láidir go leor.
‘The little girl doesn’t sing strongly enough.’
Beidh siad san áit níos minice feasta.
‘They’ll be in the place more often in the future.’
D’iarr sí air freagairt níos fírinní.
‘She asked him to answer more truthfully.’
An duine is dírí a labhair.
‘The person who spoke most directly.’
There are a number of adverbial prefixes in Irish which augment an existing adverb (or adjective). Examples of the usage of the prefixes are:
an- ‘very’
Gortaíodh go han-dona sa timpiste iad.
‘They were badly injured in the accident.’
Labhair ár gcara go han-fhírinneach.
‘Our friend spoke most truthfully.’
rí ‘really’
Is radharc rí-álainn é.
‘It’s a really beautiful sight.’
ró ‘too’
Is máistir ró-chrua é.
‘He’s too hard a master.’
A number of options are available for the meaning of ‘almost’, one of these is an adverbial use of beag ‘small’, the others are more or less lexicalised phrases.
Is beag nár chuala sé í.
‘He almost heard her.’
Bhí siad chóir a bheith sábháilte.
‘They were almost saved.’
Ar éigean a chuala sé í.
‘He barely heard her.’
Níl ann ach gur sábháladh iad.
‘They were barely saved.’
Wh adverbs
Apart from qualifying adverbs, such as those just discussed, there are a number of others which refer to the manner, degree, time, etc. of an action. In linguistic studies, this group is normally referred to as Wh-adverbs because such adverbs begin in wh- in English, e.g. which, where, when, etc. (though semantically how belongs to this group). They could in fact be referred to as C-adverbs in Irish as all begin with c-.
Some C-adverbs may take a suffixal -r when used in a past context and may combine with the copula to yield forms in final -rb / -rbh., e.g. Carb as an múinteoir? ‘Where was the teacher from?’.
| locative:
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Cá bhfuil an t-aerphort?
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‘Where is the airport?’
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Cár chuir sí mo chóta?
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‘Where did she put my coat?’
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| temporal:
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Cathain a ith tú do dhinnéar?
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‘When did you eat your dinner?’
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| means:
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Conas a fuair tú go leor airgid?
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‘How did you get enough money?’
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| state:
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Cén chaoi a bhfuil d’ iníon?
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‘How’s your daughter?’
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| degree:
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Cé chomh lua a éiríonn sibh?
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‘How early do you-PL get up?’
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Cé mhéad fataí a bhain tú san fhomhar?
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‘How many potatoes did you dig in the autumn?’
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| extent:
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Cá fuar a bhíonn sé sangeimhrladh?
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‘How cold is it in the winter?’
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| specification:
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Cén saghas rothair atá uait?
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‘What kind of bicycle do you want?’
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Cén rud atá i gceist?
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‘What thing is at issue?’
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| personal:
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Cé a tháinig aréir?
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‘Who came last night?’
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Cé leis a chuidigh tú?
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‘Who(m) did you help?’
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Cerb/cerbh iad atá/a bhí amuigh?
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‘Who are/were those people outside?’
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Similar functions can be fulfilled by adverbs which do not belong to the C-class.
| locative:
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‘It is where I left it.’
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Tá sé san áit a d’fhág mé é. (san áit = in the place)
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| temporal:
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‘I told him the news when I met him.’
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D’inis mé an scéal dí nuair a bhuail mé leis. (nuair = when-REL)
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| state:
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‘It was how I expected it to be.’
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Bhí sé sa chaoi a raibh súil agam léi. (sa chaoi = in the way, manner, state)
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| degree/extent:
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‘We know how serious it is.’
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Tá a fhios againn cad é chomh dáiríre agus atá sé. (cad é chomh = lit.: what it as)
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| personal:
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‘She remembers who left that night.’
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Tá cuimhne aici ar an duine a d’imigh an oíche sin. (an duine = the person)
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| generalisations:
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‘Whoever works well will be rewarded.’
