HeyRuaHow to say “to mean” in Irish
- Irish:
- ciallaigh
- English:
- to mean, imply, interpret
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- ciallú (ag ciallú, meaning)
- Verbal adjective:
- ciallaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “KEE-uh-lee” /ˈciəl̪ˠiː/
What does “ciallaigh” mean?
“Ciallaigh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to mean
- To have a particular meaning, as a word or sign does.Also: signify, denote, stand for.
2 other meanings: imply or interpret
- 2to imply
- To suggest something without saying it directly, or to involve it as a consequence.Also: suggest, entail.
- 3to interpret
- To explain or give the meaning of something.Also: explain, construe.
“Ciallaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Chiallaigh méI meant | Níor chiallaigh méI did not mean | Ar chiallaigh mé?Did I mean? |
| tú (you) | Chiallaigh túYou meant | Níor chiallaigh túYou did not mean | Ar chiallaigh tú?Did you mean? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chiallaigh sé / síHe meant | Níor chiallaigh sé / síHe did not mean | Ar chiallaigh sé / sí?Did he mean? |
| sinn (we) | ChiallaíomarWe meant | Níor chiallaíomarWe did not mean | Ar chiallaíomar?Did we mean? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chiallaigh sibhYou meant | Níor chiallaigh sibhYou did not mean | Ar chiallaigh sibh?Did you mean? |
| siad (they) | Chiallaigh siadThey meant | Níor chiallaigh siadThey did not mean | Ar chiallaigh siad?Did they mean? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ciallaíodh | Níor ciallaíodh | Ar ciallaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | CiallaímI mean | Ní chiallaímI do not mean | An gciallaím?Do I mean? |
| tú (you) | Ciallaíonn túYou mean | Ní chiallaíonn túYou do not mean | An gciallaíonn tú?Do you mean? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ciallaíonn sé / síHe means | Ní chiallaíonn sé / síHe does not mean | An gciallaíonn sé / sí?Does he mean? |
| sinn (we) | CiallaímidWe mean | Ní chiallaímidWe do not mean | An gciallaímid?Do we mean? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ciallaíonn sibhYou mean | Ní chiallaíonn sibhYou do not mean | An gciallaíonn sibh?Do you mean? |
| siad (they) | Ciallaíonn siadThey mean | Ní chiallaíonn siadThey do not mean | An gciallaíonn siad?Do they mean? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ciallaítear | Ní chiallaítear | An gciallaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Ciallóidh méI will mean | Ní chiallóidh méI will not mean | An gciallóidh mé?Will I mean? |
| tú (you) | Ciallóidh túYou will mean | Ní chiallóidh túYou will not mean | An gciallóidh tú?Will you mean? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Ciallóidh sé / síHe will mean | Ní chiallóidh sé / síHe will not mean | An gciallóidh sé / sí?Will he mean? |
| sinn (we) | CiallóimidWe will mean | Ní chiallóimidWe will not mean | An gciallóimid?Will we mean? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Ciallóidh sibhYou will mean | Ní chiallóidh sibhYou will not mean | An gciallóidh sibh?Will you mean? |
| siad (they) | Ciallóidh siadThey will mean | Ní chiallóidh siadThey will not mean | An gciallóidh siad?Will they mean? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Ciallófar | Ní chiallófar | An gciallófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ChiallóinnI would mean | Ní chiallóinnI would not mean | An gciallóinn?Would I mean? |
| tú (you) | ChiallófáYou would mean | Ní chiallófáYou would not mean | An gciallófá?Would you mean? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Chiallódh sé / síHe would mean | Ní chiallódh sé / síHe would not mean | An gciallódh sé / sí?Would he mean? |
| sinn (we) | ChiallóimisWe would mean | Ní chiallóimisWe would not mean | An gciallóimis?Would we mean? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Chiallódh sibhYou would mean | Ní chiallódh sibhYou would not mean | An gciallódh sibh?Would you mean? |
| siad (they) | ChiallóidísThey would mean | Ní chiallóidísThey would not mean | An gciallóidís?Would they mean? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Chiallófaí | Ní chiallófaí | An gciallófaí? |
“Ciallaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Phrases with ciallaigh: Cad a chiallaíonn X? (what does X mean)
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
Phrases with “ciallaigh”
To mean in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to mean?
The Irish for to mean is ciallaigh (pronounced “KEE-uh-lee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is ciallú.
What is the verbal noun of ciallaigh?
The verbal noun of ciallaigh is ciallú, used after ag for the continuous: ag ciallú (meaning). The verbal adjective is ciallaithe.
How do you say ciallaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Chiallaigh mé; negative Níor chiallaigh mé; question Ar chiallaigh mé?. Future: Ciallóidh mé; negative Ní chiallóidh mé; question An gciallóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of ciallaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Chiallóinn (I would mean); negative Ní chiallóinn; question An gciallóinn?.
Does ciallaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Ciallaigh can mean to mean, to imply or to interpret, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How do I ask what a word means using 'ciallaigh'?
Say "Céard a chiallaíonn an focal seo?" A very common alternative is "Cad is brí leis an bhfocal seo?"
What is the difference between 'ciallaigh' and 'mínigh'?
"Ciallaigh" means to mean or signify, as in "ciallaíonn sé" (it means), while "mínigh" means to explain something to someone.
