Graiméar na Gaedhilge/Part III Chapter VII

by Christian Brothers

CHAPTER VII.

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Classification of the Uses of the Prepositions.

617.

AG, AT.

1. To denote possession (a) with tá.

Tá sgian agam.	I have a knife.
Tá aiṫne agam ar an ḃfear soin.	I know that man.

(b) With other verbs:

Ċoimeád sé an sgian aige féin.	He kept the knife for himself.
D’ ḟág sé aca iad	He left them to them.

2. It is used in a partitive sense, of them, &c

Aon duine aca.	Anyone of them
Gaċ aon aca.	Each one of them.

3. With verbal nouns to translate the English present participle:

(a) active — Tá sé ag bualaḋ an ḃuaċalla.

He is beating the boy.

(b) passive — Tá an buaċaill agá (’ġá) ḃualaḋ.

The boy is being beaten.

4. With verbal nouns followed by do, meaning “while.”

Ag dul dóiḃ.   While they were going.

5. To express the agent or cause with passive verbs.

Tá an ċloc ġá (agá) tógáil ag Séamus.

The stone is being raised by James.

The English preposition at when used with assemblies, e.g. market, fair, school, &c, is usually translated by ar.

618.

AR, ON, UPON.

1. Literal use: ar an mbord, on the table.

2. In adverbial phrases:

(a) time.

ar ball, just now, by and by.	ar feaḋ, during.
lá ar lá, day by day.	ar maidin, in the morning.
ar uairiḃ, by times.	ar an láṫair, immediately.

(b) place.

ar biṫ, in existence, at all.			ar ċúl, behind.
ar lear,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	at sea.	ar sgoil, in school.
ar fairrge,			ar fud, throughout,
ar muir,			ar neaṁ, in heaven.
ar lár, on the ground.			ar bord, on board.
ar tí, on the point of.			ar talaṁ,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	on earth.
ar fad, in length.			ar talṁain,
ar ḟaid,[1] lengthwise.			ar an doras, by (through) the door.

trí troiġṫe	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	ar fad (faid),	three feet	long.
		ar leiṫead,	„	wide.
		ar leiṫead,	„	high.
		ar doiṁne,	„	deep.

(c) cause.

ar an áḋḃar soin, for that reason, therefore.	ar leaṫtrom, under oppression.
ar son, for the sake of.	ar toil, according to the will of.
ar eagla go, for fear that.

ar éigin, hardly, by compulsion.

ar toġa, at the choice of.

(d) manner and condition.

ar ċor ar biṫ, on any condition.	ar deilḃ, in the form of.
	ar siuḃal, in progress.
ar an móḋ, in the manner.	ar a laiġead, at least.
ar aġaiḋ, forward.	ar ais, back.
aġaiḋ ar aġaiḋ, face to face.	ar gcúl, backwards.
leaṫ ar leaṫ, side by side.	ar trasna, breadthwise.
ar lasaḋ, ablaze.	ar fán	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ astray.
ar ċumas, in the power of.	ar seaċrán,
beagán ar beagán, little by little.	ar meisge, drunk.
	ar sodar, trotting.
ar cáirde, on credit.	ar iasaċt, on loan.

3. In numbers:

Trí ar ḟiċid, 23.

Tríoṁad ar ḟiċid, 23rd.

4. (a) Before the verbal noun, which it eclipses or aspirates to form the past participle active.

Ar ḋunaḋ an dorais dóiḃ d’ imṫiġeadar.

Having shut the door, they went away.

 (b) With the possessive adjective a and verbal noun to form perfect participle passive.

Ar n‑a ċur i n‑eagar ag,   Edited by.

Ar n‑a ċur amaċ ag Connraḋ na Gaeḋilge,   Published by the Gaelic League.

5. Emotions felt by a person:

Care, sorrow, &c.	Tá imniḋe, bpón orm.
Thirst, hunger, need, sickness.	Tá tart, ocras, easbaiḋ, tinneas orm.
Fear.	Tá eagla, faitċíos orm.
Joy.	Tá lúṫġáir orm.

