HeyRuaHow to say “to contradict” in Irish
- Irish:
- bréagnaigh
- English:
- to contradict, refute
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- bréagnú (ag bréagnú, contradicting)
- Verbal adjective:
- bréagnaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “BRAYG-nee” /bʲɾʲeːɡn̪ˠiː/
What does “bréagnaigh” mean?
“Bréagnaigh” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to contradict
- To say that what someone has said is not true or is the opposite of the truth.Also: gainsay, deny.
1 other meaning: refute
- 2to refute
- To prove that a statement, claim or argument is false.Also: disprove, rebut, belie.
Other Irish verbs for to contradict: séan (deny)
“Bréagnaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Bhréagnaigh méI contradicted | Níor bhréagnaigh méI did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaigh mé?Did I contradict? |
| tú (you) | Bhréagnaigh túYou contradicted | Níor bhréagnaigh túYou did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaigh tú?Did you contradict? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bhréagnaigh sé / síHe contradicted | Níor bhréagnaigh sé / síHe did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaigh sé / sí?Did he contradict? |
| sinn (we) | BhréagnaíomarWe contradicted | Níor bhréagnaíomarWe did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaíomar?Did we contradict? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bhréagnaigh sibhYou contradicted | Níor bhréagnaigh sibhYou did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaigh sibh?Did you contradict? |
| siad (they) | Bhréagnaigh siadThey contradicted | Níor bhréagnaigh siadThey did not contradict | Ar bhréagnaigh siad?Did they contradict? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bréagnaíodh | Níor bréagnaíodh | Ar bréagnaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | BréagnaímI contradict | Ní bhréagnaímI do not contradict | An mbréagnaím?Do I contradict? |
| tú (you) | Bréagnaíonn túYou contradict | Ní bhréagnaíonn túYou do not contradict | An mbréagnaíonn tú?Do you contradict? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bréagnaíonn sé / síHe contradicts | Ní bhréagnaíonn sé / síHe does not contradict | An mbréagnaíonn sé / sí?Does he contradict? |
| sinn (we) | BréagnaímidWe contradict | Ní bhréagnaímidWe do not contradict | An mbréagnaímid?Do we contradict? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bréagnaíonn sibhYou contradict | Ní bhréagnaíonn sibhYou do not contradict | An mbréagnaíonn sibh?Do you contradict? |
| siad (they) | Bréagnaíonn siadThey contradict | Ní bhréagnaíonn siadThey do not contradict | An mbréagnaíonn siad?Do they contradict? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bréagnaítear | Ní bhréagnaítear | An mbréagnaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Bréagnóidh méI will contradict | Ní bhréagnóidh méI will not contradict | An mbréagnóidh mé?Will I contradict? |
| tú (you) | Bréagnóidh túYou will contradict | Ní bhréagnóidh túYou will not contradict | An mbréagnóidh tú?Will you contradict? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bréagnóidh sé / síHe will contradict | Ní bhréagnóidh sé / síHe will not contradict | An mbréagnóidh sé / sí?Will he contradict? |
| sinn (we) | BréagnóimidWe will contradict | Ní bhréagnóimidWe will not contradict | An mbréagnóimid?Will we contradict? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bréagnóidh sibhYou will contradict | Ní bhréagnóidh sibhYou will not contradict | An mbréagnóidh sibh?Will you contradict? |
| siad (they) | Bréagnóidh siadThey will contradict | Ní bhréagnóidh siadThey will not contradict | An mbréagnóidh siad?Will they contradict? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bréagnófar | Ní bhréagnófar | An mbréagnófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | BhréagnóinnI would contradict | Ní bhréagnóinnI would not contradict | An mbréagnóinn?Would I contradict? |
| tú (you) | BhréagnófáYou would contradict | Ní bhréagnófáYou would not contradict | An mbréagnófá?Would you contradict? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bhréagnódh sé / síHe would contradict | Ní bhréagnódh sé / síHe would not contradict | An mbréagnódh sé / sí?Would he contradict? |
| sinn (we) | BhréagnóimisWe would contradict | Ní bhréagnóimisWe would not contradict | An mbréagnóimis?Would we contradict? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bhréagnódh sibhYou would contradict | Ní bhréagnódh sibhYou would not contradict | An mbréagnódh sibh?Would you contradict? |
| siad (they) | BhréagnóidísThey would contradict | Ní bhréagnóidísThey would not contradict | An mbréagnóidís?Would they contradict? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bhréagnófaí | Ní bhréagnófaí | An mbréagnófaí? |
“Bréagnaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Bhréagnaigh sé a dheartháir os comhair an tslua.
He contradicted his brother in front of the crowd.
Bréagnaíonn an fhianaise sin a scéal.
That evidence contradicts his story.
Bréagnóidh an t-aire an tuairisc amárach.
The minister will refute the report tomorrow.
Bhréagnóinn é dá mbeadh an fhírinne agam.
I would contradict him if I had the truth.
Níor bhréagnaigh aon duine an ráiteas.
Nobody contradicted the statement.
Ar bhréagnaigh tú an méid a dúirt sí?
Did you contradict what she said?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To contradict in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to contradict?
The Irish for to contradict is bréagnaigh (pronounced “BRAYG-nee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is bréagnú.
What is the verbal noun of bréagnaigh?
The verbal noun of bréagnaigh is bréagnú, used after ag for the continuous: ag bréagnú (contradicting). The verbal adjective is bréagnaithe.
How do you say bréagnaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Bhréagnaigh mé; negative Níor bhréagnaigh mé; question Ar bhréagnaigh mé?. Future: Bréagnóidh mé; negative Ní bhréagnóidh mé; question An mbréagnóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of bréagnaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Bhréagnóinn (I would contradict); negative Ní bhréagnóinn; question An mbréagnóinn?.
Does bréagnaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Bréagnaigh can mean to contradict or to refute, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'bréagnaigh' and 'séan'?
'Bréagnaigh' means to contradict or refute someone else's claim, while 'séan' means to deny something, often about yourself, as in 'shéan sé é'.
