# abair
## Irish
### Etymology

From Middle Irish at·beir, from Old Irish as·beir, from Proto-Celtic *exs- (compare Latin ex) + *bereti, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.
See rá for the etymology of the verbal noun and past participle.

### Pronunciation

* (Munster, Aran) IPA: /ˈɑbˠəɾʲ/
* (Connemara, Mayo, Ulster) IPA: /ˈabˠəɾʲ/

### Verb

abair (present analytic deir, future analytic déarfaidh, verbal noun rá, past participle ráite)
* say, utter
    amhrán a rá ― to sing a song
* mean, refer to
    Ní tú a deirim. ― I don’t mean you; I’m not referring to you.
* (In the 2nd sing. imperative or 1st plural imperative) say, suppose (to state for illustrative or approximate purposes)
    abair is nach mbeadh sé ann ― supposing he weren’t there
    fiche punt, abair ― twenty pounds, say

#### Conjugation

The d-initial forms of this verb are immune to lenition in the standard language. They do, however, undergo eclipsis.
In at least some parts of Ulster, the initial d is deleted after ní, níor: níor úirt mé ― I did not say
| | | singular | singular | singular | plural | plural | plural | relative | autonomous |
| | | first | second | third | first | second | third | relative | autonomous |
| indicative | present | deirim | deir tú; deireann tú; deirir$^†$ | deir sé, sí; deireann sé, sí | deirimid; deir muid; deireann muid | deir sibh; deireann sibh | deir siad; deireann siad; deirid$^†$ | a deir; a deireas; a deireann / a ndeir*; a ndeireas*; a ndeireann* | deirtear |
| indicative | past | dúirt mé; dúras; dúrt | dúirt tú; dúrais | dúirt sé, sí | dúramar; dúirt muid | dúirt sibh; dúrabhair | dúirt siad; dúradar | a dúirt / a ndúirt* | dúradh |
| indicative | past habitual | deirinn | deirteá | deireadh sé, sí | deirimis; deireadh muid | deireadh sibh | deiridís; deireadh siad | a deireadh / a ndeireadh* | deirtí |
| future | future | déarfaidh mé; déarfad | déarfaidh tú; déarfair$^†$ | déarfaidh sé, sí | déarfaimid; déarfaidh muid | déarfaidh sibh | déarfaidh siad; déarfaid$^†$ | a déarfaidh; a déarfas / a ndéarfaidh*; a ndéarfas* | déarfar |
| conditional | conditional | déarfainn | déarfá | déarfadh sé, sí | déarfaimis; déarfadh muid | déarfadh sibh | déarfaidís; déarfadh siad | a déarfadh / a ndéarfadh* | déarfaí |
| subjunctive | present | go ndeire mé; go ndeiread$^†$ | go ndeire tú; go ndeirir$^†$ | go ndeire sé, sí | go ndeirimid; go ndeire muid | go ndeire sibh | go ndeire siad; go ndeirid$^†$ | — | go ndeirtear |
| subjunctive | past | dá ndeirinn | dá ndeirteá | dá ndeireadh sé, sí | dá ndeirimis; dá ndeireadh muid | dá ndeireadh sibh | dá ndeiridís; dá ndeireadh siad | — | dá ndeirtí |
| imperative | imperative | abraim | abair | abradh sé, sí | abraimis | abraigí; abraidh$^†$ | abraidís | — | abairtear |
| verbal noun | verbal noun | rá | rá | rá | rá | rá | rá | rá | rá |
| past participle | past participle | ráite | ráite | ráite | ráite | ráite | ráite | ráite | ráite |
* indirect relative † archaic or dialect form
in older literary language, and sometimes in spoken language, additional forms built on the stem abr- are found:
| | | singular | singular | singular | plural | plural | plural | relative | autonomous |
| | | first | second | third | first | second | third | relative | autonomous |
| indicative | present dependent | abraim | abrann tú; abrair | abrann sé, sí | abraimid; abrann muid | abrann sibh | abrann siad; abraid | a n-abrann*; a n-abras* | abarthar |
| indicative | past habitual dependent | abrainn | abartá | abradh sé, sí | abraimis; abradh muid | abradh sibh | abraidís; abradh siad | a n-abradh* | abartaí |
| future dependent | future dependent | abróidh mé; abród; abróchaidh mé | abróidh tú; abróir; abróchaidh tú | abróidh sé, sí; abróchaidh sé, sí | abróimid; abróidh muid; abróchaimid; abróchaidh muid | abróidh sibh; abróchaidh sibh | abróidh siad; abróid; abróchaidh siad | a n-abróidh*; a n-abrós*; a n-abróchaidh*; a n-abróchas* | abrófar; abróchar |
| conditional dependent | conditional dependent | abróinn; abróchainn | abrófá; abróchthá | abródh sé, sí; abróchadh sé, sí | abróimis; abródh muid; abróchaimis; abróchadh muid | abródh sibh; abróchadh sibh | abróidís; abródh siad; abróchadh siad | a n-abródh*; a n-abróchadh* | abrófaí; abróchaí |
| subjunctive | present | go n-abra mé; go n-abrad | go n-abra tú; go n-abrair | go n-abra sé, sí | go n-abraimid; go n-abra muid | go n-abra sibh | go n-abra siad; go n-abraid | — | go n-abarthar |
| subjunctive | past | dá n-abrainn | dá n-abartá | dá n-abradh sé, sí | dá n-abraimis; dá n-abradh muid | dá n-abradh sibh | dá n-abraidís; dá n-abradh siad | — | dá n-abartaí |