6. In phrases:

Tioḋlacaḋ ar, favour (conferred) on.	Tá baoġal ar, there is danger.
Cion, gean ar, affection for.	Cuiṁne ar, remembrance of.
Eolas, fios, aiṫne ar, knowledge of, acquaintance with.	Casaoid ar,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ complaint against.
	Gearán ar,
Gráin ar, horror of, or disgust with.	Fuaṫ ar, hatred of.
	Fiaċ ar, debt due from.
Tá aṁras agam air, I suspect him.	Cumas ar, power over, capacity for.
Cuṁaċt ar, power over.	Fiaċa ar, claim upon.
Buaiḋ ar, victory over.	De ċeangal ar,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ of obligation on.
onóir ar, honour (given) to.	D’ ḟiaċaiḃ ar,
	D’ ualaċ ar,

In the above phrases the agent is expressed by ar where possible, tá gráḋ, gean, eolas, cuiṁne, &c., agat ort.

7. AR is used after various classes of verbs.

(a) Verbs of motion upon or against (striking, inflicting, &c.).

Imrim pian ar.		I punish.
Teilgim ar (le).		I throw at.
Casaḋ ar.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Met.
Ṫárla ar.
Casaḋ an fear orm.		I met the man.
Do ġaḃ sé de ċloċaiḃ orṫa.		He threw stones at them.

(b) After the verb ḂEIRIM.

Ḃeirim ar.	I call (name), (ar before person), induce, persuade, compel a person (to do something).
Ḃeirim iarraċt ar.	I attempt (something or to do something).
Ḃeirim díol ar.	I requite, repay (a person).
Ḃeirim[2] fá n‑deara ar,	I cause, make (a person do something).
Ḃeirim gráḋ ar.	I love (fall in love with), &c.
Ḃeirim míniuġaḋ ar.	I explain.

(c) After the verb BEIRIM.

Beirim ar … ar.	I catch, seize (a person) by (the hand, &c.).
Beirim ar.	I overtake, I catch.
Beirim breiṫeaṁnas ar,	I judge, pass judgment on.
Beirim buaiḋ ar.	I conquer.

(d) After verbs of Praying, Beseeching, Appealing to.

Iarraim ar.	I ask, entreat (a person).
Guiḋim ar.	I pray for (sometimes I pray to); but generally guiḋim ċum Dé ar son &c. I pray to God for.
Impiġim ar.	I beseech.

(e) After verbs of Speaking about, Thinking of, Treating of, Writing of, &c.

Laḃraim ar, I speak of.	Smuainim ar, I think of.
Tpáċtaim ar, I treat of.	Sgríoḃaim ar, I write of, or about.
Cuiṁniġim ar, I remember.

(f) Verbs of looking at:

Feuċaim ar or dearcaim ar.   I look at.

(g) Verbs of threatening, complaining, offending, displeasing, &c.

Bagraim ar.	I threaten.
Goillim ar.	I am troublesome to.
Ġeiḃim loċt ar.	I find fault with.

(h) Verbs of concealing, neglecting, hindering, forbidding, refusing, &c.

Ceilim ar.	I conceal from.
Toirmeasgaim ar.	I hinder or forbid.
Failliġim ar.	I neglect.

(i) Verbs of protecting, guarding, guaranteeing against.

Seaċain tú féin ar an dtrucaill sin.	Take care of yourself from that car.
Seaċain do láṁ ar an gcloiċ sin.	Take care! That stone will hurt your hand.

8. (a) Cuirim is used with verbal nouns and adverbial phrases beginning with ar:

Cuirim ar criṫ.	I put in a tremble.
Cuirim ar coimeád.	I put on one's guard.
Cuirim ar seaċrán.	I set astray.
Cuirim ar cáirde.	I put off, delay, postpone.
Cuirim ar gcúl.	I put aside.
Cuirim ar neiṁníḋ.	I reduce to nothing, I annihilate.

(b) Also with many nouns:—

Cuirim ceist ar.		I question.
Cuirim comaoin ar.		I do a kindness to.
Cuirim	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ crainn ar (ṫar).	I cast lots for.
Caiṫim
Cuirim cuma ar.		I arrange.
Cuirim gairm (fios) ar.		I send for.
Cuirim láṁ ar.		I set about.
Cuirim leiġeas ar.		I apply a remedy to.
Cuirim luiḋeaċan ar.		I lay a snare for.
Cuirim moill ar.		I delay.
Cuirim toirmeasg ar.		I hinder.
Cuirim impiḋe ar.		I beseech.

9. Ġním is used with many nouns meaning “I inflict … on.”

Ġním bagar ar.	I threaten.
Ġním buaiḋreaḋ ar.	I trouble.
Ġním casaoid ar.	I complain of.
Ġním eugcóir ar.	I wrong.
Ġním feall ar.	I act treacherously towards.
Ġním smaċt ar.	I exercise authority over, I restrain.
Ġním breiṫeaṁnas ar.	I judge, pass judgment upon.
Ġním faire ar.	I watch.

