Caibidil a Cúig: Prepositions (Réamhfhocail)genitive prepositions (réamhfhocail ghinideacha) |
These prepositions all require the genitive.
They are for the most part originally nouns (e.g. timpeall = round).
Additionally, we have the derived prepositions (or compound prepositions, réamhfhocail chomhshuite), which are comprised of a simple preposition and a noun.
also thar éis, théis, d'éis among others
A combination of the preposition tar (thar) or de and the noun éis ("path")
cois is actually the dative of the noun cos = foot
Derived from the noun teach = house,
tigh is the old dative of teach
used in names (e.g. bar names) comp. to the french chez ("chez
Jean"), also used preceding personal and company names
The table shows a selection of the most common ones:
preposition | translation | lit. | example |
with ar | on | - | - |
ar aghaidh | across from /opposite | "on face " | ar aghaidh an dhorais = opposite the door |
ar ceann | an the tip/end of, in front of | "on head " | na daoine ar ár gceann = the people in front of us |
ar chúl | behind | "on back side " | ar chúl an tí = behind the house |
ar feadh | for (the extent of), the length | "on stretch" | ar feadh seachtaine = for a week |
ar fud | through way , straight through | "on area " | ar fud na tíre = around the country |
ar nós | like, as the way of | "on way " | ar mo nós = like me |
ar s(h)on | because of , for the sake of, in order to | "on comfort " | ar son Dé = for God's sake |
with as | out | - | - |
as ucht | because of , for, to | "out of breast " | as ucht na tíre = for the good of the country |
with de | of | - | - |
d'ainneoin | despite | "of unwillingness " | de m'ainneoin = in spite of me |
de bharr | as a result of, due to | "of point " | de bharr báis = as a result of death |
de chois | in the area / close to | "of foot " | de chois an tí = close to the house |
de réir | due to, according to | "of will " | de réir an leabhair = due to the book |
with faoi | under | - | - |
faoi cheann | in (within), temp. | "under head " | faoi cheann seachtaine = within a week |
faoi choinne | (meant) for | "under meeting " | faoi a coinne = for her |
with go | until | - | - |
go ceann | until, for (temp.) | "until head " | go ceann bliana = for a year |
with i | in | - | - |
in aghaidh | against | "in face " | inár n-aghaidh = against us |
in aice | in the vicinity of | "in area " | in aice na Gaillimhe = near Galway |
in áit | instead of | "in place " | i m'áit = in my place |
in éadan | against | "in forehead " | in bhur n-éadan = against you |
i gcaitheamh | during | "in progress" | i gcaitheamh oíche = during a night |
i gceann | at the end of | "in head " | i gceann an bheallaigh = at the end of the way |
i gcoinne | against | "in meeting " | i gcoinne an tsrutha = against the flow |
i gcuideachta | in the company of | "in accompaniment " | i do chuideachta = in your company |
i ndiaidh | after | "in afterwards " | i ndiaidh an scéil = after the story |
i bhfianaise | in view of | "in witness " | i bhfianaise na farraige = in view of the sea |
i bhfochair | (together) with | "in area " | in bhur bhfochair = together with you |
i lár | central , in the middle of | "in middle " | i lár an bheallaigh = in the middle of the way |
i láthair | in the presence of | "in presence " | i láthair Dé = in the presence of God |
i leith | for | "in side " | i leith na saoirse = for freedom |
i measc | between, in the midst of | "in mix " | i measc na nduine = among the people |
i rith | during, in the course of | "in run " | i rith na seachtaine = during the week |
i dtaobh | regarding, about | "in side " | i dtaobh an ruda = regarding the thing |
i dteannta | (together) with | "in support of " | i do theannta = with you |
with le | with | - | - |
le haghaidh | for | "with face " | lena aghaidh = for him |
le hais | compared to, next to | "with axis " | lena hais = next to, compared to her |
le cois | beside, at the foot of | "with foot " | le cois na habhann = on the river |
le linn | during | "with duration " | le linn na seachtaine = during the week |
le teann | from, out of | "with power " | le teann feirge = out of anger |
with os | over | - | - |
os cionn | above | "over head " | os cionn an tí = above the house |
os coinne | in front of, across from | "beyond meeting " | os mo choinne = in front of me |
os comhair | across from, in front of, in the presence | "over location " | os comhair na fuinneoige = across from the window |
os mhair | in front of | "over last" | os mhair an dhorais = at the door |
with thar | over (... beyond, pasti) | - | - |
thar ceann | beyond the | "over head " | thar ceann an ghoirt = beyond the field |
thar cheann | for, in place of | "over head " | thar mo cheann = instead of my |
tar éis | after (s. above) | "over trail " | - |
In some dialects there is a trend towards simplification of derived prepositions notable through an omission of the simple preposition and further changes.
(e.g. Munster: ar feadh > feadh > fean/fan: fan na seachtaine = for the week; de réir > dréir/déir (in Connacht réir, léir): déir/léir na haimsire = appropriate for the season )
A further form of derived prepositions is comprised of 3 parts: preposition-noun-preposition
(e.g. in aice le = next to, in éineacht le = together with, i ndáil le = with respect to ).
These do not require the genitive but take the case appropriate for the last preposition (in the examples: le)