HeyRuaHow to say “to knock” in Irish
- Irish:
- cnag
- English:
- to knock, crack, hit
- Word type:
- verb, first-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- cnagadh (ag cnagadh, knocking)
- Verbal adjective:
- cnagtha
- Pronunciation:
- “knug” /kn̪ˠaɡ/
What does “cnag” mean?
“Cnag” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to knock
- To strike something sharply, for example a door, so that it makes a sound.Also: rap, tap, strike.
2 other meanings: crack or hit
- 2to crack
- To break something hard open with a blow, such as a nut.Also: crunch, break open.
- 3to hit
- To give someone or something a blow or a knock.Also: thump, rap.
“Cnag” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Chnag méI knocked | Níor chnag méI did not knock | Ar chnag mé?Did I knock? |
| tú (you) | Chnag túYou knocked | Níor chnag túYou did not knock | Ar chnag tú?Did you knock? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chnag sé / síHe knocked | Níor chnag sé / síHe did not knock | Ar chnag sé / sí?Did he knock? |
| sinn (we) | ChnagamarWe knocked | Níor chnagamarWe did not knock | Ar chnagamar?Did we knock? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chnag sibhYou knocked | Níor chnag sibhYou did not knock | Ar chnag sibh?Did you knock? |
| siad (they) | Chnag siadThey knocked | Níor chnag siadThey did not knock | Ar chnag siad?Did they knock? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cnagadh | Níor cnagadh | Ar cnagadh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | CnagaimI knock | Ní chnagaimI do not knock | An gcnagaim?Do I knock? |
| tú (you) | Cnagann túYou knock | Ní chnagann túYou do not knock | An gcnagann tú?Do you knock? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cnagann sé / síHe knocks | Ní chnagann sé / síHe does not knock | An gcnagann sé / sí?Does he knock? |
| sinn (we) | CnagaimidWe knock | Ní chnagaimidWe do not knock | An gcnagaimid?Do we knock? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cnagann sibhYou knock | Ní chnagann sibhYou do not knock | An gcnagann sibh?Do you knock? |
| siad (they) | Cnagann siadThey knock | Ní chnagann siadThey do not knock | An gcnagann siad?Do they knock? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cnagtar | Ní chnagtar | An gcnagtar? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Cnagfaidh méI will knock | Ní chnagfaidh méI will not knock | An gcnagfaidh mé?Will I knock? |
| tú (you) | Cnagfaidh túYou will knock | Ní chnagfaidh túYou will not knock | An gcnagfaidh tú?Will you knock? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Cnagfaidh sé / síHe will knock | Ní chnagfaidh sé / síHe will not knock | An gcnagfaidh sé / sí?Will he knock? |
| sinn (we) | CnagfaimidWe will knock | Ní chnagfaimidWe will not knock | An gcnagfaimid?Will we knock? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Cnagfaidh sibhYou will knock | Ní chnagfaidh sibhYou will not knock | An gcnagfaidh sibh?Will you knock? |
| siad (they) | Cnagfaidh siadThey will knock | Ní chnagfaidh siadThey will not knock | An gcnagfaidh siad?Will they knock? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Cnagfar | Ní chnagfar | An gcnagfar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ChnagfainnI would knock | Ní chnagfainnI would not knock | An gcnagfainn?Would I knock? |
| tú (you) | ChnagfáYou would knock | Ní chnagfáYou would not knock | An gcnagfá?Would you knock? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chnagfadh sé / síHe would knock | Ní chnagfadh sé / síHe would not knock | An gcnagfadh sé / sí?Would he knock? |
| sinn (we) | ChnagfaimisWe would knock | Ní chnagfaimisWe would not knock | An gcnagfaimis?Would we knock? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chnagfadh sibhYou would knock | Ní chnagfadh sibhYou would not knock | An gcnagfadh sibh?Would you knock? |
| siad (they) | ChnagfaidísThey would knock | Ní chnagfaidísThey would not knock | An gcnagfaidís?Would they knock? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Chnagfaí | Ní chnagfaí | An gcnagfaí? |
“Cnag” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Chnag sé ar an doras.
He knocked on the door.
Cnagann an t-éan an crann gach maidin.
The bird knocks on the tree every morning.
Cnagfaidh mé na cnónna duit anocht.
I will crack the nuts for you tonight.
Chnagfadh sí ar an bhfuinneog dá mbeadh sí ann.
She would knock on the window if she were there.
Níor chnag aon duine ar an doras inné.
Nobody knocked on the door yesterday.
Ar chnag tú ar dhoras an tí?
Did you knock on the door of the house?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To knock in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to knock?
The Irish for to knock is cnag (pronounced “knug”). It is a first-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is cnagadh.
What is the verbal noun of cnag?
The verbal noun of cnag is cnagadh, used after ag for the continuous: ag cnagadh (knocking). The verbal adjective is cnagtha.
How do you say cnag in the past and the future?
Past: Chnag mé; negative Níor chnag mé; question Ar chnag mé?. Future: Cnagfaidh mé; negative Ní chnagfaidh mé; question An gcnagfaidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of cnag?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Chnagfainn (I would knock); negative Ní chnagfainn; question An gcnagfainn?.
Does cnag have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cnag can mean to knock, to crack or to hit, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition do I use with 'cnag' for knocking on a door?
Use 'ar': 'Chnag sé ar an doras' means 'He knocked on the door'.
How is 'cnag' different from 'buail'?
'Buail' is the general word for hit or strike, while 'cnag' suggests a sharp knock or a crack, as in 'cnag cnó', to crack a nut.
