HeyRuaHow to say “to darken” in Irish
- Irish:
- dorchaigh
- English:
- to darken, obscure
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- dorchú (ag dorchú, darkening)
- Verbal adjective:
- dorchaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “DUR-uh-khee” /ˈd̪ˠɔɾˠəxə/
What does “dorchaigh” mean?
“Dorchaigh” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to darken
- To make something dark or darker, or to become dark.Also: make dark, grow dark, get dark, dim.
1 other meaning: obscure
- 2to obscure
- To make something unclear or hard to see or understand.Also: cloud, shade, overshadow.
“Dorchaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dhorchaigh méI darkened | Níor dhorchaigh méI did not darken | Ar dhorchaigh mé?Did I darken? |
| tú (you) | Dhorchaigh túYou darkened | Níor dhorchaigh túYou did not darken | Ar dhorchaigh tú?Did you darken? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhorchaigh sé / síHe darkened | Níor dhorchaigh sé / síHe did not darken | Ar dhorchaigh sé / sí?Did he darken? |
| sinn (we) | DhorchaíomarWe darkened | Níor dhorchaíomarWe did not darken | Ar dhorchaíomar?Did we darken? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhorchaigh sibhYou darkened | Níor dhorchaigh sibhYou did not darken | Ar dhorchaigh sibh?Did you darken? |
| siad (they) | Dhorchaigh siadThey darkened | Níor dhorchaigh siadThey did not darken | Ar dhorchaigh siad?Did they darken? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dorchaíodh | Níor dorchaíodh | Ar dorchaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DorchaímI darken | Ní dhorchaímI do not darken | An ndorchaím?Do I darken? |
| tú (you) | Dorchaíonn túYou darken | Ní dhorchaíonn túYou do not darken | An ndorchaíonn tú?Do you darken? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dorchaíonn sé / síHe darkens | Ní dhorchaíonn sé / síHe does not darken | An ndorchaíonn sé / sí?Does he darken? |
| sinn (we) | DorchaímidWe darken | Ní dhorchaímidWe do not darken | An ndorchaímid?Do we darken? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dorchaíonn sibhYou darken | Ní dhorchaíonn sibhYou do not darken | An ndorchaíonn sibh?Do you darken? |
| siad (they) | Dorchaíonn siadThey darken | Ní dhorchaíonn siadThey do not darken | An ndorchaíonn siad?Do they darken? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dorchaítear | Ní dhorchaítear | An ndorchaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dorchóidh méI will darken | Ní dhorchóidh méI will not darken | An ndorchóidh mé?Will I darken? |
| tú (you) | Dorchóidh túYou will darken | Ní dhorchóidh túYou will not darken | An ndorchóidh tú?Will you darken? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dorchóidh sé / síHe will darken | Ní dhorchóidh sé / síHe will not darken | An ndorchóidh sé / sí?Will he darken? |
| sinn (we) | DorchóimidWe will darken | Ní dhorchóimidWe will not darken | An ndorchóimid?Will we darken? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dorchóidh sibhYou will darken | Ní dhorchóidh sibhYou will not darken | An ndorchóidh sibh?Will you darken? |
| siad (they) | Dorchóidh siadThey will darken | Ní dhorchóidh siadThey will not darken | An ndorchóidh siad?Will they darken? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dorchófar | Ní dhorchófar | An ndorchófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DhorchóinnI would darken | Ní dhorchóinnI would not darken | An ndorchóinn?Would I darken? |
| tú (you) | DhorchófáYou would darken | Ní dhorchófáYou would not darken | An ndorchófá?Would you darken? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhorchódh sé / síHe would darken | Ní dhorchódh sé / síHe would not darken | An ndorchódh sé / sí?Would he darken? |
| sinn (we) | DhorchóimisWe would darken | Ní dhorchóimisWe would not darken | An ndorchóimis?Would we darken? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhorchódh sibhYou would darken | Ní dhorchódh sibhYou would not darken | An ndorchódh sibh?Would you darken? |
| siad (they) | DhorchóidísThey would darken | Ní dhorchóidísThey would not darken | An ndorchóidís?Would they darken? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dhorchófaí | Ní dhorchófaí | An ndorchófaí? |
“Dorchaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Dhorchaigh an spéir go tobann tráthnóna.
The sky suddenly darkened in the evening.
Dorchaíonn sé go luath sa gheimhreadh.
It gets dark early in winter.
Dorchóidh na scamaill an ghrian ar ball.
The clouds will darken the sun soon.
Dhorchódh an phéint sin an seomra.
That paint would darken the room.
Níor dhorchaigh sé go dtí a deich a chlog.
It didn't get dark until ten o'clock.
Ar dhorchaigh sé fós?
Has it got dark yet?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To darken in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to darken?
The Irish for to darken is dorchaigh (pronounced “DUR-uh-khee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is dorchú.
What is the verbal noun of dorchaigh?
The verbal noun of dorchaigh is dorchú, used after ag for the continuous: ag dorchú (darkening). The verbal adjective is dorchaithe.
How do you say dorchaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Dhorchaigh mé; negative Níor dhorchaigh mé; question Ar dhorchaigh mé?. Future: Dorchóidh mé; negative Ní dhorchóidh mé; question An ndorchóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of dorchaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Dhorchóinn (I would darken); negative Ní dhorchóinn; question An ndorchóinn?.
Does dorchaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Dorchaigh can mean to darken or to obscure, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the opposite of 'dorchaigh'?
The opposite is 'gealaigh' (brighten, lighten), as in 'Gheal an lá' (the day brightened).
How do I say 'it is getting dark'?
You can say 'Tá sé ag dorchú' or, very commonly, 'Tá sé ag éirí dorcha'.
