HeyRuaWhat does “le” mean?
- 1with
- Used to say that you are together with someone or that you use something to do a job.Also: along with, together with, using.
- 2to (liking, owning)
- Used with 'is' to say what you like or dislike, or who owns something.Also: like, love, belong to, mine, own.
- 3for (time)
- Used to say how long something has been going on.Also: for, since, for a long time.
Pronounced “leh” /lʲɛ/.
“Le” with pronouns
In Irish you never say “le mé”. The preposition and the pronoun fuse into one word. Learn these 7 forms and you can use le with anyone. Click a form for its own page.
| Pronoun | Irish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (me) | liom | with me | Is maith liom cupán tae.I like a cup of tea. |
| tú (you) | leat | with you | Labhróidh mé leat amárach.I'll talk to you tomorrow. |
| sé (him / it) | leis | with him / it | Bhí mé ag caint leis inné.I was talking to him yesterday. |
| sí (her / it) | léi | with her / it | An maith léi caife?Does she like coffee? |
| sinn (us) | linn | with us | Tar linn go dtí an trá.Come with us to the beach. |
| sibh (you (plural)) | libh | with you (plural) | Tá áthas orm bualadh libh.I'm happy to meet you all. |
| siad (them) | leo | with them | Is breá leo an ceol sin.They love that music. |
“Le” before a noun
Le puts h before a vowel: le hÁine, and leaves consonants alone: le cara.
Puts h before a vowel: le hÁine (with Áine). Used for liking: is maith liom (I like).
Everyday phrases with “le”
The other prepositions
Every simple preposition has its own set of pronoun forms.
“Le” in Irish: frequently asked questions
What does le mean in Irish?
le means with. With a pronoun it becomes one word: liom (with me), leat (with you), leis (with him / it).
What is the Irish for with me?
liom. The preposition le and the pronoun mé fuse into one word; this is a prepositional pronoun (forainm réamhfhoclach).
Does le change the next word?
Le puts h before a vowel: le hÁine, and leaves consonants alone: le cara. Puts h before a vowel: le hÁine (with Áine). Used for liking: is maith liom (I like).
How do I say 'I like' in Irish?
Use 'is maith liom' followed by the thing you like, for example 'Is maith liom tae' (I like tea). For 'I love' say 'Is breá liom'.
Why do I see 'le hÁine' with an h?
The preposition 'le' puts an h before a word starting with a vowel, so 'le Áine' becomes 'le hÁine' (with Áine).
