faigh

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish fo·gaib.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fˠəi/
• IPA^(key): /fˠaɟ/
• IPA^(key): /fˠɑː/
• IPA^(key): /fˠæːj/

Verb

faigh (present analytic faigheann, future analytic gheobhaidh, verbal noun fáil, past participle faighte)

1. get
   1. obtain, procure, acquire, gain, win
      1. (with ó) get, extract, from
   2. receive, be given, be granted
   3. come to have, attain to
   4. experience, contract, suffer, be subjected to
   5. hit, strike
2. find

   Synonyms: aimsigh, tar ar

   1. come across, discover
   2. succeed in obtaining
   3. discover by trial
   4. express
3. (with verbal noun) be able to

Usage notes

• The past, future, and conditional undergo eclipsis rather than lenition after ní (“not”):

• Ní bhfuair mé é ― I didn't find it

Conjugation

conjugation of faigh (irregular)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	faighim	faigheann tú; faighir†	faigheann sé, sí	faighimid; faigheann muid	faigheann sibh	faigheann siad; faighid†	a fhaigheann; a fhaigheas / a bhfaigheann*; a bhfaigheas*	faightear
	past	fuair mé; fuaireas	fuair tú; fuairis	fuair sé, sí	fuaireamar; fuair muid	fuair sibh; fuaireabhair	fuair siad; fuaireadar	a fuair / a bhfuair*	fuarthas; fríoth(adh)†, fríth(eadh)†
	past habitual	d'fhaighinn / fhaighinn‡; bhfaighinn‡‡	d'fhaighteá / fhaighteá‡; bhfaighteᇇ	d'fhaigheadh sé, sí / fhaigheadh sé, sí‡; bhfaigheadh sé, s퇇	d'fhaighimis; d'fhaigheadh muid / fhaighimis‡; fhaigheadh muid‡; bhfaighimis‡‡; bhfaigheadh muid‡‡	d'fhaigheadh sibh / fhaigheadh sibh‡; bhfaigheadh sibh‡‡	d'fhaighidís; d'fhaigheadh siad / fhaighidís‡; fhaigheadh siad‡; bhfaighidís‡‡; bhfaigheadh siad‡‡	a d’fhaigheadh / a bhfaigheadh*	d’fhaightí / fhaightí‡; bhfaight퇇
future independent		gheobhaidh mé; gheobhad	gheobhaidh tú; gheobhair†	gheobhaidh sé, sí	gheobhaimid; gheobhaidh muid	gheobhaidh sibh	gheobhaidh siad; gheobhaid†	a gheobhaidh; a gheobhas	gheofar
future dependent		faighidh mé; faighead	faighidh tú; faighir†	faighidh sé, sí	faighimid; faighidh muid	faighidh sibh	faighidh siad; faighid†	a bhfaighidh*; a bhfaigheas*	faighfear
conditional independent		gheobhainn	gheofá	gheobhadh sé, sí	gheobhaimis; gheobhadh muid	gheobhadh sibh	gheobhaidís; gheobhadh siad	a gheobhadh	gheofaí
conditional dependent		faighinn	faighfeá	faigheadh sé, sí	faighimis; faigheadh muid	faigheadh sibh	faighidís; faigheadh siad	a bhfaigheadh*	faighfí
subjunctive	present	go bhfaighe mé; go bhfaighead†	go bhfaighe tú; go bhfaighir†	go bhfaighe sé, sí	go bhfaighimid; go bhfaighe muid	go bhfaighe sibh	go bhfaighe siad; go bhfaighid†	—	go bhfaightear
	past	dá bhfaighinn	dá bhfaighteá	dá bhfaigheadh sé, sí	dá bhfaighimis; dá bhfaigheadh muid	dá bhfaigheadh sibh	dá bhfaighidís; dá bhfaigheadh siad	—	dá bhfaightí
imperative		faighim	faigh	faigheadh sé, sí	faighimis	faighigí; faighidh†	faighidís	—	faightear
verbal noun		fáil
past participle		faighte; fachta†

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡ dependent form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

The following independent forms of the present indicative and past habitual are found in older literature (the faigh- forms above are only dependent):

	singular			plural			relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present indicative	gheibhim	gheibheann tú; gheibh tú; gheibhir	gheibheann sé, sí; gheibh sé, sí	gheibhimid; gheibh muid	gheibheann sibh; gheibh sibh	gheibheann siad; gheibh siad; gheibhid	a gheibheann; a gheibh; a gheibheas	gheibhtear
past habitual	gheibhinn	gheibhteá	gheibheadh sé, sí	gheibhimis	gheibheadh sibh	gheibhidís; gheibheadh siad	a gheibheadh	gheibhtí

Derived terms

• faigh bás (“die”, verb)
• faigh locht ar (“find fault with”)

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
faigh	fhaigh	bhfaigh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “faigh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “faigh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “faigh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish fo·gaib.

Verb

faigh (past fhuair, future gheibh, verbal noun faighinn or faotainn, past participle faighte)

1. get, obtain, receive

   An d'fhuair mi mo leabhar? - Fhuair. ― Did I get my book? - You did.

   Am faigh mi cothrom am gaoil? - Gheibh. ― Will I receive a chance at love? - You will.

   Am faigheadh tu an lèine sin dhomh? - Gheibheadh. ― Would you get that shirt for me? - I would.

2. find

   Mar as àbhaist, fhuair sinn san taigh-seinnse e. ― As usual, we found him in the pub.

Conjugation

Tense \ Voice	Active	Passive
Present	a' faighinn/faotainn	--
Past	fhuair	fhuaras
Future	gheibh	gheibhear
Conditional	gheibheadh	gheibhteadh

Derived terms

• faigh a-mach
• faigh cuidhteas

 

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
faigh	fhaigh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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Yola

Noun

faigh

1. Alternative form of faaighe
   • 1867, OBSERVATIONS BY THE EDITOR:

     F. daaily, faigh, gaay, haail, laay, paay, waaite.

     E. daily, faith, gay, hail, lay, pay, wait.

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 14