HeyRuaHow to say “to refuse” in Irish
- Irish:
- diúltaigh
- English:
- to refuse, deny, renounce
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- diúltú (ag diúltú, refusing)
- Verbal adjective:
- diúltaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “DYOOL-tee” /ˈdʲuːl̪ˠt̪ˠiː/
What does “diúltaigh” mean?
“Diúltaigh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to refuse
- To say no to something offered or asked, or to decline to do something.Also: decline, turn down, reject.
2 other meanings: deny or renounce
- 2to deny
- To say that something is not true or to disown something.Also: disown, repudiate.
- 3to renounce
- To formally give up or reject a belief, claim or thing.Also: abjure, give up.
Other Irish verbs for to refuse: eitigh (refuse)
“Diúltaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Dhiúltaigh méI refused | Níor dhiúltaigh méI did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaigh mé?Did I refuse? |
| tú (you) | Dhiúltaigh túYou refused | Níor dhiúltaigh túYou did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaigh tú?Did you refuse? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhiúltaigh sé / síHe refused | Níor dhiúltaigh sé / síHe did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaigh sé / sí?Did he refuse? |
| sinn (we) | DhiúltaíomarWe refused | Níor dhiúltaíomarWe did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaíomar?Did we refuse? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhiúltaigh sibhYou refused | Níor dhiúltaigh sibhYou did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaigh sibh?Did you refuse? |
| siad (they) | Dhiúltaigh siadThey refused | Níor dhiúltaigh siadThey did not refuse | Ar dhiúltaigh siad?Did they refuse? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Diúltaíodh | Níor diúltaíodh | Ar diúltaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DiúltaímI refuse | Ní dhiúltaímI do not refuse | An ndiúltaím?Do I refuse? |
| tú (you) | Diúltaíonn túYou refuse | Ní dhiúltaíonn túYou do not refuse | An ndiúltaíonn tú?Do you refuse? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Diúltaíonn sé / síHe refuses | Ní dhiúltaíonn sé / síHe does not refuse | An ndiúltaíonn sé / sí?Does he refuse? |
| sinn (we) | DiúltaímidWe refuse | Ní dhiúltaímidWe do not refuse | An ndiúltaímid?Do we refuse? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Diúltaíonn sibhYou refuse | Ní dhiúltaíonn sibhYou do not refuse | An ndiúltaíonn sibh?Do you refuse? |
| siad (they) | Diúltaíonn siadThey refuse | Ní dhiúltaíonn siadThey do not refuse | An ndiúltaíonn siad?Do they refuse? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Diúltaítear | Ní dhiúltaítear | An ndiúltaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Diúltóidh méI will refuse | Ní dhiúltóidh méI will not refuse | An ndiúltóidh mé?Will I refuse? |
| tú (you) | Diúltóidh túYou will refuse | Ní dhiúltóidh túYou will not refuse | An ndiúltóidh tú?Will you refuse? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Diúltóidh sé / síHe will refuse | Ní dhiúltóidh sé / síHe will not refuse | An ndiúltóidh sé / sí?Will he refuse? |
| sinn (we) | DiúltóimidWe will refuse | Ní dhiúltóimidWe will not refuse | An ndiúltóimid?Will we refuse? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Diúltóidh sibhYou will refuse | Ní dhiúltóidh sibhYou will not refuse | An ndiúltóidh sibh?Will you refuse? |
| siad (they) | Diúltóidh siadThey will refuse | Ní dhiúltóidh siadThey will not refuse | An ndiúltóidh siad?Will they refuse? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Diúltófar | Ní dhiúltófar | An ndiúltófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | DhiúltóinnI would refuse | Ní dhiúltóinnI would not refuse | An ndiúltóinn?Would I refuse? |
| tú (you) | DhiúltófáYou would refuse | Ní dhiúltófáYou would not refuse | An ndiúltófá?Would you refuse? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Dhiúltódh sé / síHe would refuse | Ní dhiúltódh sé / síHe would not refuse | An ndiúltódh sé / sí?Would he refuse? |
| sinn (we) | DhiúltóimisWe would refuse | Ní dhiúltóimisWe would not refuse | An ndiúltóimis?Would we refuse? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Dhiúltódh sibhYou would refuse | Ní dhiúltódh sibhYou would not refuse | An ndiúltódh sibh?Would you refuse? |
| siad (they) | DhiúltóidísThey would refuse | Ní dhiúltóidísThey would not refuse | An ndiúltóidís?Would they refuse? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Dhiúltófaí | Ní dhiúltófaí | An ndiúltófaí? |
“Diúltaigh” 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 refuse in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to refuse?
The Irish for to refuse is diúltaigh (pronounced “DYOOL-tee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is diúltú.
What is the verbal noun of diúltaigh?
The verbal noun of diúltaigh is diúltú, used after ag for the continuous: ag diúltú (refusing). The verbal adjective is diúltaithe.
How do you say diúltaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Dhiúltaigh mé; negative Níor dhiúltaigh mé; question Ar dhiúltaigh mé?. Future: Diúltóidh mé; negative Ní dhiúltóidh mé; question An ndiúltóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of diúltaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Dhiúltóinn (I would refuse); negative Ní dhiúltóinn; question An ndiúltóinn?.
Does diúltaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Diúltaigh can mean to refuse, to deny or to renounce, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Which preposition goes with 'diúltaigh'?
It often takes 'do': 'dhiúltaigh sé don tairiscint' means he refused the offer. It can also take a direct object or a verbal noun: 'dhiúltaigh sé é a dhéanamh'.
What is the difference between 'diúltaigh' and 'séan'?
'Diúltaigh' mainly means to refuse or reject, while 'séan' means to deny that something is true, as in 'shéan sé an choir'.
