HeyRuaWhat does “roimh” mean?
- 1before
- Used to say that something happens earlier than another thing in time.Also: ahead of, prior to, earlier than.
- 2in front of
- Used to say that something is ahead of or in front of someone or something in place.Also: ahead of, ahead.
- 3of, to (with welcome and fear)
- Used in set phrases for welcoming someone and for being afraid of someone or something.Also: welcome, afraid of, fear of, scared of.
Pronounced “riv” /rˠɪvʲ/.
“Roimh” with pronouns
In Irish you never say “roimh mé”. The preposition and the pronoun fuse into one word. Learn these 7 forms and you can use roimh with anyone. Click a form for its own page.
| Pronoun | Irish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (me) | romham | before me | Bhí sé ag fanacht romham ag an stáisiún.He was waiting for me at the station. |
| tú (you) | romhat | before you | Fáilte romhat go hÉirinn, a chara.Welcome to Ireland, my friend. |
| sé (him / it) | roimhe | before him / it | Tá eagla orm roimhe.I am afraid of him. |
| sí (her / it) | roimpi | before her / it | Tá eagla ar na páistí roimpi.The children are afraid of her. |
| sinn (us) | romhainn | before us | Bhí an múinteoir romhainn sa seomra ranga.The teacher was in the classroom before us. |
| sibh (you (plural)) | romhaibh | before you (plural) | Fáilte romhaibh go léir anocht.Welcome to you all tonight. |
| siad (them) | rompu | before them | Níl eagla ar bith orm rompu.I am not afraid of them at all. |
“Roimh” before a noun
Roimh lenites the next word (séimhiú): the first letter takes an h, roimh dhinnéar.
Used for welcoming and fearing: fáilte romhat (welcome), tá eagla orm roimh (I am afraid of).
Everyday phrases with “roimh”
The other prepositions
Every simple preposition has its own set of pronoun forms.
“Roimh” in Irish: frequently asked questions
What does roimh mean in Irish?
roimh means before, in front of. With a pronoun it becomes one word: romham (before, in front of me), romhat (before, in front of you), roimhe (before, in front of him / it).
What is the Irish for before me?
romham. The preposition roimh and the pronoun mé fuse into one word; this is a prepositional pronoun (forainm réamhfhoclach).
Does roimh change the next word?
Roimh lenites the next word (séimhiú): the first letter takes an h, roimh dhinnéar. Used for welcoming and fearing: fáilte romhat (welcome), tá eagla orm roimh (I am afraid of).
How do I say 'welcome' in Irish?
Say 'Fáilte romhat' to one person and 'Fáilte romhaibh' to more than one person. Literally it means 'welcome before you'.
How do I say 'I am afraid of' something?
Use 'Tá eagla orm roimh' followed by the thing, for example 'Tá eagla orm roimh mhadraí' (I am afraid of dogs). The fear is 'on' you and the thing you fear comes after 'roimh'.
