HeyRuaHow to say “to whiten” in Irish
- Irish:
- bánaigh
- English:
- to whiten, empty, lay waste, dawn
- Word type:
- verb, second-conjugation
- Verbal noun:
- bánú (ag bánú, whitening)
- Verbal adjective:
- bánaithe
- Pronunciation:
- “BAW-nee” /ˈbˠɑːn̪ˠiː/
What does “bánaigh” mean?
“Bánaigh” has four alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- to whiten
- To make something white or pale, or to become white.Also: bleach, blanch, turn white, go pale.
3 other meanings: empty or lay waste or dawn
- 2to empty
- To clear a place of people, so that it becomes empty or deserted.Also: clear out, depopulate, desert.
- 3to lay waste
- To devastate or plunder a place, leaving it ruined.Also: devastate, ravage, pillage.
- 4to dawn
- Of the day, to begin to grow light.Also: grow light, break.
“Bánaigh” in the different tenses
Every form follows An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Aimsir Chaite (Past)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Bhánaigh méI whitened | Níor bhánaigh méI did not whiten | Ar bhánaigh mé?Did I whiten? |
| tú (you) | Bhánaigh túYou whitened | Níor bhánaigh túYou did not whiten | Ar bhánaigh tú?Did you whiten? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bhánaigh sé / síHe whitened | Níor bhánaigh sé / síHe did not whiten | Ar bhánaigh sé / sí?Did he whiten? |
| sinn (we) | BhánaíomarWe whitened | Níor bhánaíomarWe did not whiten | Ar bhánaíomar?Did we whiten? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bhánaigh sibhYou whitened | Níor bhánaigh sibhYou did not whiten | Ar bhánaigh sibh?Did you whiten? |
| siad (they) | Bhánaigh siadThey whitened | Níor bhánaigh siadThey did not whiten | Ar bhánaigh siad?Did they whiten? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bánaíodh | Níor bánaíodh | Ar bánaíodh? |
Aimsir Láithreach (Present)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | BánaímI whiten | Ní bhánaímI do not whiten | An mbánaím?Do I whiten? |
| tú (you) | Bánaíonn túYou whiten | Ní bhánaíonn túYou do not whiten | An mbánaíonn tú?Do you whiten? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bánaíonn sé / síHe whitens | Ní bhánaíonn sé / síHe does not whiten | An mbánaíonn sé / sí?Does he whiten? |
| sinn (we) | BánaímidWe whiten | Ní bhánaímidWe do not whiten | An mbánaímid?Do we whiten? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bánaíonn sibhYou whiten | Ní bhánaíonn sibhYou do not whiten | An mbánaíonn sibh?Do you whiten? |
| siad (they) | Bánaíonn siadThey whiten | Ní bhánaíonn siadThey do not whiten | An mbánaíonn siad?Do they whiten? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bánaítear | Ní bhánaítear | An mbánaítear? |
Aimsir Fháistineach (Future)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | Bánóidh méI will whiten | Ní bhánóidh méI will not whiten | An mbánóidh mé?Will I whiten? |
| tú (you) | Bánóidh túYou will whiten | Ní bhánóidh túYou will not whiten | An mbánóidh tú?Will you whiten? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bánóidh sé / síHe will whiten | Ní bhánóidh sé / síHe will not whiten | An mbánóidh sé / sí?Will he whiten? |
| sinn (we) | BánóimidWe will whiten | Ní bhánóimidWe will not whiten | An mbánóimid?Will we whiten? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bánóidh sibhYou will whiten | Ní bhánóidh sibhYou will not whiten | An mbánóidh sibh?Will you whiten? |
| siad (they) | Bánóidh siadThey will whiten | Ní bhánóidh siadThey will not whiten | An mbánóidh siad?Will they whiten? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bánófar | Ní bhánófar | An mbánófar? |
Modh Coinníollach (Conditional)
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (I) | BhánóinnI would whiten | Ní bhánóinnI would not whiten | An mbánóinn?Would I whiten? |
| tú (you) | BhánófáYou would whiten | Ní bhánófáYou would not whiten | An mbánófá?Would you whiten? |
| sé / sí (he / she) | Bhánódh sé / síHe would whiten | Ní bhánódh sé / síHe would not whiten | An mbánódh sé / sí?Would he whiten? |
| sinn (we) | BhánóimisWe would whiten | Ní bhánóimisWe would not whiten | An mbánóimis?Would we whiten? |
| sibh (you, plural) | Bhánódh sibhYou would whiten | Ní bhánódh sibhYou would not whiten | An mbánódh sibh?Would you whiten? |
| siad (they) | BhánóidísThey would whiten | Ní bhánóidísThey would not whiten | An mbánóidís?Would they whiten? |
| saorbhriathar (autonomous) | Bhánófaí | Ní bhánófaí | An mbánófaí? |
“Bánaigh” in a sentence: Irish examples
Past, present, future and conditional, with a negative and a question.
Bhánaigh an ghrian na cuirtíní sa seomra.
The sun bleached the curtains in the room.
Bhánaigh an ghrian na cuirtíní sa samhradh.
The sun bleached the curtains in the summer.
Bánóidh an t-éadach sin má nitear go minic é.
That cloth will whiten if it is washed often.
Bhánódh an ghrian an t-éadach sin.
The sun would bleach that cloth.
Níor bhánaigh a aghaidh nuair a chuala sé an scéal.
His face did not go pale when he heard the news.
Ar bhánaigh an halla tar éis na ceolchoirme?
Did the hall empty after the concert?
Other verbs in Irish
More everyday Irish verbs to learn next.
To whiten in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for to whiten?
The Irish for to whiten is bánaigh (pronounced “BAW-nee”). It is a second-conjugation verb; the verbal noun is bánú.
What is the verbal noun of bánaigh?
The verbal noun of bánaigh is bánú, used after ag for the continuous: ag bánú (whitening). The verbal adjective is bánaithe.
How do you say bánaigh in the past and the future?
Past: Bhánaigh mé; negative Níor bhánaigh mé; question Ar bhánaigh mé?. Future: Bánóidh mé; negative Ní bhánóidh mé; question An mbánóidh mé?.
What is the modh coinníollach of bánaigh?
The conditional (modh coinníollach) first person is Bhánóinn (I would whiten); negative Ní bhánóinn; question An mbánóinn?.
Does bánaigh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Bánaigh can mean to whiten, to empty, to lay waste or to dawn, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'bánaigh' and 'folmhaigh'?
'Folmhaigh' is the everyday word for emptying a container, while 'bánaigh' is used for a place being cleared of people, as in 'bhánaigh na sráideanna'.