619.

AS, OUT OF, FROM.

1. Literal use: out of, from, &c.

Ċuaiḋ sé as an tiġ.	He went out of the house.
Dul as an mbeaṫaiḋ.	To depart from life.

2. With various other verbs:

Dúisiġim as codlaḋ.	I arouse from sleep.
Cuirim as seilḃ.	I dispossess.
Croċaim as.	I hang from.
Cuirim asam.	I utter (a shriek, &c.)
Léigim as.	I let off.
Sgriosaim af.	I erase from.
Tuitim as a ċéile.	To fall asunder.
Tarraing as a ċéile.	To pull asunder.

3. To express origin, cause; ground of proof; confidence, trust in:

As gaċ áird.	From every quarter.
Soċar do ḃaint as.	Derive benefit from.
An fáṫ as.	The reason why.
Ar so suas.	Henceforth.
Is follus as.	It is evident from,
Iontuigṫe as.	Inferable from,
Muiniġin as.	Confidence in.

4. After verbs, of boasting or taking pride in:

Maoiḋim as.	I boast of.
Glórṁar as.	Glorying in.
Lánṁar as féin.	Full of himself.

620.

ĊUN (ċum), TOWARDS.

1. Ċum is used after verbs of motion:

Ċuaiḋ sé ċum an tiġe.	He went towards the house.
Cur ċum fairrge.	To put to sea.

2. Before verbal noun to express purpose:

Ṫáinig sé ċum an ċapaill do ḋíol.

He came to sell the horse.

3. In Phrases, as :

Taḃairt ċum críċe.	To bring to pass.
Gaḃaim ċugam.	I take for myself.
Cur ċum báis.	To put to death.
Léig ċum báis.	Let die.
Gleusta ċum oibre.	Prepared for work.
Ċum go.	In order that.
Guiḋim ċum.	I pray to.
Dul ċum dliġeaḋ.	To go to law.

621.

DE, FROM, OUT OF.

1. Literal use:

Bainim de.	I take from.
Éiriġim de.	I arise from.
Tuitim de.	I fall from.
Sgaoilim de.	I loose from (anything).

2. Partitive use:

Drong de na daoiniḃ.	Some of the people.
Duine de na fearaiḃ.	One of the men.
Fear de ṁuintir Maṫġaṁna.	One of the O’Mahoney’s.

Often before the relative it is equivalent to a superlative relative:

Ḃeurfad gaċ níḋ d’á ḃfuil agam.

I will give everything I have.

Is é an fear is aoirde d’ á ḃfacas riaṁ.	He is the tallest man I ever saw.
Ní maiṫ leis níḋ d’ á dtugais dó.	He does not like anything you gave him.

3. In the following phrases:

de ḃriġ, because	d’ áiriṫe, for certain
d’ eagla go, lest	de ġnáṫ, usually
d’ aois, of age	de ġníoṁ, in effect
de ṡíor, perpetually	de m’ iúl, to my knowledge
de ḋruim, owing to	de ḋíṫ,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ for lack of, want of
d’ éis, after	d’ easbaiḋ,
de ḋeoin, willingly	d’ aiṁḋeoin, unwillingly, in spite of
de ṡúil le, in expectation of	de ṫaoiḃ, concerning

4. After following verbs, &c.:

Fiafruiġim de.	I ask (enquire) of.
Leanaim de.	I adhere to.
Líonta de (le).	Filled with.
Lán de.	Full of.
Ġním tagairt de.	I mention.
Ġním úsáid de.	I make use of.
Ġním … de…,	I make … out of (from) …
Léigim díom.	I let slip.

5. To translate “with,” &c., in phrases like de léim, with a leap, at a bound.

622.

DO, TO, FOR.

1. Literal use :

(a) After adjectives (generally with is):

cinnte do,	certain for (a person).
cóir do,	right for (a person).
éigean do,	necessary for.
maiṫ do,	good for.
fearr do,	better for.

(b) After nouns:

(dul) i soċar do,	for the advantage of.
(is) beaṫa ḋó,	(is) his life,
(is) aṫair ḋó,	(is) his father.

(c) After verbs:

Aiṫnim do, I command.	Cinnim do, I appoint for.
Bronnaim do (ar) I present to.	Coṁairliġim do, I advise.
Deónuiġim do, I vouchsafe to.	Diúltaim do, I renounce.
Fógraim do, I announce to.	Fóġnaim do, I am of use to.
Freagraim do, I answer.	Geallaim do, I promise.
Géillim do, I obey or do homage to.	Léigim do, I allow, let.}}
	Innsin do, I tell.
Órduiġim do, I order.	Taisbeánaim do,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ I show
	Teasbánaim do,
Gaḃaim do ċosaiḃ, I trample.	Coiglim do, I spare.

