HeyRuaHow to say “toil” in Irish
- Irish:
- dua
- English:
- toil
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “doo-uh” /d̪ˠuə/
Various forms
- Genitive singular:
- dua, an dua (e.g. luach a dua, the reward for her toil)
What does “dua” mean?
- toil
- Hard work, effort or trouble taken to do something.Also: effort, trouble, labour, difficulty, pains.
“Dua” with the article
Here is dua after the article (an t-alt).
an dua
the toil
No change after an
“Dua” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using dua, the Irish word for toil.
Sháraigh sé gach duine eile gan dua.
He beat everybody else effortlessly.
Chuir sí an-dua uirthi féin leis an obair.
She took great pains over the work.
Ní raibh aon dua ag baint leis.
There was no trouble involved in it at all.
Is mór an dua a chuir siad orthu féin leis an teach.
They went to a lot of trouble with the house.
Fuair mé luach mo dhua sa deireadh.
I got the reward for my toil in the end.
Rinne sé an obair le dua mór.
He did the work with great difficulty.
Ní fiú an dua é.
It isn't worth the trouble.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Toil in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for toil?
The Irish for toil is dua (pronounced “doo-uh”). It’s a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce dua in Irish?
Dua is said like “doo-uh” (IPA /d̪ˠuə/).
Does dua have a plural?
No plural form is given for dua in the standard. Many abstract and mass nouns in Irish have no plural.
Why does dua change to dhua or ndua?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) dua becomes mo dhua (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ndua (eclipsis).
What does 'gan dua' mean?
'Gan dua' means effortlessly or without trouble, as in 'rinne sé gan dua é', he did it with ease.
How is 'dua' different from 'obair'?
'Obair' is work in general, while 'dua' stresses the toil or trouble involved, as in 'ní fiú an dua é', it's not worth the trouble.