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An té a dhéanann a chuid oibre gheobhfaidh sé a luach. (an té = the person, but only in a generalizing sense)
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Temporal adverbs
Past
| inné ‘yesterday’
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aréir ‘last night’
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| arú inné ‘the day before yesterday’
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an lá roimhe sin ‘the day before’
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Present
| inniu ‘today’
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anocht ‘to-night’
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| maidin ‘morning’
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nóin, méan lae ‘noon’
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| tráthnóna ‘afternoon’
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óiche ‘night’
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Future
| amárach ‘to-morrow’
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arú amárach ‘the day after to-morrow’
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an lá arna mhárach
‘the day after that (day)’
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The time units larger than a day are as follows:
| noun
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(adverb) adjective
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| seachtain ‘week’
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(go) seachtainiúil ‘weekly’
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| coicís ‘fortnight’
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(go) coicísiúil ‘fortnightly’
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| mí ‘month’
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(go) míosúil ‘monthly’
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| ráithe ‘quarter’
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(go) ráithiúil ‘quarterly’
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| bliain ‘year’
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(go) bliantúil ‘yearly’
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| deich mbliana ‘decade’
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céad/aois ‘century’
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The word for ‘daily’ is laethúil. The word aois ‘age’ has the meaning ‘century’ when accompanied by a numeral:
an tochtú aois déag ‘the eighteenth century’
Perspective
next + N = N + seo chugainn
an tseachtain seo chugainn ‘next week’
a + N + from yesterday = N + ó inné
seachtain ó inné ‘a week from yesterday’
this day + N = N + ó inniu
coicís ó inniu ‘this day fortnight’
a + N + from to-morrow = N + ó amárach
mí ó amárach ‘a month from to-morrow’
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Retrospective
last + N = N + seo caite
Dé Luain seo caite ‘last Monday’
yesterday + N = N + is an lá inné
seachtain is an lá inné ‘yesterday week’
this day last + N = N + is an lá inniu
coicís is an lá inniu ‘this day last fortnight’
a + N + ago to-morrow = N + is an lá amárach
mí is an lá amárach ‘a month ago to-morrow’
mí is an Chéadaoin seo caite ‘a month ago last Wednesday’
coicís ón Domhnach seo chugainn ‘a fortnight from next Sunday’
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The general means of expressing ‘ago’ when the time of discourse is the present is ó shin:
Bhí Séan anseo uair ó shin. ‘John was here an hour ago.’
Aréir is a lexicalised unit meaning ‘last night’, but can also be used with the noun oíche ‘night’ which precedes it.
Bhíomar sa cathair oíche aréir. ‘We were in town last night.’
Otherwise when one is referring to units of time within a day one must add specification for a past or future day:
maidin inné ‘yesterday morning’
tráthnóna amárach ‘to-morrow afternoon’
The following are forms for dealing with time divisions within the present day:
ar maidin ‘this morning’
sa méan lae ‘at noon’
tráthnóna (inniu) ‘this afternoon’ (up to dusk)
anocht ‘to-night’ (after dusk)
Units used to elucidate temporal reference of verb:
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Past reference
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Future reference
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| a)
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riamh,’ever/never’
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choíche, go brách, go deo ‘forever, never’
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| b)
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tar éis ‘after’
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i gceann ‘in, after’
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| c)
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ar feadh ‘during’
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go ceann ‘for the duration of’
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Níor chuala mé an scéal riamh.
‘I never heard the story before.’
Bhí na cuairteoirí anseo ar feadh míosa.
‘The visitors were here for a month.’
Ní fhillfidh sé choíche/go brách/go deo.
‘He will never return.’
Beidh sé le fáil i gceann míosa.
‘It will be available in a month.’
Go ceann tamaill eile.
‘For another while yet.’
Le and i gcaitheamh/i rith are used with both past and future reference and are used to translate both ‘during’ + NP and ‘while’ + VP in English. Le must be used with a unit of time or else as le linn + N where linn is a word meaning ‘space of time’:
Beidhmid thár lear i rith na laethanta saoire.
‘We’ll be abroad during the holidays.’
Le linn an scrúdaithe.
‘During the examination.’
Le linn a bheith san Iodáil d’fhoghlaim sí an teanga.
‘While in Italy she learned the language.’
The distinction in English between ‘ever’ (= at any time) and ‘never’ (= at no time) is not made in Irish, both words being translated by riamh.
Further temporal adverbs
| go (dtí go)
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Fan go dtaga an traein.
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| ‘until’
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‘Wait until the train comes.’
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Níor imigh sí go dtí go bhfaca sí é.
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‘She didn’t leave until she saw him.’
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| ó
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Ó tháinig sé thart níl am agam chuig tada.
