HeyRuaHow to say “to hear” in Irish
- Irish:
- clois
- English:
- to hear, hear of
- Word type:
- verb, irregular
- Verbal noun:
- cloisteáil (ag cloisteáil, hearing)
- Verbal adjective:
- cloiste
- Pronunciation:
- “klish” /klˠɪʃ/
What does “clois” mean?
“Clois” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to hear
- To perceive a sound or voice with your ears.Also: can hear, catch.
1 other meaning: hear of
- 2to hear of
- To learn or be told about something, such as news or a story.Also: hear about, learn, be told.
Other Irish verbs for to hear: cluin (hear)
“Clois” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Irregular verb. Clois is one of the eleven irregular verbs in Irish, so its forms do not follow the regular pattern.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Chuala méI heard | Níor chuala méI did not hear | Ar chuala mé?Did I hear? |
| tú (you) | Chuala túYou heard | Níor chuala túYou did not hear | Ar chuala tú?Did you hear? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chuala sé / síHe heard | Níor chuala sé / síHe did not hear | Ar chuala sé / sí?Did he hear? |
| sinn (we) | ChualamarWe heard | Níor chualamarWe did not hear | Ar chualamar?Did we hear? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chuala sibhYou heard | Níor chuala sibhYou did not hear | Ar chuala sibh?Did you hear? |
| siad (they) | Chuala siadThey heard | Níor chuala siadThey did not hear | Ar chuala siad?Did they hear? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Chualathas | Níor chualathas | Ar chualathas? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | CloisimI hear | Ní chloisimI do not hear | An gcloisim?Do I hear? |
| tú (you) | Cloiseann túYou hear | Ní chloiseann túYou do not hear | An gcloiseann tú?Do you hear? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cloiseann sé / síHe hears | Ní chloiseann sé / síHe does not hear | An gcloiseann sé / sí?Does he hear? |
| sinn (we) | CloisimidWe hear | Ní chloisimidWe do not hear | An gcloisimid?Do we hear? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cloiseann sibhYou hear | Ní chloiseann sibhYou do not hear | An gcloiseann sibh?Do you hear? |
| siad (they) | Cloiseann siadThey hear | Ní chloiseann siadThey do not hear | An gcloiseann siad?Do they hear? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cloistear | Ní chloistear | An gcloistear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Cloisfidh méI will hear | Ní chloisfidh méI will not hear | An gcloisfidh mé?Will I hear? |
| tú (you) | Cloisfidh túYou will hear | Ní chloisfidh túYou will not hear | An gcloisfidh tú?Will you hear? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cloisfidh sé / síHe will hear | Ní chloisfidh sé / síHe will not hear | An gcloisfidh sé / sí?Will he hear? |
| sinn (we) | CloisfimidWe will hear | Ní chloisfimidWe will not hear | An gcloisfimid?Will we hear? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cloisfidh sibhYou will hear | Ní chloisfidh sibhYou will not hear | An gcloisfidh sibh?Will you hear? |
| siad (they) | Cloisfidh siadThey will hear | Ní chloisfidh siadThey will not hear | An gcloisfidh siad?Will they hear? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cloisfear | Ní chloisfear | An gcloisfear? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ChloisfinnI would hear | Ní chloisfinnI would not hear | An gcloisfinn?Would I hear? |
| tú (you) | ChloisfeáYou would hear | Ní chloisfeáYou would not hear | An gcloisfeá?Would you hear? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chloisfeadh sé / síHe would hear | Ní chloisfeadh sé / síHe would not hear | An gcloisfeadh sé / sí?Would he hear? |
| sinn (we) | ChloisfimisWe would hear | Ní chloisfimisWe would not hear | An gcloisfimis?Would we hear? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chloisfeadh sibhYou would hear | Ní chloisfeadh sibhYou would not hear | An gcloisfeadh sibh?Would you hear? |
| siad (they) | ChloisfidísThey would hear | Ní chloisfidísThey would not hear | An gcloisfidís?Would they hear? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Chloisfí | Ní chloisfí | An gcloisfí? |
“Clois” 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 hear in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to hear?
The Irish for to hear is clois (pronounced “klish”). It is an irregular verb; the verbal noun is cloisteáil.
What is the verbal noun of clois?
The verbal noun of clois is cloisteáil, used after ag for the continuous: ag cloisteáil (hearing). The verbal adjective is cloiste.
How do you say clois in the past and the future?
Past: Chuala mé; negative Níor chuala mé; question Ar chuala mé?. Future: Cloisfidh mé; negative Ní chloisfidh mé; question An gcloisfidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of clois?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Chloisfinn (I would hear); negative Ní chloisfinn; question An gcloisfinn?.
Is clois an irregular verb?
Clois is one of the eleven irregular verbs in Irish, so its forms do not follow the regular pattern. The tables above give every form.
Does clois have more than one meaning?
Yes. Clois can mean to hear or to hear of, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'clois' and 'éist'?
'Clois' means to hear a sound, while 'éist' means to listen deliberately, often with 'le': 'Éist liom' means 'Listen to me'.
Is 'cluin' the same verb?
Yes, 'cluin' (verbal noun 'cluinstin') is the Ulster and older form; the standard is 'clois' with verbal noun 'cloisteáil', and both share the past tense 'chuala'.
