HeyRuaHow to say “to colour” in Irish
- Irish:
- dathaigh
- English:
- to colour, dye
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- dathú (ag dathú, colouring)
- Verbal adjective:
- daite
- Pronunciation:
- “DAH-hee” /ˈd̪ˠahə/
What does “dathaigh” mean?
“Dathaigh” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to colour
- To give colour to something, for example with paint, crayons or pencils.Also: color, paint, colour in.
1 other meaning: dye
- 2to dye
- To change the colour of hair, cloth or similar material with a dye or tint.Also: tint, stain.
Other Irish verbs for to colour: dath (colour)
“Dathaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dhathaigh méI coloured | Níor dhathaigh méI did not colour | Ar dhathaigh mé?Did I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dhathaigh túYou coloured | Níor dhathaigh túYou did not colour | Ar dhathaigh tú?Did you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhathaigh sé / síHe coloured | Níor dhathaigh sé / síHe did not colour | Ar dhathaigh sé / sí?Did he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DhathaíomarWe coloured | Níor dhathaíomarWe did not colour | Ar dhathaíomar?Did we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhathaigh sibhYou coloured | Níor dhathaigh sibhYou did not colour | Ar dhathaigh sibh?Did you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dhathaigh siadThey coloured | Níor dhathaigh siadThey did not colour | Ar dhathaigh siad?Did they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dathaíodh | Níor dathaíodh | Ar dathaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DathaímI colour | Ní dhathaímI do not colour | An ndathaím?Do I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dathaíonn túYou colour | Ní dhathaíonn túYou do not colour | An ndathaíonn tú?Do you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dathaíonn sé / síHe colours | Ní dhathaíonn sé / síHe does not colour | An ndathaíonn sé / sí?Does he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DathaímidWe colour | Ní dhathaímidWe do not colour | An ndathaímid?Do we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dathaíonn sibhYou colour | Ní dhathaíonn sibhYou do not colour | An ndathaíonn sibh?Do you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dathaíonn siadThey colour | Ní dhathaíonn siadThey do not colour | An ndathaíonn siad?Do they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dathaítear | Ní dhathaítear | An ndathaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dathóidh méI will colour | Ní dhathóidh méI will not colour | An ndathóidh mé?Will I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dathóidh túYou will colour | Ní dhathóidh túYou will not colour | An ndathóidh tú?Will you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dathóidh sé / síHe will colour | Ní dhathóidh sé / síHe will not colour | An ndathóidh sé / sí?Will he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DathóimidWe will colour | Ní dhathóimidWe will not colour | An ndathóimid?Will we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dathóidh sibhYou will colour | Ní dhathóidh sibhYou will not colour | An ndathóidh sibh?Will you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dathóidh siadThey will colour | Ní dhathóidh siadThey will not colour | An ndathóidh siad?Will they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dathófar | Ní dhathófar | An ndathófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DhathóinnI would colour | Ní dhathóinnI would not colour | An ndathóinn?Would I colour? |
| tú (you) | DhathófáYou would colour | Ní dhathófáYou would not colour | An ndathófá?Would you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhathódh sé / síHe would colour | Ní dhathódh sé / síHe would not colour | An ndathódh sé / sí?Would he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DhathóimisWe would colour | Ní dhathóimisWe would not colour | An ndathóimis?Would we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhathódh sibhYou would colour | Ní dhathódh sibhYou would not colour | An ndathódh sibh?Would you colour? |
| siad (they) | DhathóidísThey would colour | Ní dhathóidísThey would not colour | An ndathóidís?Would they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dhathófaí | Ní dhathófaí | An ndathófaí? |
“Dathaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Dhathaigh na páistí na pictiúir ar scoil inniu.
The children coloured the pictures at school today.
Dathaíonn sí a cuid gruaige gach mí.
She dyes her hair every month.
Dathóidh mé an pictiúr seo amárach.
I will colour this picture tomorrow.
Dhathódh sé an léine dá mbeadh an t-am aige.
He would dye the shirt if he had time.
Níor dhathaigh mé an pictiúr fós.
I haven't coloured the picture yet.
Ar dhathaigh tú do chuid gruaige?
Did you dye your hair?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To colour in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to colour?
The Irish for to colour is dathaigh (pronounced “DAH-hee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is dathú.
What is the verbal noun of dathaigh?
The verbal noun of dathaigh is dathú, used after ag for the continuous: ag dathú (colouring). The verbal adjective is daite.
How do you say dathaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Dhathaigh mé; negative Níor dhathaigh mé; question Ar dhathaigh mé?. Future: Dathóidh mé; negative Ní dhathóidh mé; question An ndathóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of dathaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Dhathóinn (I would colour); negative Ní dhathóinn; question An ndathóinn?.
Does dathaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dathaigh can mean to colour or to dye, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I say 'coloured' as an adjective?
Use the verbal adjective 'daite', as in 'pinn luaidhe daite' (coloured pencils).
