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