HeyRuaHow to say “to ask” in Irish
- Irish:
- fiafraigh
- English:
- to ask
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- fiafraí (ag fiafraí, asking)
- Verbal adjective:
- fiafraithe
- Pronunciation:
- “FEER-ee” /ˈfʲiəɾˠə/
What does “fiafraigh” mean?
- to ask
- To put a question to someone in order to get information.Also: inquire, enquire, question.
“Fiafraigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'fhiafraigh méI asked | Níor fhiafraigh méI did not ask | Ar fhiafraigh mé?Did I ask? |
| tú (you) | D'fhiafraigh túYou asked | Níor fhiafraigh túYou did not ask | Ar fhiafraigh tú?Did you ask? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'fhiafraigh sé / síHe asked | Níor fhiafraigh sé / síHe did not ask | Ar fhiafraigh sé / sí?Did he ask? |
| sinn (we) | D'fhiafraíomarWe asked | Níor fhiafraíomarWe did not ask | Ar fhiafraíomar?Did we ask? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'fhiafraigh sibhYou asked | Níor fhiafraigh sibhYou did not ask | Ar fhiafraigh sibh?Did you ask? |
| siad (they) | D'fhiafraigh siadThey asked | Níor fhiafraigh siadThey did not ask | Ar fhiafraigh siad?Did they ask? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Fiafraíodh | Níor fiafraíodh | Ar fiafraíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | FiafraímI ask | Ní fhiafraímI do not ask | An bhfiafraím?Do I ask? |
| tú (you) | Fiafraíonn túYou ask | Ní fhiafraíonn túYou do not ask | An bhfiafraíonn tú?Do you ask? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Fiafraíonn sé / síHe asks | Ní fhiafraíonn sé / síHe does not ask | An bhfiafraíonn sé / sí?Does he ask? |
| sinn (we) | FiafraímidWe ask | Ní fhiafraímidWe do not ask | An bhfiafraímid?Do we ask? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Fiafraíonn sibhYou ask | Ní fhiafraíonn sibhYou do not ask | An bhfiafraíonn sibh?Do you ask? |
| siad (they) | Fiafraíonn siadThey ask | Ní fhiafraíonn siadThey do not ask | An bhfiafraíonn siad?Do they ask? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Fiafraítear | Ní fhiafraítear | An bhfiafraítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Fiafróidh méI will ask | Ní fhiafróidh méI will not ask | An bhfiafróidh mé?Will I ask? |
| tú (you) | Fiafróidh túYou will ask | Ní fhiafróidh túYou will not ask | An bhfiafróidh tú?Will you ask? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Fiafróidh sé / síHe will ask | Ní fhiafróidh sé / síHe will not ask | An bhfiafróidh sé / sí?Will he ask? |
| sinn (we) | FiafróimidWe will ask | Ní fhiafróimidWe will not ask | An bhfiafróimid?Will we ask? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Fiafróidh sibhYou will ask | Ní fhiafróidh sibhYou will not ask | An bhfiafróidh sibh?Will you ask? |
| siad (they) | Fiafróidh siadThey will ask | Ní fhiafróidh siadThey will not ask | An bhfiafróidh siad?Will they ask? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Fiafrófar | Ní fhiafrófar | An bhfiafrófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'fhiafróinnI would ask | Ní fhiafróinnI would not ask | An bhfiafróinn?Would I ask? |
| tú (you) | D'fhiafrófáYou would ask | Ní fhiafrófáYou would not ask | An bhfiafrófá?Would you ask? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'fhiafródh sé / síHe would ask | Ní fhiafródh sé / síHe would not ask | An bhfiafródh sé / sí?Would he ask? |
| sinn (we) | D'fhiafróimisWe would ask | Ní fhiafróimisWe would not ask | An bhfiafróimis?Would we ask? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'fhiafródh sibhYou would ask | Ní fhiafródh sibhYou would not ask | An bhfiafródh sibh?Would you ask? |
| siad (they) | D'fhiafróidísThey would ask | Ní fhiafróidísThey would not ask | An bhfiafróidís?Would they ask? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | D'fhiafrófaí | Ní fhiafrófaí | An bhfiafrófaí? |
“Fiafraigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
D'fhiafraigh sí díom cén t-am a bhí sé.
She asked me what time it was.
Fiafraíonn sé díom gach lá conas atá mé.
He asks me every day how I am.
Fiafróidh mé de an bhfuil sé ag teacht.
I'll ask him if he is coming.
D'fhiafróinn den mhúinteoir dá mbeinn i d'áit.
I would ask the teacher if I were you.
Níor fhiafraigh aon duine díom.
Nobody asked me.
Ar fhiafraigh tú di cá bhfuil sí ina cónaí?
Did you ask her where she lives?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To ask in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to ask?
The Irish for to ask is fiafraigh (pronounced “FEER-ee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is fiafraí.
What is the verbal noun of fiafraigh?
The verbal noun of fiafraigh is fiafraí, used after ag for the continuous: ag fiafraí (asking). The verbal adjective is fiafraithe.
How do you say fiafraigh in the past and the future?
Past: D'fhiafraigh mé; negative Níor fhiafraigh mé; question Ar fhiafraigh mé?. Future: Fiafróidh mé; negative Ní fhiafróidh mé; question An bhfiafróidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of fiafraigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is D'fhiafróinn (I would ask); negative Ní fhiafróinn; question An bhfiafróinn?.
What is the difference between 'fiafraigh' and 'iarr'?
'Fiafraigh' means to ask a question (D'fhiafraigh sé díom cá raibh mé), while 'iarr' means to ask for or request something (D'iarr sé airgead orm).
Which preposition is used with 'fiafraigh'?
You ask a question 'of' someone with 'de': fiafraigh de Sheán, d'fhiafraigh mé di.
