Expressing "For"

There is no single preposition in Irish that directly translates the English word “for”. Instead, Irish uses a variety of different prepositions and phrases depending on the context, such as time, purpose, benefit, or exchange. This page outlines the most common ways to express this concept.

”For” in a Temporal Sense

The correct phrase for temporal “for” depends on the timeframe of the event.

Total Duration

To emphasise the total duration of an event, whether in the past or future, use ar feadh (“for the duration of”).

• Bhí sé anseo ar feadh seachtaine. - He was here for a week.
• Tháinig sé anseo ar feadh seachtaine. - He came here for a week.
• Beidh mé anseo ar feadh bliana. - I will be here for a year.

For non-temporal durations, you can also use le linn (“during”) or i rith (“in the course of”).

• Bhí sé ansin le linn an chogaidh. - He was there for the duration of the war.

Endpoint in the Past

When the event is entirely in the past, you can use ar feadh or le (“with”).

• Bhí sé anseo le seachtain agus fuair sé bás. - He was here for a week and then died.
• Bhí sé anseo ar feadh seachtaine roimh an gCáisc. - He was here for a week before Easter.

Endpoint in the Future

When an event will last for a certain duration starting from now, use go ceann (“until the end of”).

• Beidh sé anseo go ceann seachtaine. - He will be here for a week (from now).

Continuing to the Present

When an event started in the past and continues into the present, use le. This often corresponds to the English present perfect tense.

• Tá mé anseo le seachtain. - I have been here for a week.

”For” a Distance

To express “for” over a physical distance, use ar feadh.

• ar feadh trí mhíle - for three miles.

”For” a Benefit or Purpose

Several phrases can mean “for the benefit of” or “for the purpose of”.

• le haghaidh (“with face”):
  • Cheannaigh mé sin le m’aghaidh. - I bought that for myself.
• i gcomhair (“in counting”), faoi chomhair (“under counting”), or faoi choinne (“under determination”):
  • litir faoi do choinne - a letter for you.
  • áit faoi choinne leabhar - a place for books.
  • Rinne siad féasta faoina chomhair. - They held a feast for him.

”For” a Favour

To indicate that something is done as a favour for someone, use the preposition do (“to”).

• Rinne mé sin dó. - I did that for him.

”For” a Goal

To express doing something for a specific goal or reason, use ar son (“for the well-being of”).

• Rinne mé ar son an airgid é. - I did it for the money.
• Glacaigí agus ithigí uile é seo: óir is é seo mo chorp a thabharfar ar bhur son. - Take and eat all of this, for this is my body which will be given for you.

To Go “For” Something

When going to a place to get something, use faoi dhéin (“under fetching”) or le haghaidh.

• Bhuail mé isteach sa siopa faoi dhéin siúcra. - I went into the shop for some sugar.

”For” a Price or Exchange

When buying, selling, or exchanging items, use the preposition ar (“on”).

• Cheannaigh mé ar phunt amháin é. - I bought it for one pound.
• Bhéarfaidh mé daoibh ar chúig phunta an ceann iad. - I will give them to you for 5 pounds each.
• Thug sé trí ba ar an gcapall sin. - He gave three cows for that horse.
• Focal ar fhocal - Word for word.

In Return “For”

To express gratitude or payment in return for something, use as ucht (“out of breast”) or simply as (“out of”).

• Go raibh maith agat as an gcabhair. - Thank you for the help.
• D’íoc mé fiche punt as. - I paid 20 pounds for it.

To Work “For”

When talking about employment, use le (“with”) or do (“to”).

• ag obair leis an gcomhlacht árachais - to work for the insurance company.

Good or Bad “For”

The choice of preposition depends on the context.

• Use do (“to”) for general statements of benefit or harm.
  • maith dó - good for him.
  • olc duit - bad for you.
• Use ag (“at”) to describe how someone finds a task or situation.
  • éasca aici - easy for her.
  • maith againn - good for us.
  • róchúng ag luch - too narrow for a mouse.
  • róthrom ag an bpáiste - too heavy for the child.

”For” Meaning “Instead Of”

To mean “instead of” or “in place of”, use thar cheann (“over head”) or in ionad.

• Bhí sé ann thar mo cheann. - He was there for me (in my place).
• Labhair sé thar ceann an náisiúin. - He spoke for the whole nation.

To Be “For” Something (In Favour Of)

To express support or being in favour of something, use i leith (“in side”), i bhfabhar (“in favour”), or ar thaobh (“on side”).

• Tá mé i leith fanacht anseo. - I am for staying here.
• Tá sé ar thaobh Shasana. - He is for England.

”For” Meaning “As Regards”

When “for” is used to mean “considering” or “as regards”, several phrases are possible.

• mar le (“as with”):
  • Is breá an aimsir í, mar le geimhreadh! - For a winter, it is glorious weather!
• maidir le:
  • Maidir le Sasanach níl sé ag déanamh go holc. - For an Englishman, he is not doing badly.
• de (“of”):
  • Is fear maith é d’fhear Sasanach. - He is a good man for an Englishman.

”For All That”

The phrase ar feadh a can be used to mean “for all that…” or “considering what…”, often in a disapproving sense. A similar phrase is ar scáth a.

• ar feadh a bhfuil de thalamh aige - for all the land he has.
• Ar feadh a raibh le cur ar an pháipéar d’fhéadfainn an tuairisc a scríobh gan a dhul chun na feise ar chor ar bith. - For all that was to be put on paper, I could have written the report without going to the festival at all.
• ar scáth a bhfuil de mhaith ann bheadh sé chomh maith dhó imeacht. - For all the good he is, he might as well leave.

Responsible “For”

In official titles, the preposition um (“around”) is often used to mean “for” in the sense of “responsible for” or “concerning”.

• An Institiúid Éireannach um Chosaint Raideolaíoch - The Irish Institute for Radiological Protection (Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland).

”Man for Man” or “Eye for an Eye”

In reciprocal phrases like “man for man” or “eye for an eye”, Irish uses sa (“in the”).

• fear san fhear - man for man.
• súil sa tsúil - eye for an eye.