Faoi
Faoi primarily translates to "under" or "about". It is used to indicate position, topics of conversation, intention, and multiplication.
Preposition Conjugated Dative
Overview
Forms
| Pronoun | Form | Contrast Form | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | fúm | fúmsa | under/about me |
| You | fút | fútsa | under/about you |
| He | faoi | faoisean | under/about him |
| She | fúithi | fúithise | under/about her |
| We | fúinn | fúinne | under/about us |
| You (pl) | fúibh | fúibhse | under/about you |
| They | fúthu | fúthusan | under/about them |
| Pronoun | Possessive Pronoun | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| I | faoi mo | under my |
| You | faoi do | under your |
| He | faoina | under his |
| She | faoina | under her |
| We | faoinár | under our |
| You (pl) | faoi bhur | under your |
| They | faoina | under their |
Mutations
Without an article
Base Faoi + bord
Mutated Faoi bhord
Rule Lenition
With an article
Base Faoi + an + bord
Mutated Faoin mbord
Rule Eclipsis
- General Rule — faoi bhord — under a table — Faoi causes lenition on nouns without the article.
- With the article (General) — faoin mbord — under the table — Faoi combines with an to form faoin, generally causing eclipsis (except on d, t).
- The “S” Rule (Connacht) — faoin tsúil — under the eye — In Connacht, faoin replaces the s with a t-prefix.
- Ulster Variation — faoin bhord — In Ulster, lenition is used after the article instead of eclipsis.
Interrogatives
| Question | Meaning | What happens next? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cé + faoi | Under whom?/About whom? | Indirect | Cé faoi a bhfuil tú ag caint? |
| Cad + faoi | What about?/Under what? | Indirect | Cad faoi sin? |
Faoi vs Fá vs Fé
Historically, um, fá, and faoi have overlapped.
In Standard Irish and Connacht, faoi covers the meanings of “under” and “about”.
In Ulster, you may see fá used specifically for “about/concerning” while faoi is reserved for literal “under”.
In Munster, the form fé is often used.
Physical World
Spatial Position
- Under — faoin gcathaoir — under the chair — Location beneath an object.
- Submerged — faoi uisce — underwater — Being beneath a surface level.
- Underground — faoi thalamh — underground — Literally under the earth.
- Leeward — faoin oileán — on the leeward side of the island — Sheltered by the landmass.
Contact & Support
- Against — faoin mballa — against the wall — Resting in contact with a vertical surface.
- Support — na colúin atá faoi — the columns underneath it — Bearing weight.
Abstract & Mental Domain
Topic & Subject (About)
- Discussion — caint faoi… — talking about… — The subject of speech.
- Emotion — áthas faoi — joy about — The cause of a feeling.
- Worry — imní faoi — worry about/for.
- Mockery — magadh faoi — mocking / making fun of.
Intention & State
- Intention — tá fúm… — I intend to… — Lit. “It is under me to…”.
- Motion/Haste — tá siúl fúm — I am walking fast — Lit. “There is walking under me.”
- Covered/State — faoi bhláth — in bloom — Lit. “under blossom.”
- Condition — faoi bhrón — in sorrow / sorrowful — Lit. “under sorrow.”
- Fortune — faoi shéan — happy/lucky — Lit. “under a good sign.”
Time, Maths & Measurements
Temporal Logic
- Occasion — faoi Nollaig — at/around Christmas.
- Current Time — faoi seo — by now / at this time.
- Season — faoi Bhealtaine — in May.
Mathematics
- Multiplication — faoi dhó — twice / times two.
- Calculation — trí faoina ceathair — three times four — Used for multiplication tables.