HeyRuaHow to say “to imagine” in Irish
- Irish:
- samhlaigh
- English:
- to imagine, liken, suppose
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- samhlú (ag samhlú, imagining)
- Verbal adjective:
- samhlaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “SOW-lee” /ˈsˠəulˠiː/
What does “samhlaigh” mean?
“Samhlaigh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to imagine
- To form a picture or idea of something in your mind.Also: picture, envisage, fancy.
2 other meanings: liken or suppose
- 2to liken
- To compare something to something else or see a likeness between them.Also: compare, associate.
- 3to suppose
- To think or suppose that something is the case.Also: think, conceive.
“Samhlaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Shamhlaigh méI imagined | Níor shamhlaigh méI did not imagine | Ar shamhlaigh mé?Did I imagine? |
| tú (you) | Shamhlaigh túYou imagined | Níor shamhlaigh túYou did not imagine | Ar shamhlaigh tú?Did you imagine? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Shamhlaigh sé / síHe imagined | Níor shamhlaigh sé / síHe did not imagine | Ar shamhlaigh sé / sí?Did he imagine? |
| sinn (we) | ShamhlaíomarWe imagined | Níor shamhlaíomarWe did not imagine | Ar shamhlaíomar?Did we imagine? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Shamhlaigh sibhYou imagined | Níor shamhlaigh sibhYou did not imagine | Ar shamhlaigh sibh?Did you imagine? |
| siad (they) | Shamhlaigh siadThey imagined | Níor shamhlaigh siadThey did not imagine | Ar shamhlaigh siad?Did they imagine? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Samhlaíodh | Níor samhlaíodh | Ar samhlaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | SamhlaímI imagine | Ní shamhlaímI do not imagine | An samhlaím?Do I imagine? |
| tú (you) | Samhlaíonn túYou imagine | Ní shamhlaíonn túYou do not imagine | An samhlaíonn tú?Do you imagine? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Samhlaíonn sé / síHe imagines | Ní shamhlaíonn sé / síHe does not imagine | An samhlaíonn sé / sí?Does he imagine? |
| sinn (we) | SamhlaímidWe imagine | Ní shamhlaímidWe do not imagine | An samhlaímid?Do we imagine? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Samhlaíonn sibhYou imagine | Ní shamhlaíonn sibhYou do not imagine | An samhlaíonn sibh?Do you imagine? |
| siad (they) | Samhlaíonn siadThey imagine | Ní shamhlaíonn siadThey do not imagine | An samhlaíonn siad?Do they imagine? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Samhlaítear | Ní shamhlaítear | An samhlaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Samhlóidh méI will imagine | Ní shamhlóidh méI will not imagine | An samhlóidh mé?Will I imagine? |
| tú (you) | Samhlóidh túYou will imagine | Ní shamhlóidh túYou will not imagine | An samhlóidh tú?Will you imagine? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Samhlóidh sé / síHe will imagine | Ní shamhlóidh sé / síHe will not imagine | An samhlóidh sé / sí?Will he imagine? |
| sinn (we) | SamhlóimidWe will imagine | Ní shamhlóimidWe will not imagine | An samhlóimid?Will we imagine? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Samhlóidh sibhYou will imagine | Ní shamhlóidh sibhYou will not imagine | An samhlóidh sibh?Will you imagine? |
| siad (they) | Samhlóidh siadThey will imagine | Ní shamhlóidh siadThey will not imagine | An samhlóidh siad?Will they imagine? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Samhlófar | Ní shamhlófar | An samhlófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ShamhlóinnI would imagine | Ní shamhlóinnI would not imagine | An samhlóinn?Would I imagine? |
| tú (you) | ShamhlófáYou would imagine | Ní shamhlófáYou would not imagine | An samhlófá?Would you imagine? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Shamhlódh sé / síHe would imagine | Ní shamhlódh sé / síHe would not imagine | An samhlódh sé / sí?Would he imagine? |
| sinn (we) | ShamhlóimisWe would imagine | Ní shamhlóimisWe would not imagine | An samhlóimis?Would we imagine? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Shamhlódh sibhYou would imagine | Ní shamhlódh sibhYou would not imagine | An samhlódh sibh?Would you imagine? |
| siad (they) | ShamhlóidísThey would imagine | Ní shamhlóidísThey would not imagine | An samhlóidís?Would they imagine? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Shamhlófaí | Ní shamhlófaí | An samhlófaí? |
“Samhlaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Shamhlaigh mé go raibh sé sa bhaile.
I imagined that he was at home.
Samhlaíonn sí í féin ar thrá ghrianmhar.
She imagines herself on a sunny beach.
Samhlaigh go bhfuil tú ar saoire.
Imagine you are on holiday.
Cé a shamhlódh a leithéid?
Who would imagine such a thing?
Níor shamhlaigh mé riamh go dtarlódh sé.
I never imagined it would happen.
Ar shamhlaigh tú go mbeadh sé chomh deacair?
Did you imagine it would be so hard?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To imagine in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to imagine?
The Irish for to imagine is samhlaigh (pronounced “SOW-lee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is samhlú.
What is the verbal noun of samhlaigh?
The verbal noun of samhlaigh is samhlú, used after ag for the continuous: ag samhlú (imagining). The verbal adjective is samhlaithe.
How do you say samhlaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Shamhlaigh mé; negative Níor shamhlaigh mé; question Ar shamhlaigh mé?. Future: Samhlóidh mé; negative Ní shamhlóidh mé; question An samhlóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of samhlaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Shamhlóinn (I would imagine); negative Ní shamhlóinn; question An samhlóinn?.
Does samhlaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Samhlaigh can mean to imagine, to liken or to suppose, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition does 'samhlaigh' take when comparing?
Use 'le': 'samhlaím an áit le síocháin' means I associate the place with peace.
