HeyRuaHow to say “to criticise” in Irish
- Irish:
- cáin
- English:
- to criticise, revile, fine
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- cáineadh (ag cáineadh, criticising)
- Verbal adjective:
- cáinte
- Pronunciation:
- “kawn” /kɑːnʲ/
What does “cáin” mean?
“Cáin” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to criticise
- To say that someone or something is bad or wrong; to find fault with them.Also: condemn, censure, denounce, find fault with.
2 other meanings: revile or fine
- 2to revile
- To speak about someone in an abusive, insulting way.Also: disparage, abuse, run down.
- 3to fine
- To make someone pay money as a punishment.Also: penalise, levy.
“Cáin” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Cháin méI criticised | Níor cháin méI did not criticise | Ar cháin mé?Did I criticise? |
| tú (you) | Cháin túYou criticised | Níor cháin túYou did not criticise | Ar cháin tú?Did you criticise? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cháin sé / síHe criticised | Níor cháin sé / síHe did not criticise | Ar cháin sé / sí?Did he criticise? |
| sinn (we) | CháineamarWe criticised | Níor cháineamarWe did not criticise | Ar cháineamar?Did we criticise? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cháin sibhYou criticised | Níor cháin sibhYou did not criticise | Ar cháin sibh?Did you criticise? |
| siad (they) | Cháin siadThey criticised | Níor cháin siadThey did not criticise | Ar cháin siad?Did they criticise? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cáineadh | Níor cáineadh | Ar cáineadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | CáinimI criticise | Ní cháinimI do not criticise | An gcáinim?Do I criticise? |
| tú (you) | Cáineann túYou criticise | Ní cháineann túYou do not criticise | An gcáineann tú?Do you criticise? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cáineann sé / síHe criticises | Ní cháineann sé / síHe does not criticise | An gcáineann sé / sí?Does he criticise? |
| sinn (we) | CáinimidWe criticise | Ní cháinimidWe do not criticise | An gcáinimid?Do we criticise? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cáineann sibhYou criticise | Ní cháineann sibhYou do not criticise | An gcáineann sibh?Do you criticise? |
| siad (they) | Cáineann siadThey criticise | Ní cháineann siadThey do not criticise | An gcáineann siad?Do they criticise? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cáintear | Ní cháintear | An gcáintear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Cáinfidh méI will criticise | Ní cháinfidh méI will not criticise | An gcáinfidh mé?Will I criticise? |
| tú (you) | Cáinfidh túYou will criticise | Ní cháinfidh túYou will not criticise | An gcáinfidh tú?Will you criticise? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cáinfidh sé / síHe will criticise | Ní cháinfidh sé / síHe will not criticise | An gcáinfidh sé / sí?Will he criticise? |
| sinn (we) | CáinfimidWe will criticise | Ní cháinfimidWe will not criticise | An gcáinfimid?Will we criticise? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cáinfidh sibhYou will criticise | Ní cháinfidh sibhYou will not criticise | An gcáinfidh sibh?Will you criticise? |
| siad (they) | Cáinfidh siadThey will criticise | Ní cháinfidh siadThey will not criticise | An gcáinfidh siad?Will they criticise? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cáinfear | Ní cháinfear | An gcáinfear? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | CháinfinnI would criticise | Ní cháinfinnI would not criticise | An gcáinfinn?Would I criticise? |
| tú (you) | CháinfeáYou would criticise | Ní cháinfeáYou would not criticise | An gcáinfeá?Would you criticise? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cháinfeadh sé / síHe would criticise | Ní cháinfeadh sé / síHe would not criticise | An gcáinfeadh sé / sí?Would he criticise? |
| sinn (we) | CháinfimisWe would criticise | Ní cháinfimisWe would not criticise | An gcáinfimis?Would we criticise? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cháinfeadh sibhYou would criticise | Ní cháinfeadh sibhYou would not criticise | An gcáinfeadh sibh?Would you criticise? |
| siad (they) | CháinfidísThey would criticise | Ní cháinfidísThey would not criticise | An gcáinfidís?Would they criticise? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cháinfí | Ní cháinfí | An gcáinfí? |
“Cáin” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Cháin an t-aire an cinneadh go láidir inné.
The minister strongly criticised the decision yesterday.
Cáineann sé gach rud a dhéanaim.
He criticises everything I do.
Cáinfidh na nuachtáin an rialtas faoi seo.
The newspapers will criticise the government over this.
Cháinfeadh sí é dá mbeadh a fhios aici.
She would criticise him if she knew.
Níor cháin aon duine an plean.
Nobody criticised the plan.
Ar cháin an múinteoir d'aiste?
Did the teacher criticise your essay?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To criticise in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to criticise?
The Irish for to criticise is cáin (pronounced “kawn”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is cáineadh.
What is the verbal noun of cáin?
The verbal noun of cáin is cáineadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag cáineadh (criticising). The verbal adjective is cáinte.
How do you say cáin in the past and the future?
Past: Cháin mé; negative Níor cháin mé; question Ar cháin mé?. Future: Cáinfidh mé; negative Ní cháinfidh mé; question An gcáinfidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of cáin?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Cháinfinn (I would criticise); negative Ní cháinfinn; question An gcáinfinn?.
Does cáin have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cáin can mean to criticise, to revile or to fine, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Is the verb 'cáin' related to the noun 'cáin' meaning tax?
They share a spelling: the noun 'cáin' means tax (cáin bhóthair, road tax), while the verb 'cáin' mainly means criticise or condemn, as in 'Cháin siad an plean'.
What is the opposite of 'cáin'?
The usual opposite is 'mol', to praise: 'Mhol siad é' versus 'Cháin siad é'.
