HeyRuaHow to say “to earn” in Irish
- Irish:
- saothraigh
- English:
- to earn, cultivate, labour
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- saothrú (ag saothrú, earning)
- Verbal adjective:
- saothraithe
- Pronunciation:
- “SEE-ree” /ˈsˠiːɾˠə/
What does “saothraigh” mean?
“Saothraigh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to earn
- To get money or a living by working.Also: earn a living, make money, gain.
2 other meanings: cultivate or labour
- 2to cultivate
- To work land or grow crops; also to develop a skill, language or resource.Also: till, work, develop, farm.
- 3to labour
- To work hard or toil at something.Also: toil, work hard, strive.
Other Irish verbs for to earn: tuill (earn)
“Saothraigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Shaothraigh méI earned | Níor shaothraigh méI did not earn | Ar shaothraigh mé?Did I earn? |
| tú (you) | Shaothraigh túYou earned | Níor shaothraigh túYou did not earn | Ar shaothraigh tú?Did you earn? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Shaothraigh sé / síHe earned | Níor shaothraigh sé / síHe did not earn | Ar shaothraigh sé / sí?Did he earn? |
| sinn (we) | ShaothraíomarWe earned | Níor shaothraíomarWe did not earn | Ar shaothraíomar?Did we earn? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Shaothraigh sibhYou earned | Níor shaothraigh sibhYou did not earn | Ar shaothraigh sibh?Did you earn? |
| siad (they) | Shaothraigh siadThey earned | Níor shaothraigh siadThey did not earn | Ar shaothraigh siad?Did they earn? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Saothraíodh | Níor saothraíodh | Ar saothraíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | SaothraímI earn | Ní shaothraímI do not earn | An saothraím?Do I earn? |
| tú (you) | Saothraíonn túYou earn | Ní shaothraíonn túYou do not earn | An saothraíonn tú?Do you earn? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Saothraíonn sé / síHe earns | Ní shaothraíonn sé / síHe does not earn | An saothraíonn sé / sí?Does he earn? |
| sinn (we) | SaothraímidWe earn | Ní shaothraímidWe do not earn | An saothraímid?Do we earn? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Saothraíonn sibhYou earn | Ní shaothraíonn sibhYou do not earn | An saothraíonn sibh?Do you earn? |
| siad (they) | Saothraíonn siadThey earn | Ní shaothraíonn siadThey do not earn | An saothraíonn siad?Do they earn? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Saothraítear | Ní shaothraítear | An saothraítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Saothróidh méI will earn | Ní shaothróidh méI will not earn | An saothróidh mé?Will I earn? |
| tú (you) | Saothróidh túYou will earn | Ní shaothróidh túYou will not earn | An saothróidh tú?Will you earn? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Saothróidh sé / síHe will earn | Ní shaothróidh sé / síHe will not earn | An saothróidh sé / sí?Will he earn? |
| sinn (we) | SaothróimidWe will earn | Ní shaothróimidWe will not earn | An saothróimid?Will we earn? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Saothróidh sibhYou will earn | Ní shaothróidh sibhYou will not earn | An saothróidh sibh?Will you earn? |
| siad (they) | Saothróidh siadThey will earn | Ní shaothróidh siadThey will not earn | An saothróidh siad?Will they earn? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Saothrófar | Ní shaothrófar | An saothrófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ShaothróinnI would earn | Ní shaothróinnI would not earn | An saothróinn?Would I earn? |
| tú (you) | ShaothrófáYou would earn | Ní shaothrófáYou would not earn | An saothrófá?Would you earn? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Shaothródh sé / síHe would earn | Ní shaothródh sé / síHe would not earn | An saothródh sé / sí?Would he earn? |
| sinn (we) | ShaothróimisWe would earn | Ní shaothróimisWe would not earn | An saothróimis?Would we earn? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Shaothródh sibhYou would earn | Ní shaothródh sibhYou would not earn | An saothródh sibh?Would you earn? |
| siad (they) | ShaothróidísThey would earn | Ní shaothróidísThey would not earn | An saothróidís?Would they earn? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Shaothrófaí | Ní shaothrófaí | An saothrófaí? |
“Saothraigh” 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 earn in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to earn?
The Irish for to earn is saothraigh (pronounced “SEE-ree”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is saothrú.
What is the verbal noun of saothraigh?
The verbal noun of saothraigh is saothrú, used after ag for the continuous: ag saothrú (earning). The verbal adjective is saothraithe.
How do you say saothraigh in the past and the future?
Past: Shaothraigh mé; negative Níor shaothraigh mé; question Ar shaothraigh mé?. Future: Saothróidh mé; negative Ní shaothróidh mé; question An saothróidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of saothraigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Shaothróinn (I would earn); negative Ní shaothróinn; question An saothróinn?.
Does saothraigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Saothraigh can mean to earn, to cultivate or to labour, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'saothraigh' and 'tuill'?
Both mean to earn: 'tuill' also means to deserve (thuill sé é, he deserved it), while 'saothraigh' stresses earning by labour, as in 'saothraigh do bheatha'.
What does 'ag saothrú an bháis' mean?
It is an idiom meaning dying or in the throes of death, literally labouring at death.
