HeyRuaHow to say “to count” in Irish
- Irish:
- comhair
- English:
- to count, calculate
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- comhaireamh (ag comhaireamh, counting)
- Verbal adjective:
- comhairthe
- Pronunciation:
- “koar” /koːɾʲ/
What does “comhair” mean?
“Comhair” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to count
- To find the number of things or people by counting them one by one.Also: count up, number, tally.
“Comhair” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Chomhair méI counted | Níor chomhair méI did not count | Ar chomhair mé?Did I count? |
| tú (you) | Chomhair túYou counted | Níor chomhair túYou did not count | Ar chomhair tú?Did you count? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chomhair sé / síHe counted | Níor chomhair sé / síHe did not count | Ar chomhair sé / sí?Did he count? |
| sinn (we) | ChomhaireamarWe counted | Níor chomhaireamarWe did not count | Ar chomhaireamar?Did we count? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chomhair sibhYou counted | Níor chomhair sibhYou did not count | Ar chomhair sibh?Did you count? |
| siad (they) | Chomhair siadThey counted | Níor chomhair siadThey did not count | Ar chomhair siad?Did they count? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Comhaireadh | Níor comhaireadh | Ar comhaireadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ComhairimI count | Ní chomhairimI do not count | An gcomhairim?Do I count? |
| tú (you) | Comhaireann túYou count | Ní chomhaireann túYou do not count | An gcomhaireann tú?Do you count? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Comhaireann sé / síHe counts | Ní chomhaireann sé / síHe does not count | An gcomhaireann sé / sí?Does he count? |
| sinn (we) | ComhairimidWe count | Ní chomhairimidWe do not count | An gcomhairimid?Do we count? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Comhaireann sibhYou count | Ní chomhaireann sibhYou do not count | An gcomhaireann sibh?Do you count? |
| siad (they) | Comhaireann siadThey count | Ní chomhaireann siadThey do not count | An gcomhaireann siad?Do they count? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Comhairtear | Ní chomhairtear | An gcomhairtear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Comhairfidh méI will count | Ní chomhairfidh méI will not count | An gcomhairfidh mé?Will I count? |
| tú (you) | Comhairfidh túYou will count | Ní chomhairfidh túYou will not count | An gcomhairfidh tú?Will you count? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Comhairfidh sé / síHe will count | Ní chomhairfidh sé / síHe will not count | An gcomhairfidh sé / sí?Will he count? |
| sinn (we) | ComhairfimidWe will count | Ní chomhairfimidWe will not count | An gcomhairfimid?Will we count? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Comhairfidh sibhYou will count | Ní chomhairfidh sibhYou will not count | An gcomhairfidh sibh?Will you count? |
| siad (they) | Comhairfidh siadThey will count | Ní chomhairfidh siadThey will not count | An gcomhairfidh siad?Will they count? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Comhairfear | Ní chomhairfear | An gcomhairfear? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ChomhairfinnI would count | Ní chomhairfinnI would not count | An gcomhairfinn?Would I count? |
| tú (you) | ChomhairfeáYou would count | Ní chomhairfeáYou would not count | An gcomhairfeá?Would you count? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chomhairfeadh sé / síHe would count | Ní chomhairfeadh sé / síHe would not count | An gcomhairfeadh sé / sí?Would he count? |
| sinn (we) | ChomhairfimisWe would count | Ní chomhairfimisWe would not count | An gcomhairfimis?Would we count? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chomhairfeadh sibhYou would count | Ní chomhairfeadh sibhYou would not count | An gcomhairfeadh sibh?Would you count? |
| siad (they) | ChomhairfidísThey would count | Ní chomhairfidísThey would not count | An gcomhairfidís?Would they count? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Chomhairfí | Ní chomhairfí | An gcomhairfí? |
“Comhair” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To count in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to count?
The Irish for to count is comhair (pronounced “koar”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is comhaireamh.
What is the verbal noun of comhair?
The verbal noun of comhair is comhaireamh, used after ag for the continuous: ag comhaireamh (counting). The verbal adjective is comhairthe.
How do you say comhair in the past and the future?
Past: Chomhair mé; negative Níor chomhair mé; question Ar chomhair mé?. Future: Comhairfidh mé; negative Ní chomhairfidh mé; question An gcomhairfidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of comhair?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Chomhairfinn (I would count); negative Ní chomhairfinn; question An gcomhairfinn?.
Does comhair have more than one meaning?
Yes. Comhair can mean to count or to calculate, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'comhair' the verb in 'os comhair'?
No. 'Os comhair' (in front of) and 'i gcomhair' (for) use the noun 'comhair'; the verb 'comhair' means to count, with the verbal noun 'comhaireamh'.
What is the difference between 'comhair' and 'áirigh'?
Both can mean to count, but 'comhair' is the everyday word for counting things, while 'áirigh' also means to include or reckon, as in 'á áireamh sin'.
