HeyRuaHow to say “to identify” in Irish
- Irish:
- ionannaigh
- English:
- to identify, identify oneself with
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- ionannú (ag ionannú, identifying)
- Verbal adjective:
- ionannaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “UN-an-ee” /ˈʊnˠənˠiː/
What does “ionannaigh” mean?
“Ionannaigh” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to identify
- To treat or regard one thing as the same as another, to equate them.Also: equate, identify with, make identical.
1 other meaning: identify oneself with
- 2to identify oneself with
- To feel or show that you are closely connected with a person, group or idea.Also: identify with, associate with, relate to.
“Ionannaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'ionannaigh méI identified | Níor ionannaigh méI did not identify | Ar ionannaigh mé?Did I identify? |
| tú (you) | D'ionannaigh túYou identified | Níor ionannaigh túYou did not identify | Ar ionannaigh tú?Did you identify? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'ionannaigh sé / síHe identified | Níor ionannaigh sé / síHe did not identify | Ar ionannaigh sé / sí?Did he identify? |
| sinn (we) | D'ionannaíomarWe identified | Níor ionannaíomarWe did not identify | Ar ionannaíomar?Did we identify? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'ionannaigh sibhYou identified | Níor ionannaigh sibhYou did not identify | Ar ionannaigh sibh?Did you identify? |
| siad (they) | D'ionannaigh siadThey identified | Níor ionannaigh siadThey did not identify | Ar ionannaigh siad?Did they identify? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ionannaíodh | Níor ionannaíodh | Ar ionannaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | IonannaímI identify | Ní ionannaímI do not identify | An ionannaím?Do I identify? |
| tú (you) | Ionannaíonn túYou identify | Ní ionannaíonn túYou do not identify | An ionannaíonn tú?Do you identify? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ionannaíonn sé / síHe identifies | Ní ionannaíonn sé / síHe does not identify | An ionannaíonn sé / sí?Does he identify? |
| sinn (we) | IonannaímidWe identify | Ní ionannaímidWe do not identify | An ionannaímid?Do we identify? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ionannaíonn sibhYou identify | Ní ionannaíonn sibhYou do not identify | An ionannaíonn sibh?Do you identify? |
| siad (they) | Ionannaíonn siadThey identify | Ní ionannaíonn siadThey do not identify | An ionannaíonn siad?Do they identify? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ionannaítear | Ní ionannaítear | An ionannaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Ionannóidh méI will identify | Ní ionannóidh méI will not identify | An ionannóidh mé?Will I identify? |
| tú (you) | Ionannóidh túYou will identify | Ní ionannóidh túYou will not identify | An ionannóidh tú?Will you identify? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ionannóidh sé / síHe will identify | Ní ionannóidh sé / síHe will not identify | An ionannóidh sé / sí?Will he identify? |
| sinn (we) | IonannóimidWe will identify | Ní ionannóimidWe will not identify | An ionannóimid?Will we identify? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ionannóidh sibhYou will identify | Ní ionannóidh sibhYou will not identify | An ionannóidh sibh?Will you identify? |
| siad (they) | Ionannóidh siadThey will identify | Ní ionannóidh siadThey will not identify | An ionannóidh siad?Will they identify? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ionannófar | Ní ionannófar | An ionannófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'ionannóinnI would identify | Ní ionannóinnI would not identify | An ionannóinn?Would I identify? |
| tú (you) | D'ionannófáYou would identify | Ní ionannófáYou would not identify | An ionannófá?Would you identify? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'ionannódh sé / síHe would identify | Ní ionannódh sé / síHe would not identify | An ionannódh sé / sí?Would he identify? |
| sinn (we) | D'ionannóimisWe would identify | Ní ionannóimisWe would not identify | An ionannóimis?Would we identify? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'ionannódh sibhYou would identify | Ní ionannódh sibhYou would not identify | An ionannódh sibh?Would you identify? |
| siad (they) | D'ionannóidísThey would identify | Ní ionannóidísThey would not identify | An ionannóidís?Would they identify? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | D'ionannófaí | Ní ionannófaí | An ionannófaí? |
“Ionannaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
D'ionannaigh sé an teanga leis an náisiún.
He identified the language with the nation.
Ionannaíonn go leor daoine saibhreas le sonas.
Many people equate wealth with happiness.
Ionannóidh an lucht féachana leis an bpríomhcharachtar.
The audience will identify with the main character.
D'ionannódh sí an dá rud mura mbeadh an difríocht soiléir.
She would equate the two things if the difference weren't clear.
Níor ionannaigh mé riamh an obair le pléisiúr.
I never equated work with pleasure.
Ar ionannaigh tú thú féin leis an scéal?
Did you identify yourself with the story?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To identify in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to identify?
The Irish for to identify is ionannaigh (pronounced “UN-an-ee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is ionannú.
What is the verbal noun of ionannaigh?
The verbal noun of ionannaigh is ionannú, used after ag for the continuous: ag ionannú (identifying). The verbal adjective is ionannaithe.
How do you say ionannaigh in the past and the future?
Past: D'ionannaigh mé; negative Níor ionannaigh mé; question Ar ionannaigh mé?. Future: Ionannóidh mé; negative Ní ionannóidh mé; question An ionannóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of ionannaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is D'ionannóinn (I would identify); negative Ní ionannóinn; question An ionannóinn?.
Does ionannaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ionannaigh can mean to identify or to identify oneself with, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition is used with 'ionannaigh'?
It takes 'le': 'ionannaigh A le B' means to equate A with B, as in 'd'ionannaigh sé an teanga leis an náisiún'.
Is 'ionannaigh' the same as 'aithin'?
No. 'Aithin' means to recognise or identify who someone is, while 'ionannaigh' means to equate or identify one thing with another.