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| ‘since’
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‘Since he’s arrived I haven’t had time for anything.’
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| ó shin ‘ago’
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bliain ó shin ‘a year ago’
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| nuair
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Nuair a thiocfaidh an t-earrach.
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| ‘when’
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‘When the spring will come.’
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| fós/go fóill
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Caithfidh tú an boair a héanamh fós.
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| ‘yet/still’
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‘You still have to do the work.’
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Níor íoc siad go fóill.
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‘They haven’t paid yet.’
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| roimhe/cheana; sula
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An raibh tú riamh anseo roimhe/cheana?
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| ‘before’
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‘Have you ever been here before?’
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Sula n-imeofá tabhair dom do sheoladh.
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‘Before you leave give me your address.’
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| cheana (féin)
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Tá sé déanta agam cheana (féin).
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| ‘already’
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‘I’ve done it already.’
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| tar éis/i ndiaidh
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Déirigh sí tar éis a theacht.
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| ‘after’
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‘She got up after he came.’
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Ina dhiaidh chuaigh sé go dtí an teach ósta.
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‘Afterwards he went to the pub.’
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| fad is + VP
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Fad is atá tú anseo is féidir leat codladh sa seomra bheag.
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| ‘while’
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‘While you’re here you can sleep in the small room.’
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| chúns (fad is + VP)
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Chúns is a bhfuil tú i do mhac léinn.
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| ‘as long as’
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‘As long as you’re a student.’
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| riamh
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An bhfaca tú riamh a leithéid?
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| ‘ever’
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‘Did you ever see the like?’
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Other adverbs
Additives
| freisin
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Chuaigh sé go dtí an comórtas freisin.
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| ‘also’
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‘He went to the competition also.’
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The domain of an adverb in Irish can be positionally determined as in English. Compare the position of freisin ‘also’ and the meanings of both the previous and the following sentence.
Chuaigh sé freisin go dtí an comórtas.
‘He also went to the competition.’
| seachas
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Seachas a bheith ag obair, bhain sé céim as an ollscoil.
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| ‘besides’
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‘Apart from working he did a university degree.’
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| chomh maith
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Bhí mé sa Rúis chomh maith.
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| ‘as well’
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‘I was in Russia as well.’
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ní hé amháin ... ach ... freisin ‘not only ... but also’
Ní hé amháin a chéad leabhar ach a dara cheann freisin a bhí le fáil.
‘Not only his first book but also his second one was on sale.’
| aríst
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D’iarr sé an blas aríst.
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| ‘again’
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He tasted it again.
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X agus Y le chéile ‘both’
Ag an máthair agus a hiníon le chéile a bhí suim acu ann.
‘Both the mother and her daughter were interested in it.’
Optatives
| ceachtar
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Ní fhaca mé ceachtar acu.
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| ‘either’
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‘I didn’t see either of them.’
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| ach oiread
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Níor rinne tú ach oiread é.
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| ‘either’
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‘You didn’t do it either.’
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| ach oiread
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Mura bhfuil baint aici leis ní bheidh aige ach oiread.
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| ‘neither’
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‘If she isn’t involved neither will he be.’
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Purpose
| ionas go
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D’oscoil sé an geata ionas go mbeadh na ba in ann dul isteach
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| sa chaoi go
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D’oscoil sé an geata so chaoi go mbeadh na ba in ann dul isteach.
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| ‘in order that’
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‘He opened the gate in order that the cattle could go in.’
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| ionas nach
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Ionas nach rachadh na ba amach dún sé an geata.
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| sa chaoi nach
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Sa chaoi nach rachadh na ba amach dún sé an geata.
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| ‘in order not’
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‘He closed the gate so that the cattle would not go out.’
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Conditional
| mura
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Mura bhfuil an t-am agam ní bhacfaidh mé leis.
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| ‘unless’
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‘Unless I have the time I won’t bother with it.’
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dá (with conditional) ‘if’
Dá mbeadh sé mícheart dhéanfainn aríst é.
‘If it were incorrect I would do it again.’
má (with present and past indicative) ‘if’
Má thagann sé ar ball abain? leis go dtiocfaidh mé freisin.
‘If he comes soon tell him that I’ll come also.’
Explanatory
| de bhrí
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De bhrí go raibh sibh amuigh ghlan mé an teach.
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| ‘because’
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‘Because you-PL were outside/away I cleaned the house.’
