Compounding
Learn how to form and use two-part and three-part compound prepositions in Irish, which combine simple prepositions with nouns.
Prepositions Grammar Compound Prepositions Phrases
Compound prepositions are phrases that function as a single preposition. They are formed by combining a simple preposition with a noun, and sometimes another preposition. While their meaning can sometimes be guessed from their parts, it is often idiomatic.
Two-Part Compound Prepositions
The most common type of compound preposition consists of two parts: a simple preposition followed by a noun. The noun that follows this structure is put into the genitive case.
- ar nós na ndaoine - like the people (lit. “on manner of the people”)
Some compound prepositions can also function as conjunctions, often followed by go (“that”).
- d’ainneoin go raibh sé anseo - despite the fact that he was here
Prepositions with ar
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ar aghaidh | opposite | on face | ar aghaidh an dorais - opposite the door |
ar ceann | at the head/end of, before | on head | na daoine ar ár gceann - the people before us |
ar chúl | behind | on back | ar chúl an tí - behind the house |
ar feadh | for (the duration of), all along | on extent | ar feadh seachtaine - for a week |
ar fud | throughout, amidst | on region | ar fud na tíre - throughout the country |
ar nós | like, after the fashion of | on manner | ar mo nós - like me |
ar son | because of, for the sake of | on welfare | ar son Dé - for God’s sake |
ar tí | on the track of | on track | ar mo thí - after me |
Prepositions with as
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
as siocair | because of | out of cause | as siocair na drochaimsire - because of the bad weather |
as ucht | because of, for the benefit of | out of breast | as ucht na tíre - for the good of the country |
Prepositions with de
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
d'ainneoin | despite | of unwillingness | de m’ainneoin - despite me |
de bharr | as a result of, owing to | of top | de bharr báis - owing to death |
de bhuíochas | thanks to | of thanks | dá bhuíochas - thanks to him |
(de) cheal | for lack of | of lack | de cheal airgid - for lack of money |
de chois | near | of foot | de chois an tí - near the house |
de chóir | near | of proximity | de chóir an tí - near the house |
de dheasca | as a consequence of, due to | of consequences | de dheasca na trioblóidí - as a consequence of the troubles |
de réir | according to | of will | de réir an leabhair - according to the book |
de thairbhe | because of, due to | of benefit | de thairbhe a mbeartas tacaíochta - due to their support policy |
d'uireasa | without | of lack | dá huireasa - without her |
Prepositions with faoi
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
faoi bhun | below | under ground | faoi bhun pingine - below a penny |
faoi cheann | in (at the end of) | under head | faoi cheann seachtaine - in a week |
faoi choinne | (intended) for | under meeting | faoina coinne - for her |
faoi chomhair | (intended) for | under counting | faoi chomhair an phobail - for the people |
faoi dhéin (-t) | (intended) for | under fetching | faoina déin - for her |
Prepositions with gan
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
gan fiú | without even, not even with | without value | gan fiú na mbróg - even without shoes |
Prepositions with go
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
go ceann | until, for (temporal) | until head | go ceann bliana - for a year |
go fiú | up to | until value | go fiú na gcnáipí - up to the buttons |
Prepositions with i
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
in aghaidh | against | in face | inár n-aghaidh - against us |
in aice | near | in proximity | 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 (plural) |
in imeacht | in the course of | in going away | in imeacht an lae - in the course of the day |
in ionad | instead of, as a substitute for | in place | in ionad na bhfocal seo - instead of these words |
i gcaitheamh | during | in course | i gcaitheamh oíche - during a night |
i gceann | at the end of | in head | i gceann an bheallaigh - at the end of the road |
i gcoinne | against | in meeting | i gcoinne an tsrutha - against the current |
i gcomhair | (intended) for | in counting | i gcomhair an phobail - for the people |
i gcuideachta | in the company of | in company | i do chuideachta - in your company |