#### Synonyms

* inis
* labhair

#### Derived terms

* abair le (“say to, tell, inform”)
* ná habair é (“don’t mention it”)
* abartha (“given to repartee”, adjective)
* gearr-abartha (“laconic, curt”, adjective)

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### References

* ↑ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “as-beir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* ↑ Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 305
* ↑ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 15, page 10
* ↑ Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 78
* ↑ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 370, page 125
* ↑ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 406, page 134
* ↑ Wagner, Heinrich (1959) Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 79, page 30; reprinted 1979

### Further reading

* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “abair”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
* Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “adeirim”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 6
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “abair”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
* “abair”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

## Scottish Gaelic
### Etymology

From Middle Irish at·beir, from Old Irish as·beir, from Proto-Celtic *exs- (compare Latin ex) + Proto-Celtic *bereti, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.
The verbal noun is from Old Irish rád (compare Irish rá), from the verb ráidid (“talks”), from Proto-Celtic *rādīti, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“perform successfully”). Cognate with Sanskrit राध्नोति (rādhnoti, “succeeds”), Old Church Slavonic радити (raditi, “take care of, work”), Gothic 𐍂𐍉𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (rōdjan, “talk”), Lithuanian rodýti (“show”). The past participle is from the same stem.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈapɪɾʲ/
The adverb is commonly prefixed with /h/ in colloquial speech:
* IPA: /ˈhapɪɾʲ/
* (Lewis) IPA: /ˈhapəð/

### Verb

abair (past thuirt, future their, verbal noun ràdh, past participle ràite)
* say
    Abair ach beag is abair gu math e. ― Say little, but say it well.
    Na h-abair diug a choidhche ris an eun gus an dig e às an ugh. ― Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
* call [with ri]
    Shreap mi suas an cnoc ris an abair iad "An Sìthean Beag" ― I walked up the hill which they call "the little fairy mound" (literally, “the hill to which they say…”)

#### Usage notes

* In most dialects of Scottish Gaelic still spoken, with the notable exception of Islay, the future and conditional tenses and the imperative form of can are almost always used in place of the actual abair forms in colloquial language; the abair forms are recognised but considered Biblical or excessively formal. Some northern dialects, such as Skye and Lewis, extend this to verbal noun forms derived from can, such as cantainn and canail.
* While ràdh is the most common verbal noun form, many others are used: gràdh, ràdha, gràdha, ràdhainn, gràdhainn, ràdhtainn, ràit, and ràitinn.

#### Inflection

$^1$ Lewis dialect form Forms of the verb can are more often used in place of abair, particularly colloquial language, in the tenses where they are listed in italics here. The imperative form is common colloquially but with another different meaning entirely. Abair forms are more typical of high registers of the language, particularly ecclesiastical language, and some southern dialects which are now rarely spoken.

#### Derived terms

* air dhomh/dhuinn sin a ràdh

### Adverb

abair
* Used as a modifier suggesting excitement, much in the way that "how" or "what a" are used
    Abair oillteil! ― How dreadful!
    Abair latha eireachdail! ― What a beautiful day!
    Abair gur àlainn e an-diugh! ― How beautiful it is today!
    Abair thusa gu robh e math! ― My word, he was good! (literally, “Say you that he was good”)

#### Alternative forms

* habair, thabair

### References

* ↑ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap

### Further reading

* Edward Dwelly (1911) “abair”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “as-beir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language