2. To express the agent:

After the verbal noun, preceded by ar, ag, &c.:

Ar dteaċt annso dóiḃ.   On their arrival here.

With the participle of necessity, participles in ion, &c.:

Ní molta ḋuit é.	He must not be praised by you.
Is é sin is indéanta ḋuit.	That’s what you ought to do.

3. For its use in connection with the verbal noun see pars. 563, 568, 570.

623.

FÁ or FÉ, UNDER, ABOUT, CONCERNING.

1. Literal use: as,

Tá sé fá ’n mbord.   It is under the table.

2. Fá is used in forming the multiplicatives:

a trí fé ḋó,	twice three.
a dó fé ceaṫair,	four times two.

3. In adverbial phrases:

fá ċoṁair, (keeping) for.	fá leiṫ, separately.
fá ḋeo, at last.	fá ḋeireaḋ, at last.
fá ṡeaċ, individually, separately.	fá mar, just so (as),

624.

GAN, WITHOUT.

1. Literal use:

Gan pinginn im ṗóca.   Without a penny in my pocket.

2. To express not before the verbal noun:

Abair leis gan teaċt.   Tell him not to come.

625.

GO, WITH.

1. This preposition used only in a few phrases:

generally before leiṫ, a half.
Míle go leiṫ.	A mile and a half.
Slat go leiṫ.	A yard and a half.

626.

GO, TO, TOWARDS.

1. Literal use: motion, as—

Go Luimneaċ.   To or towards Limerick.

2. In Phrases:

Ó uair go h‑uair.	From hour to hour.
Ó nóin go ċéile.	From evening to evening.
Ó ṁaidin go h‑oiḋċe.	From morning till night.

627.

I (in, ann), IN, INTO (Eclipsing).

1. Of time:

Ins an tSaṁraḋ.   In Summer.

2. Of motion to a place:

Iar dteaċt i n‑Éirinn do Ṗádraig.

Patrick having come into Ireland.

3. Of rest at a place:

Tá sé i nDoire.   He is in Derry.

4. In following phrases:

i n‑aoinḟeaċt le, along with,	i n‑aġaiḋ, against.
i ndiaiḋ, after.	i gceann, at end of.
i gcoinne, against.	i gcoṁair, in front of.
i ḃfoċair, in company with.	i measg, among.
i dtimċioll, about.

5. After words expressing esteem, respect, liking, &c., for something:

Dúil i n‑ór.   Desire for gold.

6. Used predicatively after TÁ:

Táim im’ ḟear láidir anois.   I am a strong man now.

7. In existence, extant:

Is breáġ an aimsir atá ann.

It’s fine weather we’re having.

Ní cóir ḋuit dul amaċ ⁊ an aimsir ḟuar atá ann anois.

You ought not to go out considering the cold weather we have now.

8. Used after tá to express “to be able.”

Ní ḃíonn ann féin iompóḋ.   He cannot turn.

9. After cuir, ḃeir, dul, in phrases like:

Cuirim i gcuiṁne do.	I remind.
Dul i soċar do.	To benefit.

628.

IDIR, BETWEEN, AMONG.

1. Literal use :

nós idir na Róṁánċaiḃ,	a custom among the Romans.
deiṫfir eatorra,	difference between them.

2.

IDIR … AGUS, BOTH … AND.

idir ṡaiḋḃir agus ḃoċt,	both rich and poor.
idir aṫair agus ṁac,	both father and son.
idir ċaorċaiḃ agus uanaiḃ,	both sheep and lambs,
idir ḟearaiḃ is ṁnáiḃ,	both men and women.

629.

LE, WITH.

1. Literal use, with:

leis an maor,   with the steward.

2. With is to denote possession:

Is liomsa é.	It is my own. It belongs to me.
Cia leis iad?	Who owns them?

3. With is and adjectives to denote “in the opinion of:”

Is fiú liom é.	I think it worth my while.
Do b’ ḟada leis.	He thought it long.

4. To denote instrument or means:

Briseaḋ an ḟuinneóg le cloiċ.	The window was broken by a stone.
Fuair sé bás leif an ocras.	He died of hunger.
Losgaḋ le teiniḋ é.	He was burned with fire.

