HeyRuaHow to say “to colour” in Irish
- Irish:
- dath
- English:
- to colour, redden
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- dathadh (ag dathadh, colouring)
- Verbal adjective:
- daite
- Pronunciation:
- “dah” /d̪ˠah/
What does “dath” mean?
“Dath” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to colour
- To give colour to something, for example with paint, dye or crayons.Also: color, paint, dye, tint.
1 other meaning: redden
- 2to redden
- To become red in the face, to blush.Also: blush, colour up.
Other Irish verbs for to colour: dathaigh (colour)
“Dath” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dhath méI coloured | Níor dhath méI did not colour | Ar dhath mé?Did I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dhath túYou coloured | Níor dhath túYou did not colour | Ar dhath tú?Did you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhath sé / síHe coloured | Níor dhath sé / síHe did not colour | Ar dhath sé / sí?Did he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DhathamarWe coloured | Níor dhathamarWe did not colour | Ar dhathamar?Did we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhath sibhYou coloured | Níor dhath sibhYou did not colour | Ar dhath sibh?Did you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dhath siadThey coloured | Níor dhath siadThey did not colour | Ar dhath siad?Did they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dathadh | Níor dathadh | Ar dathadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DathaimI colour | Ní dhathaimI do not colour | An ndathaim?Do I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dathann túYou colour | Ní dhathann túYou do not colour | An ndathann tú?Do you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dathann sé / síHe colours | Ní dhathann sé / síHe does not colour | An ndathann sé / sí?Does he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DathaimidWe colour | Ní dhathaimidWe do not colour | An ndathaimid?Do we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dathann sibhYou colour | Ní dhathann sibhYou do not colour | An ndathann sibh?Do you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dathann siadThey colour | Ní dhathann siadThey do not colour | An ndathann siad?Do they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Datar | Ní dhatar | An ndatar? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dathfaidh méI will colour | Ní dhathfaidh méI will not colour | An ndathfaidh mé?Will I colour? |
| tú (you) | Dathfaidh túYou will colour | Ní dhathfaidh túYou will not colour | An ndathfaidh tú?Will you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dathfaidh sé / síHe will colour | Ní dhathfaidh sé / síHe will not colour | An ndathfaidh sé / sí?Will he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DathfaimidWe will colour | Ní dhathfaimidWe will not colour | An ndathfaimid?Will we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dathfaidh sibhYou will colour | Ní dhathfaidh sibhYou will not colour | An ndathfaidh sibh?Will you colour? |
| siad (they) | Dathfaidh siadThey will colour | Ní dhathfaidh siadThey will not colour | An ndathfaidh siad?Will they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dathfar | Ní dhathfar | An ndathfar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DhathfainnI would colour | Ní dhathfainnI would not colour | An ndathfainn?Would I colour? |
| tú (you) | DhathfáYou would colour | Ní dhathfáYou would not colour | An ndathfá?Would you colour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhathfadh sé / síHe would colour | Ní dhathfadh sé / síHe would not colour | An ndathfadh sé / sí?Would he colour? |
| sinn (we) | DhathfaimisWe would colour | Ní dhathfaimisWe would not colour | An ndathfaimis?Would we colour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhathfadh sibhYou would colour | Ní dhathfadh sibhYou would not colour | An ndathfadh sibh?Would you colour? |
| siad (they) | DhathfaidísThey would colour | Ní dhathfaidísThey would not colour | An ndathfaidís?Would they colour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dhathfaí | Ní dhathfaí | An ndathfaí? |
“Dath” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To colour in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to colour?
The Irish for to colour is dath (pronounced “dah”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is dathadh.
What is the verbal noun of dath?
The verbal noun of dath is dathadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag dathadh (colouring). The verbal adjective is daite.
How do you say dath in the past and the future?
Past: Dhath mé; negative Níor dhath mé; question Ar dhath mé?. Future: Dathfaidh mé; negative Ní dhathfaidh mé; question An ndathfaidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of dath?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Dhathfainn (I would colour); negative Ní dhathfainn; question An ndathfainn?.
Does dath have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dath can mean to colour or to redden, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is 'dath' a verb or a noun?
Both: 'dath' is the noun 'colour' (Cén dath atá air?), and also the verb 'colour', as in 'Dhath sí an pictiúr'.
What does 'daite' mean?
'Daite' means 'coloured', as in 'gloine dhaite', stained or coloured glass.
