arbh

Irish

Alternative forms

• ar bh’ (superseded)

Particle

arbh (past/conditional copular form used before vowels and fh plus vowel)

1. Introduces an indirect relative clause; past/conditional tense

   an fear arbh iascaire a mhac

   the man whose son was a fisherman

2. Introduces a direct or indirect interrogative; past/conditional tense

   Arbh fhearr leat cupán tae?

   Would you prefer a cup of tea?

   Níl a fhios agam arbh fhearr léi cupán tae.

   I don’t know if she would prefer a cup of tea.

Derived terms

• charbh

Related terms

Irish copular forms

Simple copular forms Present/future Affirmative Negative Interrogative Neg. inter. Main clauses is ní an nach Direct relative clauses nach Indirect relative clauses ar, arbv Other subordinate clauses gur, gurbv an nach Past/conditional Affirmative Negative Interrogative Neg. inter. Main clauses ba, b’v níor, níorbhv ar, arbhv nár, nárbhv Direct relative clauses ba, abv nár, nárbhv Indirect relative clauses ar, arbhv Other subordinate clauses gur, gurbhv ar, arbhv nár, nárbhv Present subjunctive Affirmative Negative gura, gurabv nára, nárabv		Compound copular forms Base word Present/future Past/conditional cá cár, cárbv cár, cárbhv cé cér, cérbv cér, cérbhv dá dá mba, dá mb’v de/do dar, darbv dar, darbhv faoi faoinar, faoinarbv faoinar, faoinarbhv i inar, inarbv inar, inarbhv le lenar, lenarbv lenar, lenarbhv má más má ba, má b’v mura mura, murabv murar, murarbhv ó (prep.) ónar, ónarbv ónar, ónarbhv ó (conj.) ós ó ba, ó b’v trí trínar, trínarbv trínar, trínarbhv
v Used before vowel sounds

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “arbh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN