HeyRuaWhat does “chun” mean?
- 1to, towards
- Shows movement or direction towards a place or thing.Also: to, towards, toward.
- 2in order to
- Used before a verbal noun to say why you do something.Also: so as to, to.
- 3for
- Shows the purpose or result something is meant for.Also: for the purpose of.
Pronounced “khun” /xʊn/.
“Chun” with pronouns
In Irish you never say “chun mé”. The preposition and the pronoun fuse into one word. Learn these 7 forms and you can use chun with anyone. Click a form for its own page.
| Pronoun | Irish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (me) | chugam | to me | Tar chugam anseo, le do thoil.Come here to me, please. |
| tú (you) | chugat | to you | Seolfaidh mé litir chugat amárach.I will send you a letter tomorrow. |
| sé (him / it) | chuige | to him / it | Chuir mé téacs chuige aréir.I sent him a text last night. |
| sí (her / it) | chuici | to her / it | Scríobh mé litir chuici inné.I wrote her a letter yesterday. |
| sinn (us) | chugainn | to us | Tá cuairteoirí ag teacht chugainn anocht.Visitors are coming to us tonight. |
| sibh (you (plural)) | chugaibh | to you (plural) | Scríobhfaidh mé chugaibh go luath.I will write to you all soon. |
| siad (them) | chucu | to them | Chuir sí bronntanas chucu um Nollaig.She sent them a present at Christmas. |
“Chun” before a noun
Chun does not change the next word: chun scoil.
Takes the genitive: chun na scoile (to the school). Its pronoun forms are the same as chuig.
Everyday phrases with “chun”
The other prepositions
Every simple preposition has its own set of pronoun forms.
“Chun” in Irish: frequently asked questions
What does chun mean in Irish?
chun means to, towards, in order to. With a pronoun it becomes one word: chugam (to, towards, in order to me), chugat (to, towards, in order to you), chuige (to, towards, in order to him / it).
What is the Irish for to me?
chugam. The preposition chun and the pronoun mé fuse into one word; this is a prepositional pronoun (forainm réamhfhoclach).
Does chun change the next word?
Chun does not change the next word: chun scoil. Takes the genitive: chun na scoile (to the school). Its pronoun forms are the same as chuig.
What is the difference between 'chun' and 'chuig'?
Both mean 'to', and they share the same pronoun forms such as 'chugam' and 'chuici'. 'Chun' takes the genitive, as in 'chun na scoile', and is also used for 'in order to', while 'chuig' is common with people, as in 'chuig an dochtúir'.
How do I say 'in order to' in Irish?
Use 'chun' with the object, then 'a' and the verbal noun: 'chun Gaeilge a fhoghlaim' means 'in order to learn Irish'.
