Meaning of nar | Babel Free

Definitions

1. unstressed form of nár
   form-of, nonstandard, unstressed
2. may... not (used with the present subjunctive to express a negative wish)
3. wasn’t/wouldn’t... be? (used to introduce a negative question)
   triggers-lenition
4. didn’t...? (used to introduce a negative question in the past tense, except with some irregular verbs)
5. which/who wasn’t/wouldn’t be (used to introduce both direct and indirect relative clauses)
   triggers-lenition
6. which/who... not (used with past tenses except of some irregular verbs)
7. that... it wasn’t/wouldn’t be; whether/if... it wasn’t/wouldn’t be (used to introduce a negative past/conditional copular subordinate clause, including an indirect question)
   triggers-lenition

Examples

“Nar mharbhus tú?”

Did I kill you?

“Máire munbadh í Eamhear / nár geinedh no an ngeinfeadhear / ochta mar úan na mara / dá snúadh corcra as cosmhala Máire – if she was not Eimhear – has there been born or will there be – (breasts like the foam of the sea) – two purple complexions more alike?”

“.i. dá marbhtha sagart ⁊ tú a n-ainbhfios ’nar shagurt é”

i.e. if you were to kill a priest unaware whether he was a priest

“Nár fhille sé!”

May he not return!

“Nár lige Dia!”

God forbid!

“Nár chuala tú mé?”

Didn’t you hear me?

“an fear nár chabhraigh mé”

the man who didn’t help me

“Nár mhaith leat cupán tae?”

Wouldn’t you like a cup of tea?

“an bhean nár mhúinteoir í”

the woman who wasn’t a teacher

“an bhean nár mhaith léi bainne”

the woman who didn’t like milk

“Dúirt sí nár mhaith léi cupán tae.”

She said that she wouldn’t like a cup of tea

“Ní raibh a fhios agam nár mhaith léi cupán tae.”

I didn’t know whether she would like a cup of tea.

CEFR level