HeyRuaHow to say “to devour” in Irish
- Irish:
- alp
- English:
- to devour, grab
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- alpadh (ag alpadh, devouring)
- Verbal adjective:
- alptha
- Pronunciation:
- “alp” /alˠpˠ/
What does “alp” mean?
“Alp” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to devour
- To eat something greedily and quickly, gulping it down.Also: gobble, gulp down, wolf, swallow whole.
1 other meaning: grab
- 2to grab
- To seize or snap up something greedily.Also: snap up, seize, grasp.
“Alp” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'alp méI devoured | Níor alp méI did not devour | Ar alp mé?Did I devour? |
| tú (you) | D'alp túYou devoured | Níor alp túYou did not devour | Ar alp tú?Did you devour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'alp sé / síHe devoured | Níor alp sé / síHe did not devour | Ar alp sé / sí?Did he devour? |
| sinn (we) | D'alpamarWe devoured | Níor alpamarWe did not devour | Ar alpamar?Did we devour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'alp sibhYou devoured | Níor alp sibhYou did not devour | Ar alp sibh?Did you devour? |
| siad (they) | D'alp siadThey devoured | Níor alp siadThey did not devour | Ar alp siad?Did they devour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Alpadh | Níor alpadh | Ar alpadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | AlpaimI devour | Ní alpaimI do not devour | An alpaim?Do I devour? |
| tú (you) | Alpann túYou devour | Ní alpann túYou do not devour | An alpann tú?Do you devour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Alpann sé / síHe devours | Ní alpann sé / síHe does not devour | An alpann sé / sí?Does he devour? |
| sinn (we) | AlpaimidWe devour | Ní alpaimidWe do not devour | An alpaimid?Do we devour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Alpann sibhYou devour | Ní alpann sibhYou do not devour | An alpann sibh?Do you devour? |
| siad (they) | Alpann siadThey devour | Ní alpann siadThey do not devour | An alpann siad?Do they devour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Alptar | Ní alptar | An alptar? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Alpfaidh méI will devour | Ní alpfaidh méI will not devour | An alpfaidh mé?Will I devour? |
| tú (you) | Alpfaidh túYou will devour | Ní alpfaidh túYou will not devour | An alpfaidh tú?Will you devour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Alpfaidh sé / síHe will devour | Ní alpfaidh sé / síHe will not devour | An alpfaidh sé / sí?Will he devour? |
| sinn (we) | AlpfaimidWe will devour | Ní alpfaimidWe will not devour | An alpfaimid?Will we devour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Alpfaidh sibhYou will devour | Ní alpfaidh sibhYou will not devour | An alpfaidh sibh?Will you devour? |
| siad (they) | Alpfaidh siadThey will devour | Ní alpfaidh siadThey will not devour | An alpfaidh siad?Will they devour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Alpfar | Ní alpfar | An alpfar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | D'alpfainnI would devour | Ní alpfainnI would not devour | An alpfainn?Would I devour? |
| tú (you) | D'alpfáYou would devour | Ní alpfáYou would not devour | An alpfá?Would you devour? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | D'alpfadh sé / síHe would devour | Ní alpfadh sé / síHe would not devour | An alpfadh sé / sí?Would he devour? |
| sinn (we) | D'alpfaimisWe would devour | Ní alpfaimisWe would not devour | An alpfaimis?Would we devour? |
| sibh (you, plural) | D'alpfadh sibhYou would devour | Ní alpfadh sibhYou would not devour | An alpfadh sibh?Would you devour? |
| siad (they) | D'alpfaidísThey would devour | Ní alpfaidísThey would not devour | An alpfaidís?Would they devour? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | D'alpfaí | Ní alpfaí | An alpfaí? |
“Alp” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
D'alp an madra an fheoil in aon bhlaiseadh amháin.
The dog gobbled the meat in one go.
Alpann na páistí a ndinnéar gach lá.
The children wolf down their dinner every day.
Alpfaidh sé an cáca sin má fhágann tú ansin é.
He will devour that cake if you leave it there.
D'alpfadh sí an pláta ar fad dá mbeadh ocras uirthi.
She would gobble the whole plate if she were hungry.
Níor alp an cat an t-iasc ar fad.
The cat didn't gobble all the fish.
Ar alp tú do bhricfeasta arís?
Did you wolf down your breakfast again?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To devour in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to devour?
The Irish for to devour is alp (pronounced “alp”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is alpadh.
What is the verbal noun of alp?
The verbal noun of alp is alpadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag alpadh (devouring). The verbal adjective is alptha.
How do you say alp in the past and the future?
Past: D'alp mé; negative Níor alp mé; question Ar alp mé?. Future: Alpfaidh mé; negative Ní alpfaidh mé; question An alpfaidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of alp?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is D'alpfainn (I would devour); negative Ní alpfainn; question An alpfainn?.
Does alp have more than one meaning?
Yes. Alp can mean to devour or to grab, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'alp' and 'ith'?
'Ith' is the ordinary verb to eat, while 'alp' means to eat greedily or gulp down, as in 'd'alp sé a dhinnéar' (he wolfed his dinner).
