HeyRuaHow to say “to catch” in Irish
- Irish:
- tolg
- English:
- to catch, attack
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- tolgadh (ag tolgadh, catching)
- Verbal adjective:
- tolgtha
- Pronunciation:
- “tul-ug” /t̪ˠɔl̪ˠəɡ/
What does “tolg” mean?
“Tolg” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to catch
- To catch or contract an illness, such as a cold or a disease.Also: contract, pick up, get.
1 other meaning: attack
- 2to attack
- To attack or assail someone, rushing at them with force.Also: assail, charge, rush at.
Other Irish verbs for to catch: beir (catch)
“Tolg” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Tholg méI caught | Níor tholg méI did not catch | Ar tholg mé?Did I catch? |
| tú (you) | Tholg túYou caught | Níor tholg túYou did not catch | Ar tholg tú?Did you catch? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Tholg sé / síHe caught | Níor tholg sé / síHe did not catch | Ar tholg sé / sí?Did he catch? |
| sinn (we) | TholgamarWe caught | Níor tholgamarWe did not catch | Ar tholgamar?Did we catch? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Tholg sibhYou caught | Níor tholg sibhYou did not catch | Ar tholg sibh?Did you catch? |
| siad (they) | Tholg siadThey caught | Níor tholg siadThey did not catch | Ar tholg siad?Did they catch? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Tolgadh | Níor tolgadh | Ar tolgadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | TolgaimI catch | Ní tholgaimI do not catch | An dtolgaim?Do I catch? |
| tú (you) | Tolgann túYou catch | Ní tholgann túYou do not catch | An dtolgann tú?Do you catch? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Tolgann sé / síHe catches | Ní tholgann sé / síHe does not catch | An dtolgann sé / sí?Does he catch? |
| sinn (we) | TolgaimidWe catch | Ní tholgaimidWe do not catch | An dtolgaimid?Do we catch? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Tolgann sibhYou catch | Ní tholgann sibhYou do not catch | An dtolgann sibh?Do you catch? |
| siad (they) | Tolgann siadThey catch | Ní tholgann siadThey do not catch | An dtolgann siad?Do they catch? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Tolgtar | Ní tholgtar | An dtolgtar? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Tolgfaidh méI will catch | Ní tholgfaidh méI will not catch | An dtolgfaidh mé?Will I catch? |
| tú (you) | Tolgfaidh túYou will catch | Ní tholgfaidh túYou will not catch | An dtolgfaidh tú?Will you catch? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Tolgfaidh sé / síHe will catch | Ní tholgfaidh sé / síHe will not catch | An dtolgfaidh sé / sí?Will he catch? |
| sinn (we) | TolgfaimidWe will catch | Ní tholgfaimidWe will not catch | An dtolgfaimid?Will we catch? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Tolgfaidh sibhYou will catch | Ní tholgfaidh sibhYou will not catch | An dtolgfaidh sibh?Will you catch? |
| siad (they) | Tolgfaidh siadThey will catch | Ní tholgfaidh siadThey will not catch | An dtolgfaidh siad?Will they catch? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Tolgfar | Ní tholgfar | An dtolgfar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | TholgfainnI would catch | Ní tholgfainnI would not catch | An dtolgfainn?Would I catch? |
| tú (you) | TholgfáYou would catch | Ní tholgfáYou would not catch | An dtolgfá?Would you catch? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Tholgfadh sé / síHe would catch | Ní tholgfadh sé / síHe would not catch | An dtolgfadh sé / sí?Would he catch? |
| sinn (we) | TholgfaimisWe would catch | Ní tholgfaimisWe would not catch | An dtolgfaimis?Would we catch? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Tholgfadh sibhYou would catch | Ní tholgfadh sibhYou would not catch | An dtolgfadh sibh?Would you catch? |
| siad (they) | TholgfaidísThey would catch | Ní tholgfaidísThey would not catch | An dtolgfaidís?Would they catch? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Tholgfaí | Ní tholgfaí | An dtolgfaí? |
“Tolg” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Tholg sé slaghdán an tseachtain seo caite.
He caught a cold last week.
Tolgann na páistí gach galar sa scoil.
The children catch every illness in the school.
Tolgfaidh tú slaghdán gan chóta.
You will catch a cold without a coat.
Tholgfainn fliú dá rachainn amach sa bháisteach.
I would catch the flu if I went out in the rain.
Níor tholg sí an galar ar chor ar bith.
She did not catch the disease at all.
Ar tholg tú slaghdán ón turas?
Did you catch a cold from the trip?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To catch in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to catch?
The Irish for to catch is tolg (pronounced “tul-ug”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is tolgadh.
What is the verbal noun of tolg?
The verbal noun of tolg is tolgadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag tolgadh (catching). The verbal adjective is tolgtha.
How do you say tolg in the past and the future?
Past: Tholg mé; negative Níor tholg mé; question Ar tholg mé?. Future: Tolgfaidh mé; negative Ní tholgfaidh mé; question An dtolgfaidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of tolg?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Tholgfainn (I would catch); negative Ní tholgfainn; question An dtolgfainn?.
Does tolg have more than one meaning?
Yes. Tolg can mean to catch or to attack, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'tolg' the usual way to say 'catch a cold'?
Yes, 'slaghdán a tholgadh' is standard, though in speech you will also hear 'tá slaghdán orm' or 'fuair mé slaghdán'.