i gcúl | in the back of | in back | i gcúl an chairr - in the back of the car |
i ndiaidh | after | in end | i ndiaidh an scéil - after the story |
i bhfianaise | in sight of | in witness | i bhfianaise na farraige - in sight of the sea |
i bhfochair | (together) with | in proximity | in bhur bhfochair - together with you (plural) |
i bhfoisceacht | within | in proximity | i bhfoisceacht trí mhíle - within 3 miles |
i ngiorracht | within | in shortness | i ngiorracht trí mhíle - within 3 miles |
i lár | amidst, in the middle of | in middle | i lár an bheallaigh - in the middle of the road |
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, among | in tangle | i measc na ndaoine - among the people |
i rith | during | in run | i rith na seachtaine - during the week |
i dtaobh | concerning, about | in side | i dtaobh an ruda - concerning the matter |
i dteannta | (together) with | in support | i do theannta - together with you |
i dtrátha | around | in time | i dtrátha na Nollag - around Christmas |
Prepositions with le
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
le haghaidh | for | with face | lena aghaidh - for him |
le hais | beside, in comparison with | with back | lena hais - beside her |
le cois | beside, at the foot of | with foot | le cois na habhann - by the river |
le linn | during | with duration | le linn na seachtaine - during the week |
le taobh | at the side, along | with side | le mo thaobh - at my side |
le teann | out of, from | with strength | le teann feirge - out of anger |
Prepositions with os
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
os cionn | over | over head | os cionn an tí - over the house |
os coinne | before, opposite | over meeting | os mo choinne - before me |
os comhair | opposite, before | over counting | os comhair na fuinneoige - opposite the window |
Prepositions with thar
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
thar ceann | beyond | over head | thar ceann an ghoirt - beyond the field |
thar cheann | for, instead of | over head | thar mo cheann - instead of me |
tar éis | after | over track | tar éis an scéil - after the story |
Dialectal Forms and Variations
In spoken Irish, some compound prepositions are often simplified or contracted.
Other Two-Part Forms
A small number of two-part prepositions have a simple preposition as their second component. These behave like three-part prepositions, as the final preposition governs the following noun.
maidir le- concerning, regarding- maidir leis an litir - concerning the letter
mar le- concerning, according to (a shortened form ofmaidir le)láimh le- beside (lit. “hand with”)- láimh le droichead - beside a bridge
laistiar de/taobh thiar de- behind- taobh thiar den teach - behind the house
diomaite de- except- diomaite den Ghaeilge - except for Irish
Etymological note
The preposition maidir le is likely a shortened form of the older phrase mar a deir le, meaning “as you say to”.
Three-Part Compound Prepositions
A less common structure consists of three parts: Preposition + Noun + Preposition. With these forms, the final preposition determines the case and mutation of the following noun, so the genitive case is not used.
- in aice leis an doras - next to the door
| Preposition | Translation | Literal Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ar mhaithe le | for, for the good of | on welfare with | ar mhaithe leis an tír - for the good of the country |
mar gheall ar | because of, concerning | like pledge on | mar gheall ar an gceist - because of the question |
fá dtaobh de | about (Ulster) | over side of | fá dtaobh díom - about me |
in aice le | near, next to | in proximity with | in aice leis an doras - next to the door |
in éineacht le | together with | in one-time with | in éineacht leis an bhfoirm seo - together with this form |
in éindí le | together with | in one-house with | in éindí leis an bhfear - together with the man |
i ndáil le | in relation to | in meeting with | i ndáil leis an sampla sin - in relation to that example |
i dtaca le | concerning, with regard to | in support with | i dtaca leis an chéad cheist de - as regards the first question |
i gcomórtas le | compared with | in comparison with | i gcomórtas leis an mbád seo - compared with this boat |
Etymological note
The word éineacht in in éineacht le comes from the Old Irish aoinfheacht, a combination of aon (“one”) and feacht (“time, occasion”).