HeyRuaHow to say “to tease” in Irish
- Irish:
- spoch
- English:
- to tease, castrate
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- spochadh (ag spochadh, teasing)
- Verbal adjective:
- spochta
- Pronunciation:
- “spukh” /spɔx/
What does “spoch” mean?
“Spoch” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to tease
- To make fun of someone playfully or annoy them with remarks, usually 'spoch as duine'.Also: slag, rag, make fun of, banter.
1 other meaning: castrate
- 2to castrate
- To remove the testicles of an animal; to geld.Also: geld, neuter.
“Spoch” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Spoch méI teased | Níor spoch méI did not tease | Ar spoch mé?Did I tease? |
| tú (you) | Spoch túYou teased | Níor spoch túYou did not tease | Ar spoch tú?Did you tease? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Spoch sé / síHe teased | Níor spoch sé / síHe did not tease | Ar spoch sé / sí?Did he tease? |
| sinn (we) | SpochamarWe teased | Níor spochamarWe did not tease | Ar spochamar?Did we tease? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Spoch sibhYou teased | Níor spoch sibhYou did not tease | Ar spoch sibh?Did you tease? |
| siad (they) | Spoch siadThey teased | Níor spoch siadThey did not tease | Ar spoch siad?Did they tease? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Spochadh | Níor spochadh | Ar spochadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | SpochaimI tease | Ní spochaimI do not tease | An spochaim?Do I tease? |
| tú (you) | Spochann túYou tease | Ní spochann túYou do not tease | An spochann tú?Do you tease? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Spochann sé / síHe teases | Ní spochann sé / síHe does not tease | An spochann sé / sí?Does he tease? |
| sinn (we) | SpochaimidWe tease | Ní spochaimidWe do not tease | An spochaimid?Do we tease? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Spochann sibhYou tease | Ní spochann sibhYou do not tease | An spochann sibh?Do you tease? |
| siad (they) | Spochann siadThey tease | Ní spochann siadThey do not tease | An spochann siad?Do they tease? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Spochtar | Ní spochtar | An spochtar? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Spochfaidh méI will tease | Ní spochfaidh méI will not tease | An spochfaidh mé?Will I tease? |
| tú (you) | Spochfaidh túYou will tease | Ní spochfaidh túYou will not tease | An spochfaidh tú?Will you tease? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Spochfaidh sé / síHe will tease | Ní spochfaidh sé / síHe will not tease | An spochfaidh sé / sí?Will he tease? |
| sinn (we) | SpochfaimidWe will tease | Ní spochfaimidWe will not tease | An spochfaimid?Will we tease? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Spochfaidh sibhYou will tease | Ní spochfaidh sibhYou will not tease | An spochfaidh sibh?Will you tease? |
| siad (they) | Spochfaidh siadThey will tease | Ní spochfaidh siadThey will not tease | An spochfaidh siad?Will they tease? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Spochfar | Ní spochfar | An spochfar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | SpochfainnI would tease | Ní spochfainnI would not tease | An spochfainn?Would I tease? |
| tú (you) | SpochfáYou would tease | Ní spochfáYou would not tease | An spochfá?Would you tease? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Spochfadh sé / síHe would tease | Ní spochfadh sé / síHe would not tease | An spochfadh sé / sí?Would he tease? |
| sinn (we) | SpochfaimisWe would tease | Ní spochfaimisWe would not tease | An spochfaimis?Would we tease? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Spochfadh sibhYou would tease | Ní spochfadh sibhYou would not tease | An spochfadh sibh?Would you tease? |
| siad (they) | SpochfaidísThey would tease | Ní spochfaidísThey would not tease | An spochfaidís?Would they tease? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Spochfaí | Ní spochfaí | An spochfaí? |
“Spoch” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Spoch na buachaillí as Seán faoina hata nua.
The boys teased Seán about his new hat.
Spochann sí as a deartháir i gcónaí.
She always teases her brother.
Spochfaidh siad asat má chaitheann tú é sin.
They will tease you if you wear that.
Spochfainn as ach tá sé róíogair.
I would tease him but he is too sensitive.
Níor spoch mé as riamh.
I never teased him.
Ar spoch tú as an múinteoir?
Did you tease the teacher?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To tease in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to tease?
The Irish for to tease is spoch (pronounced “spukh”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is spochadh.
What is the verbal noun of spoch?
The verbal noun of spoch is spochadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag spochadh (teasing). The verbal adjective is spochta.
How do you say spoch in the past and the future?
Past: Spoch mé; negative Níor spoch mé; question Ar spoch mé?. Future: Spochfaidh mé; negative Ní spochfaidh mé; question An spochfaidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of spoch?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Spochfainn (I would tease); negative Ní spochfainn; question An spochfainn?.
Does spoch have more than one meaning?
Yes. Spoch can mean to tease or to castrate, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition does 'spoch' take when it means tease?
It takes 'as': 'spoch as duine' means to tease someone, for example 'Bhí siad ag spochadh asam'.
