HeyRuaHow to say “to alternate” in Irish
- Irish:
- ailtéarnaigh
- English:
- to alternate
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- ailtéarnú (ag ailtéarnú, alternating)
- Verbal adjective:
- ailtéarnaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “AL-tyair-nee” /alʲtʲeːrˠn̪ˠiː/
What does “ailtéarnaigh” mean?
- to alternate
- To change back and forth between two things, or to make things happen in turn.Also: take turns, interchange, vary.
“Ailtéarnaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'ailtéarnaigh méI alternated | Níor ailtéarnaigh méI did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaigh mé?Did I alternate? |
| tú (you) | D'ailtéarnaigh túYou alternated | Níor ailtéarnaigh túYou did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaigh tú?Did you alternate? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'ailtéarnaigh sé / síHe alternated | Níor ailtéarnaigh sé / síHe did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaigh sé / sí?Did he alternate? |
| sinn (we) | D'ailtéarnaíomarWe alternated | Níor ailtéarnaíomarWe did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaíomar?Did we alternate? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'ailtéarnaigh sibhYou alternated | Níor ailtéarnaigh sibhYou did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaigh sibh?Did you alternate? |
| siad (they) | D'ailtéarnaigh siadThey alternated | Níor ailtéarnaigh siadThey did not alternate | Ar ailtéarnaigh siad?Did they alternate? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ailtéarnaíodh | Níor ailtéarnaíodh | Ar ailtéarnaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | AiltéarnaímI alternate | Ní ailtéarnaímI do not alternate | An ailtéarnaím?Do I alternate? |
| tú (you) | Ailtéarnaíonn túYou alternate | Ní ailtéarnaíonn túYou do not alternate | An ailtéarnaíonn tú?Do you alternate? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ailtéarnaíonn sé / síHe alternates | Ní ailtéarnaíonn sé / síHe does not alternate | An ailtéarnaíonn sé / sí?Does he alternate? |
| sinn (we) | AiltéarnaímidWe alternate | Ní ailtéarnaímidWe do not alternate | An ailtéarnaímid?Do we alternate? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ailtéarnaíonn sibhYou alternate | Ní ailtéarnaíonn sibhYou do not alternate | An ailtéarnaíonn sibh?Do you alternate? |
| siad (they) | Ailtéarnaíonn siadThey alternate | Ní ailtéarnaíonn siadThey do not alternate | An ailtéarnaíonn siad?Do they alternate? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ailtéarnaítear | Ní ailtéarnaítear | An ailtéarnaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Ailtéarnóidh méI will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidh méI will not alternate | An ailtéarnóidh mé?Will I alternate? |
| tú (you) | Ailtéarnóidh túYou will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidh túYou will not alternate | An ailtéarnóidh tú?Will you alternate? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ailtéarnóidh sé / síHe will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidh sé / síHe will not alternate | An ailtéarnóidh sé / sí?Will he alternate? |
| sinn (we) | AiltéarnóimidWe will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóimidWe will not alternate | An ailtéarnóimid?Will we alternate? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ailtéarnóidh sibhYou will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidh sibhYou will not alternate | An ailtéarnóidh sibh?Will you alternate? |
| siad (they) | Ailtéarnóidh siadThey will alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidh siadThey will not alternate | An ailtéarnóidh siad?Will they alternate? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ailtéarnófar | Ní ailtéarnófar | An ailtéarnófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'ailtéarnóinnI would alternate | Ní ailtéarnóinnI would not alternate | An ailtéarnóinn?Would I alternate? |
| tú (you) | D'ailtéarnófáYou would alternate | Ní ailtéarnófáYou would not alternate | An ailtéarnófá?Would you alternate? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'ailtéarnódh sé / síHe would alternate | Ní ailtéarnódh sé / síHe would not alternate | An ailtéarnódh sé / sí?Would he alternate? |
| sinn (we) | D'ailtéarnóimisWe would alternate | Ní ailtéarnóimisWe would not alternate | An ailtéarnóimis?Would we alternate? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'ailtéarnódh sibhYou would alternate | Ní ailtéarnódh sibhYou would not alternate | An ailtéarnódh sibh?Would you alternate? |
| siad (they) | D'ailtéarnóidísThey would alternate | Ní ailtéarnóidísThey would not alternate | An ailtéarnóidís?Would they alternate? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | D'ailtéarnófaí | Ní ailtéarnófaí | An ailtéarnófaí? |
“Ailtéarnaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
D'ailtéarnaigh an solas idir dearg agus glas.
The light alternated between red and green.
Ailtéarnaíonn an sruth leictreach go tapa.
The electric current alternates rapidly.
Ailtéarnóidh an dá fhoireann gach seachtain.
The two teams will alternate every week.
D'ailtéarnódh siad na seónna dá mbeadh am acu.
They would alternate the shows if they had time.
Níor ailtéarnaigh an aimsir an tseachtain sin.
The weather did not alternate that week.
An ailtéarnaíonn an voltas sa chiorcad seo?
Does the voltage alternate in this circuit?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To alternate in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to alternate?
The Irish for to alternate is ailtéarnaigh (pronounced “AL-tyair-nee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is ailtéarnú.
What is the verbal noun of ailtéarnaigh?
The verbal noun of ailtéarnaigh is ailtéarnú, used after ag for the continuous: ag ailtéarnú (alternating). The verbal adjective is ailtéarnaithe.
How do you say ailtéarnaigh in the past and the future?
Past: D'ailtéarnaigh mé; negative Níor ailtéarnaigh mé; question Ar ailtéarnaigh mé?. Future: Ailtéarnóidh mé; negative Ní ailtéarnóidh mé; question An ailtéarnóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of ailtéarnaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is D'ailtéarnóinn (I would alternate); negative Ní ailtéarnóinn; question An ailtéarnóinn?.
Is 'ailtéarnaigh' used in everyday speech?
Not often; it is mainly technical, as in 'sruth ailtéarnach' (alternating current). In everyday speech people say 'déan rud ar a seal' or use 'malartaigh'.
