Caibidil a Cúig: Prepositions (Réamhfhocail)

chun, chuig = to, towards


chun stems from dochum < tochim, an Old Irish verbal noun ("to step towards "), this is why it required the genitive. Prior to the spelling reform: chum
The form chuig is a reversion of the personal form of the 3rd person chuige.
The personal forms once belonged to the preposition with the same meaning go = to (Old Irish. co), the forms came about in relevance to the forms of ag).

In Munster, chun is actually pronounced [xun], in Connacht and Ulster only [un] or [@n].

Case

chun (moreso in Munster and in the standard) requires the genitive,
chuig (in Connacht and Ulster) requires the dative (in the dialect of Clare, chuig also takes the genitive)

Initial Mutations after chuig

Initial Mutations after chun

Interrogative

Combination of chuig/chun with personal pronouns

- general contrast form translation
I chugam chugamsa to me
you chugat chugatsa to you
he chuige chuigesean to him
she chuici chuicise to her
we chugainn chugainne to us
you(pl) chugaibh chugaibhse to you
they chucu chucusan to them

In Connacht/Ulster: chuig > [huig] > ag. In place of chuig also ag is used.
By pronominal forms, often those with h (hagam, agam statt chugam etc.) are found
in Munster, the g is mostly(except in the 3rd pers. sg.) lenited: chugham, chughat, chuige, chuichi, chughainn, chughaibh, chuchu

Use

  1. directional to: e.g.: scríobh chugam = write to me, dul chuig an dochtúir = go to the doctor
    also applied: cuir chun báis = to bring s.o. to their death, dul chun olcais = to turn bad, dul chun dearmaid = to be forgotten, chun bealaigh = on the way
  2. also with town names with an article to:  chun na Fraince = to France (instead of chun also do, go dtí is possible)
  3. cause for, because : rinne muid chuig glóire Dé é = we did it for the Glory of God
  4. chuige = especially (Adverb)
  5. proximity on, by chun na gaoithe = close to the wind, chun mo laimhe = near to my hand
  6. chugat leat = away with you!
  7. temporal until, as soon as : chun gur ghlaoigh an coileach = no sooner did the cock crow
  8. temporal by time of day before a ceathrú chun a dó = quarter to two (here also: a ceathrú don dó) or almost, nearly tá sé chun a dó = it is almost 2 O'clock.
  9. with the verbal noun: "in order to " (intention,purpose): chuig/chun an fhírinne a rá = (in order) to tell the truth, chun teanga a fhoghlaim = (in order) to learn a language, after chun here, mostly no genitive (instead of chun, also le)
  10. with the verbal noun: "ready to " (prepared / suitable for): tá an féar chun bainte = the grass is high enough to be cut; réidh chun ...= ready to,fear chun cainte = a man to talk, lá chun taistil = a day to travel,  an aimsir chuige = fitting weather

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