HeyRuaHow “an” works
An eclipses: an bhfuil, an dtagann, an mbeidh, an ndeachaigh. Ar is used with the past of regular verbs and lenites: ar tháinig, ar ith (a vowel cannot change). A negative question is nach with an urú, or nár in the past: nach bhfuil sé fuar?, isn't it cold? To answer, repeat the verb: tá or níl, bhí or ní raibh, tháinig or níor tháinig.
séimhiú or h urú or t-
anquestion
+fuilare
=
An bhfuil tú réidh?Are you ready?
arquestion (past)
+tháinigcame
=
Ar tháinig sé?Did he come?
“An” in questions
An bhfuil tú réidh?
Are you ready?
Tá. / Níl.
Yes. / No. (I am. / I am not.)
An raibh tú ann?
Were you there?
Bhí. / Ní raibh.
Yes. / No. (I was. / I was not.)
Ar tháinig sé?
Did he come?
Tháinig. / Níor tháinig.
Yes. / No. (He came. / He did not come.)
An dtagann tú anseo go minic?
Do you come here often?
An mbeidh tú ann?
Will you be there?
Nach bhfuil sé fuar?
Isn't it cold?
Nár ith tú?
Didn't you eat?
Other question words
Asking a yes or no question in Irish (an, ar, nach): the questions people ask
How do you say yes and no in Irish?
There is no single word. You answer with the verb of the question: An bhfuil tú réidh? Tá (yes) or níl (no). Ar tháinig sé? Tháinig or níor tháinig. With is: is ea and ní hea.
When is it an and when is it ar?
Ar only goes with the past tense of a regular verb and lenites it: ar chuir tú? Everything else takes an with an urú, including the irregular pasts that have a dependent form: an raibh, an ndeachaigh, an bhfaca.