HeyRuaHow to say “to surround” in Irish
- Irish:
- timpeallaigh
- English:
- to surround, go round, circumvent
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- timpeallú (ag timpeallú, surrounding)
- Verbal adjective:
- timpeallaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “TIM-pyal-ee” /tʲiːmʲpʲəli/
What does “timpeallaigh” mean?
“Timpeallaigh” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to surround
- To be or go all around something or someone on every side.Also: encircle, encompass, ring.
2 other meanings: go round or circumvent
- 2to go round
- To travel around something, or make a circuit of it.Also: go around, circle, make a circuit of.
- 3to circumvent
- To get around a problem or rule by avoiding it.Also: get around, bypass.
“Timpeallaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Thimpeallaigh méI surrounded | Níor thimpeallaigh méI did not surround | Ar thimpeallaigh mé?Did I surround? |
| tú (you) | Thimpeallaigh túYou surrounded | Níor thimpeallaigh túYou did not surround | Ar thimpeallaigh tú?Did you surround? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Thimpeallaigh sé / síHe surrounded | Níor thimpeallaigh sé / síHe did not surround | Ar thimpeallaigh sé / sí?Did he surround? |
| sinn (we) | ThimpeallaíomarWe surrounded | Níor thimpeallaíomarWe did not surround | Ar thimpeallaíomar?Did we surround? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Thimpeallaigh sibhYou surrounded | Níor thimpeallaigh sibhYou did not surround | Ar thimpeallaigh sibh?Did you surround? |
| siad (they) | Thimpeallaigh siadThey surrounded | Níor thimpeallaigh siadThey did not surround | Ar thimpeallaigh siad?Did they surround? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Timpeallaíodh | Níor timpeallaíodh | Ar timpeallaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | TimpeallaímI surround | Ní thimpeallaímI do not surround | An dtimpeallaím?Do I surround? |
| tú (you) | Timpeallaíonn túYou surround | Ní thimpeallaíonn túYou do not surround | An dtimpeallaíonn tú?Do you surround? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Timpeallaíonn sé / síHe surrounds | Ní thimpeallaíonn sé / síHe does not surround | An dtimpeallaíonn sé / sí?Does he surround? |
| sinn (we) | TimpeallaímidWe surround | Ní thimpeallaímidWe do not surround | An dtimpeallaímid?Do we surround? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Timpeallaíonn sibhYou surround | Ní thimpeallaíonn sibhYou do not surround | An dtimpeallaíonn sibh?Do you surround? |
| siad (they) | Timpeallaíonn siadThey surround | Ní thimpeallaíonn siadThey do not surround | An dtimpeallaíonn siad?Do they surround? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Timpeallaítear | Ní thimpeallaítear | An dtimpeallaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Timpeallóidh méI will surround | Ní thimpeallóidh méI will not surround | An dtimpeallóidh mé?Will I surround? |
| tú (you) | Timpeallóidh túYou will surround | Ní thimpeallóidh túYou will not surround | An dtimpeallóidh tú?Will you surround? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Timpeallóidh sé / síHe will surround | Ní thimpeallóidh sé / síHe will not surround | An dtimpeallóidh sé / sí?Will he surround? |
| sinn (we) | TimpeallóimidWe will surround | Ní thimpeallóimidWe will not surround | An dtimpeallóimid?Will we surround? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Timpeallóidh sibhYou will surround | Ní thimpeallóidh sibhYou will not surround | An dtimpeallóidh sibh?Will you surround? |
| siad (they) | Timpeallóidh siadThey will surround | Ní thimpeallóidh siadThey will not surround | An dtimpeallóidh siad?Will they surround? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Timpeallófar | Ní thimpeallófar | An dtimpeallófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | ThimpeallóinnI would surround | Ní thimpeallóinnI would not surround | An dtimpeallóinn?Would I surround? |
| tú (you) | ThimpeallófáYou would surround | Ní thimpeallófáYou would not surround | An dtimpeallófá?Would you surround? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Thimpeallódh sé / síHe would surround | Ní thimpeallódh sé / síHe would not surround | An dtimpeallódh sé / sí?Would he surround? |
| sinn (we) | ThimpeallóimisWe would surround | Ní thimpeallóimisWe would not surround | An dtimpeallóimis?Would we surround? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Thimpeallódh sibhYou would surround | Ní thimpeallódh sibhYou would not surround | An dtimpeallódh sibh?Would you surround? |
| siad (they) | ThimpeallóidísThey would surround | Ní thimpeallóidísThey would not surround | An dtimpeallóidís?Would they surround? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Thimpeallófaí | Ní thimpeallófaí | An dtimpeallófaí? |
“Timpeallaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Thimpeallaigh na saighdiúirí an baile mór.
The soldiers surrounded the town.
Timpeallaíonn crainn arda an teach.
Tall trees surround the house.
Timpeallóidh na gardaí an foirgneamh.
The guards will surround the building.
Thimpeallódh sé an domhan dá mbeadh an t-airgead aige.
He would go round the world if he had the money.
Níor timpeallaíodh an pháirc riamh le claí.
The field was never surrounded by a fence.
Ar thimpeallaigh sibh an loch inné?
Did you go round the lake yesterday?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To surround in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to surround?
The Irish for to surround is timpeallaigh (pronounced “TIM-pyal-ee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is timpeallú.
What is the verbal noun of timpeallaigh?
The verbal noun of timpeallaigh is timpeallú, used after ag for the continuous: ag timpeallú (surrounding). The verbal adjective is timpeallaithe.
How do you say timpeallaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Thimpeallaigh mé; negative Níor thimpeallaigh mé; question Ar thimpeallaigh mé?. Future: Timpeallóidh mé; negative Ní thimpeallóidh mé; question An dtimpeallóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of timpeallaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Thimpeallóinn (I would surround); negative Ní thimpeallóinn; question An dtimpeallóinn?.
Does timpeallaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Timpeallaigh can mean to surround, to go round or to circumvent, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How is 'timpeallaigh' related to 'timpeall'?
It comes from 'timpeall' (around), so 'timpeallaigh' means to go around or surround. In everyday speech people often just say 'dul timpeall' for 'to go around'.