5. After verbs or expressions of motion:

Amaċ leis,	Out (he went).
Siar liḃ!	Stand back!
D’ imṫiġ sí léiṫi,	She departed.

6. With verbs of touching; behaviour towards; saying to; listening to; selling to; paying to; waiting for:

Éist liom,	Listen to me.
Bainim le,	I touch.
Laḃraim le,	I speak to.
Ḋíolas an ḃó leis,	I sold the cow to him.
Ná fan liom,	Do not wait for me.

7. After words expressing comparison with, likeness to, severance from, union with, peace with, war with, expectation of.

Tá sé ċoṁ árd liom.	He is as tall as I.
Tá sé cosṁail leat.	He is like you.
Do sgar sé leo.	He separated from them.

8. With verbal noun to express purpose, intention (see pars. 567, 569).

9. In following phrases:—

le h‑aġaiḋ, for (use of),	le cois, near, beside.
le h‑uċt, with a view to.	láiṁ le, near.
le h‑ais, beside.	mar aon le, along with
le fánaiḋ, downward.	taoḃ le, beside.

630.

MAR, LIKE TO, AS.

1. Literal use: as, like to.

mar sin, thus	agus mar sin de, and so on.
Do ġlac sé mar ċéile í.	He took her for a spouse.
fá mar aduḃairt sé,	(according) as he said.

2. Before relative particle a, it is equivalent to as, how, where, &c.

an áit mar a raiḃ sé,   the place where he was.

3. For an idiomatic use of mar, see par. 353.^{[W 1]}

631.

Ó, FROM, SINCE.

1. Since (of time): as,

ó ṫús, from the beginning.   ó ṡoin, ago.

Conjunction: as,

Ó naċ ḃfacas rud ar biṫ, ṫángas aḃaile arís.

Since I saw nothing I came home again.

2. Of place, motion from:

Ó Éirinn,   from Erin.

3. In a modal sense:

ód ċroiḋe,	with all thy heart.
boċt ó (i) f spioraid,	poor in spirit

4. After words expressing severance from, distance from, going away from, turning from, taking from, exclusion from, cleansing, defending, protecting, healing, alleviating.

632.

ÓS, OVER.

Used only in a few phrases as:

ós cionn, above, over.	bun ós cionn, upside down.
ós ísiol, silently, secretly.	ós ard loudly.

633.

ROIṀ, BEFORE.

1. Of time:

Deiċ nóimid roiṁ (ċun) a trí.	Ten minutes to three.
Roiṁe seo.	Before this, heretofore, formerly.
Roiṁe sin.	Previously.

2. Of fleeing before, from; coming in front of; lying before one (= awaiting); putting before one (= proposing to oneself):

Cibé ċuireas roiṁe é seo do ḋeunaṁ.	Whoever proposes to do this.
Ḃí an girrḟiaḋ ag riṫ roiṁ na conaiḃ.	The hare was running from the hounds.

3. After expressions of fear, dislike, welcome, &c.:

Ná bíoḋ eagla ort rómpa.	Do not be afraid of them.
Fáilte róṁat (róṁaiḃ)!	Welcome!

634.

TAR, BEYOND, OVER, PAST.

1. Of motion (place and time):

Léim sé ṫar an mballa.	He leaped over the wall.
An ṁí seo ġaḃ ṫorainn.	Last month.

2. Figuratively: “in preference to,” “beyond.”

Ṫar mar ḃí sé deiċ mbliaḋna fiċead ó ṡoin.	Compared with what it was 30 years ago.
Ṫar mar buḋ ḋliġṫeaċ ḋó.	Beyond what was lawful for him.

3. In following phrases :

dul tar, transgress.	teaċt ṫar, refer to, treat of
tar éis, after.	ṫar ais, back.
Tar ċeann go, notwithstanding.

635.

TRÉ, (TRÍ), THROUGH, BY MEANS OF.

1. Physically, through:

Tré n‑a láṁaiḃ.   Through his hands.

2. Figuratively, “owing to”:

Tríd sin.   Owing to that.

N.B. — In the spoken language tríd is generally used instead of tré or treas.

636.

UM, ABOUT, AROUND.

1. Time: um ṫráṫnóna, in the evening.

2. Place: um an tiġ, around the house.

3. About: of putting or having clothing on.

Do ċuireadar umpa a gcuid éadaiġ.

They put on their clothes.

4. Cause: uime sin, therefore.

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Notes

1. ar a ḟaid, literally on its length.
2. Cuirim may be used in this sense.

Notes (Wikisource)

1. Presumably a typo, as there is nothing about mar at par. 353.