Ar (on)
Guide to the Irish preposition 'ar' (on): conjugated forms (orm, ort, air, uirthi, orainn, oraibh, orthu), mutations, emotions, and idiom usage.
The preposition ar is one of the most versatile in Irish, with a core meaning of “on”. Beyond simple location, it is used to express possession of states and emotions, names, obligations, and much more. It also triggers specific initial mutations on the word that follows it.
Initial Mutations
The mutation caused by ar depends on whether it is followed by the definite article an.
Without the Article
When ar is followed directly by a noun, the mutation depends on the noun’s meaning.
Lenition with Specific Nouns
ar causes lenition on specific, concrete nouns.
- ar mhuir - on a sea
- ar bhord - on a table
- ar chíos mór - for a high rent
No Mutation with General or Abstract Nouns
ar causes no mutation on abstract or general nouns, especially when describing a state or a general location.
- ar muir - at sea
- ar bord - on board
- ar cíos - for rent
With the Singular Article
When ar is followed by the singular article an, the standard rule is to cause eclipsis on the following noun.
- ar an mbord - on the table
This rule has significant dialectal variations.
Forms with Pronouns
Like all Irish prepositions, ar combines with pronouns to create a single word. These are known as conjugated prepositions or prepositional pronouns.
| Person | Standard Form | Emphatic Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. (I) | orm | ormsa | on me |
| 2nd sg. (you) | ort | ortsa | on you |
| 3rd sg. (he) | air | airsean | on him |
| 3rd sg. (she) | uirthi | uirthise | on her |
| 1st pl. (we) | orainn | orainne | on us |
| 2nd pl. (you) | oraibh | oraibhse | on you |
| 3rd pl. (they) | orthu | orthusan | on them |
Forms with Possessive Adjectives
When ar is followed by a possessive adjective (mo, do, a, etc.), they remain separate words.
| Preposition + Adjective | Meaning |
|---|---|
ar mo | on my |
ar do | on your |
ar a | on his / on her / on their |
ar ár | on our |
ar bhur | on your (plural) |
The Special Form arna
The forms arna (for ar a) and arnár (for ar ár) are special contractions used primarily with the verbal noun to mean “after” doing something. This usage is a modern replacement for the older preposition iar.
- arna críochnú dom - after I had finished it
Common Uses of ar
ar has a very wide range of meanings and uses beyond simple location.
Location
- On top of something: ar an mbord - on the table
- In a town or city: ar an mbaile - in the town
Possession of States and Attributes
A very common pattern with ar is to express states, conditions, or attributes that someone or something “has on” them.
- Wearing clothes: Tá cóta nua air - He is wearing a new coat.
- Appearance and features: Tá dath dearg ar an teach - The house is red (lit. “A red colour is on the house”).
- Parts of objects: Tá doirse ar an teach - The house has doors.
- Emotions and physical states: Tá áthas orm - I am glad (lit. “Joy is on me”). Tá tart ort - You are thirsty. Tá eagla orainn - We are afraid.
- Names: Máirtín atá air - His name is Martin (lit. “Martin is what is on him”).
Causing a State
The verb cuir is often used with ar to mean “to cause” a state or emotion.
- Chuir sé fearg orm - He made me angry.
Obligation
The structure tá...ar is used to express obligation or necessity.
- Tá orm bainne a ól - I have to drink milk.
Responsibility and Authority
- Responsibility for: Tá a báis ort - You are responsible for her death.
- Authority over: Rí ar Sasana - King of England.
Expressing Feelings and Knowledge
When used with tá...ag, ar indicates the recipient of a feeling or the object of knowledge.
- Tá grá agam ort - I love you (lit. “I have love on you”).
- Tá aithne agam ar Cháit - I know Cáit.
- Tá buíochas agam ar Cháit - I am grateful to Cáit.
- Tá airgead agam ort - You owe me money (lit. “I have money on you”).
Advantage and Disadvantage
- To someone’s disadvantage: Bhris sé an fhuinneog uirthi - He broke the window on her (i.e., to her detriment).
- Advantage over: Tá bliain agam air - I am one year older than him (lit. “I have a year on him”). Bhí deich nóiméad aige orm - He had a 10-minute lead over me.
With Verbs
ar is the required preposition after many common verbs.
- féach ar… - to look at…
- iarr ar… - to ask someone…
- tosaigh ar… - to begin…
- glaoigh ar… - to call someone…
Price
- ar phunt - for a pound
- Tá punt ar an úll - The apple costs a pound.
In Numbers and Arithmetic
- Counting above 20: duine ar fhichid - 21 people (lit. “one person on twenty”)
- Division: a sé ar a trí, sin a dó - six divided by three is two
Describing Similarity
ar can be used to mean “-coloured” or “-shaped”.
- ar dhath an róis - rose-coloured
- ar dhéanamh báid - boat-shaped
- ar ghile an tsneachta - as white as snow
Probability
- Tá báisteach air - It looks like rain.
- Tá cogadh air - It looks like there will be a war.
With Abstract Nouns to Describe a State
- ar meisce - drunk
- ar buile - mad, furious
- ar fheabhas - excellent
Indicating Activity
With a verbal noun, ar can mean “at” or “engaged in”.
- Tá sé ar an obair - He is at work / working.
Temporal Expressions
- ar maidin - in the morning
- ar a dó a chlog - at two o’clock
Reinforcing an Imperative
ar can be added to an imperative to add a sense of encouragement or urgency.
- Scríobh ort! - Write on! / Go on, write!
Asking Questions
- Cé air a bhfuil tú ag smaoineamh? - Who are you thinking about? (lit. “On whom are you thinking?”)
- Cad air a bhfuil tú ag féachaint? - What are you looking at?
Historical note
The modern preposition ar is a coalescence of three distinct prepositions from Old Irish: ar (“before, for the sake of”), for (“on, over”), and iar (“after”). This history explains why ar has such a wide range of meanings today, including its use with the verbal noun to mean “after”, which directly replaces the function of iar.