Caibidil a Cúig: Prepositions (Réamhfhocail)

faoi = under, about


Case

faoi requires the dative

Variations

faoi is the Connacht- and standard form
(in Munster), (old standard form), less common also,
in Ulster both faoi (in the sense of "under") and (in the sense of "over","above") are in use

Initial Mutations

Interrogative:

Combined with the article

Combined with personal pronouns and possessive pronouns:

- personal pron. contrast form translation possessive pron. translation
I fúm fúmsa under me faoi mo under my
you fút fútsa under you faoi do under your
he faoi faoisean under him faoina under his
she fúithi fúithise under her faoina under her
we fúinn fúinne under us faoinár under our
you(pl) fúibh fúibhse under euch faoi bhur under your
they fúthu fúthusan under them faoina under their

Combined with the indirect relative particle a and with the indirect relative form of the copula

tense relative part.
faoi + a/ar
copular form
faoi + ar
copular form
preceding a vowel
translation
present faoina faoinar faoinarb under him/her/it
preterite faoinar faoinar faoinarbh under him/her/it

e.g.:cathaoir faoina bhfuil mo leabhar = the chair under which my book is (instead of more common: cathaoir a bhfuil mo leabhar faoi) ; an creann faoina raibh fás = the tree that grew ("the tree, under which growth was ")

Use:

  1. spatial: under: faoin gcathaoir = under the chair
  2. contact: against: faoin mballa = against the wall
  3. motion: walking , hurry,  growth, etc.: tá siúl fúm = I walk fast, tá fuadar fút = you're in a hurry, tá fás faoin gcrann = the tree grows
  4. intent: Tá fúm... = I intend... e.g.: tá fút teacht = you intend to come
  5. topic, occasion: about: caint faoi ... = speak about,  imni faoi... = worry about, áthas faoi...= joy over..., brón faoi ... = sorrow over
  6. approximate timepoint : around faoi Nollaig = around Christmastide
  7. with numbers: times: faoi dhó = two times, faoi sé = six times ,
    also in arithmetic: a trí faoina ceathair sin a dó dhéag = three times four is twelve
  8. Expressions: faoi bhrón = sad

suas
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(c) Lars Braesicke 1999/2000