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| toisc
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Toisc go raibh airgead agam chuaigh mé thar lear.
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| ‘because’
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‘Because I had money I went abroad.’
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| mar gheall air
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Dhiúltaigh sé mar gheall air a thinneas.
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| ‘on account of’
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‘He refused on account of his sickness.’
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Comparatives
| ar nós
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Ar nós mar a bheadh sí ag gol.
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| ‘as if’
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‘As if she were crying.’
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| chomh X le Y
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Níl sé chomh ard lena a chol cheathar.
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| ‘as X as Y’
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‘He’s not as tall as his cousin.’
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| le hais
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Le hais an mhic léinn eile is leisciúil atá sé.
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| ‘compared with’
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‘Compared with the other student he’s lazy.’
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| seachas
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Déanann siad an obair níos fearr anois seachas mar a rinne.
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| ‘compared with’
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‘They do the work better compared with how they used do it.’
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Concessives
| ní...ach
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Níor thóg mé ach punt.
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Níl uaithi ach deoch.
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| ‘only’
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‘I only took a pound.’
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‘She only wants a drink.’
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| cé go
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Cé go bhfuil an Ghaeilge deacair is maith liom í.
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| ‘although’
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‘Although Irish is difficult I like it.’
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| mar sin féin
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Mar sin féin measaim gur suarach an rud é.
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| ‘nonetheless’
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‘Nonetheless I think it’s squalid.’
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| áfach
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Níl sé i gcónaí mar sin, áfach.
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| ‘however’
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‘It’s not always like that, however.’
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Equivalents of that
Finally the manifestations of the relative pronoun and conjunction ‘that’ should be given. Note that this has separate forms for positive and negative use.
| ‘that’
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a (relative pronoun, positive)
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An síol a chuirtear san earrach.
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‘The seed that is sown in spring.’
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| ‘that’
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nach (relative pronoun, negative)
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An obair mhaith nach ndéantar.
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‘The good work that isn’t done.’
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| ‘that’
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nár (relative pronoun, negative, before past forms of verbs)
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An cleachtadh nár rinne an rang.
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‘The exercise that the class didn’t do.
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| ‘that’
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dá (partitive relative)
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Alt dá scríobhann sé.
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‘An article that he writes.’ (i.e. one his articles)
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| ‘that’
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dár (partitive relative, before past forms of verbs)
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Lá dár léigh mé a chuid dánta.
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‘A day that I read his poems.’
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Léigh sé gach litir dár chuir sí chuige.
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‘He read every letter that she sent him.’
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| ‘that’
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a (inclusive pronoun; no special form for past)
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Thug sí dó a raibh aici.
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‘She gave him all that she had.’
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| ‘that’
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go (conjunction, positive)
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Dúirt mé go dteipfeadh orthu.
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‘I said that they would fail.’
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| ‘that’
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nach (conjunction, negative)
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Dúramar nach ngoidfeadh tú an airgead.
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‘We said that you wouldn’t steal the money.’
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| ‘that’
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gur (conjunction, positive, before past forms of verbs)
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Creidim gur imigh sé.
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‘I believe that he went.’
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| ‘that’
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nár (conjunction, negative, before past forms of verbs)
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Dúradar i gcogar nách raibh feabhas ar bith taghta air.
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‘They whispered that he hadn’t improved at all.’
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If ‘that’ has an explanatory function it may have one of the above forms preceded by toisc or faoi as in:
Bhí áthas air toisc/faoi nach raibh an bád imithe.
‘He was pleased that (i.e. because) the boat had not left.’
‘that’ can never be deleted in Irish as in English, compare:
‘She said she was tired.’
*Dúirt sí bhí sí tuirseach.
‘She said that she was tired.’
Dúirt sí go raibh sí tuirseach.
Conjunctions
| agus
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Níor ith agus níor ól sé tada.
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| ‘and’
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‘He didn’t eat and he didn’t drink anything.’
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| ach
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Rinne sí iarracht ach theip urithi.
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| ‘but’
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‘She made an attempt but she failed.’
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| nó
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B’fhéidir go gceannódh nó go dtógfadh sé ar cíos é.
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| ‘or’
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‘Maybe he’ll buy or rent it.’
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| ná
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Níor ith ná níor ól sé tada.
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| ‘or’-NEG
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‘He neither ate nor drank anything.’
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