nach

See also: nách and nach-

German

Etymology

From Middle High German nāh, from Old High German nāh with preservation of word-final -h as -ch; thus pertaining to modern nah (“near”) (from Old High German inflected nāh-), from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw. Cognate with Dutch na, English nigh.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /naːx/ (generally)
IPA^(key): /nax/ (sometimes alternatively as a preposition, unless stressed)
Audio: (file)
Audio: (file)

Preposition

nach [with dative]

after, past (later in time)
Viertel nach sechs
a quarter past six

nach einer Woche
after a week
after, behind (in sequence)
B kommt nach A.
B comes after A.
to, towards (with geographical names; see usage notes below)
die Flucht nach Ägypten
the flight into Egypt
according to; guided by
- 1918, Elisabeth von Heyking, Die Orgelpfeifen, in: Zwei Erzählungen, Phillipp Reclam jun. Verlag, page 19:
  Die eigenen Zimmer hatten sich die Enkel nach persönlichem Geschmack eingerichtet.
  The grandchildren had furnished their own rooms according to their personal taste.
by the authority of; following
die Analyse nach Marx
the analysis following Marx
(with verbs of sensual perception) like (see usage notes below)
Das riecht nach Knoblauch. ― This smells like garlic.
for (indicating desire for an object)
nach etwas greifen ― to reach for something

nach etwas streben ― to strive for/after something

nach etwas suchen ― to search for something

Usage notes

(to, towards): The directional preposition nach is now used chiefly with geographical names that do not have an article with them: nach Ägypten, nach Hamburg, etc. Only in elevated, literary style are there remnants of a freer use of nach:

nach dem Irak (“to Iraq”) — for which usually: in den Irak

nach dem Schloss (“to the castle”) — for which usually: zum Schloss.

At times, this use of nach conveys the implication that the destination is not reached. Thus: Er fuhr zum Schloss. – “He travelled to the castle [and arrived there].” But: Er fuhr nach dem Schloss. – “He travelled towards the castle [and may or may not have arrived].”

Directional nach with personal names (or names of shops etc.) is found in the regional vernaculars of north-western Germany: nach Peter (“to Peter's house”). This is nonstandard usage.
(like): There may be a slight semantic distinction between the use of nach and wie after a verb of sensual perception. The following phrases both translate to English as “This feels like silk”, but compare the different implications: Das fühlt sich nach Seide an. (“This feels like silk, and it probably is.”) Das fühlt sich an wie Seide. (“This feels like silk, although it’s probably something else.”) This distinction is not a strict one, however.

Postposition

nach [with dative]

according to
meiner Meinung nach ― in my opinion

meinem Urteil nach ― in my judgement

Adverb

nach

(in compound verbs) after, behind, later, next to
Meine Uhr geht nach.
My watch is slow.

Derived terms

Related terms

nach-

Irish

Alternative forms

ná (Munster; all senses)

Etymology

From Old Irish nach, from Proto-Celtic *nekʷe, a combination of Proto-Indo-European *ne (negative particle) and *-kʷe (“and”); compare Latin neque.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /n̪ˠax/

Conjunction

nach (triggers eclipsis; used with the dependent form of an irregular verb if there is one)

that...not (introduces a negative subordinate clause; the negation of go).
Dúirt sé nach raibh carr aige.
He said that he didn’t have a car.

Particle

nach (triggers eclipsis; used with the dependent form of an irregular verb if there is one)

not (in questions)
Nach bhfuil ocras ort?
Are you not hungry?

Chonaic mé í, nach bhfaca?
I saw her, didn’t I?

Particle

nach (copular form)

isn’t...?/whether/if it is... (introduces negative questions, both direct and indirect)
Nach maith leat bainne?
Don’t you like milk?

Níl a fhios agam an miste dó nó nach miste.
I don’t know if it matters to him or not.
who/which isn’t... (introduces negative relative clauses, both direct and indirect)
an bhean nach múinteoir í ― the woman who isn’t a teacher

an bhean nach maith léi bainne ― the woman who doesn’t like milk

Related terms

Irish copular forms

Simple copular forms

Present/future
	Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative	Neg. inter.
Main clauses	is	ní	an	nach
Direct relative clauses	is	nach
Indirect relative clauses	ar, arb^v
Other subordinate clauses	gur, gurb^v		an	nach
Past/conditional
	Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative	Neg. inter.
Main clauses	ba, b’^v	níor, níorbh^v	ar, arbh^v	nár, nárbh^v
Direct relative clauses	ba, ab^v	nár, nárbh^v
Indirect relative clauses	ar, arbh^v
Other subordinate clauses	gur, gurbh^v		ar, arbh^v	nár, nárbh^v
Present subjunctive
	Affirmative	Negative
	gura, gurab^v	nára, nárab^v

Compound copular forms

Base word	Present/future	Past/conditional
cá	cár, cárb^v	cár, cárbh^v
cé	cér, cérb^v	cér, cérbh^v
dá		dá mba, dá mb’^v
de/do	dar, darb^v	dar, darbh^v
faoi	faoinar, faoinarb^v	faoinar, faoinarbh^v
i	inar, inarb^v	inar, inarbh^v
le	lenar, lenarb^v	lenar, lenarbh^v
má	más	má ba, má b’^v
mura	mura, murab^v	murar, murarbh^v
ó (prep.)	ónar, ónarb^v	ónar, ónarbh^v
ó (conj.)	ós	ó ba, ó b’^v
trí	trínar, trínarb^v	trínar, trínarbh^v

^v Used before vowel sounds

References

Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “nach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 nach, nách (‘not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “3 nach, nách (‘who/which ... not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “4 nach, nách (‘that ... not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “5 nach, nách (‘isn’t?, doesn’t?’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German noh. Cognate with German noch, Dutch nog.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /nɑχ/
Rhymes: -ɑχ

Adverb

nach

still
Ech léieren nach Lëtzebuergesch.
I'm still learning Luxembourgish.
yet
just

Conjunction

nach

nor
- Luxembourgish translation of Matthew 5:35:
  nach bei der Äerd, well dat ass d'Bänkelche fir seng Féiss, nach bei Jerusalem, well dat ass deem grousse Kinnek seng Stad.
  nor by the earth, because it is the footstool for his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Usage notes

Often used with weder (“neither”).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

nach n (definite singular nachet, indefinite plural nach, definite plural nacha)

after-party

Synonyms

nachspiel

Old Irish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [n͈ax]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *nekʷos (“someone, something”); compare nech (“someone”). Cognate with Welsh neb.

Determiner

nach

some, any
- c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 23^b12
  it essamnu de ar ro·fitetar is ar nach n-indocbáil móir fo·daimim-se inso
  i.e. they are the more fearless, for they know that it is for some great glory that I endure this
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 51^a18
  In tan imme·romastar són nach noíb, ara cuintea dílgud Dé isind aimsir sin.
  That is, when any saint sins, that he may seek the forgiveness of God at that time.
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 144^d3
  Nach torbatu coitchenn ro·boí indib fri dénum n-uilc, at·rubalt tar hǽsi á pectha.
  Any common advantage that had been in them for doing evil, it has perished for their sin.

Inflection

Case	Singular			Plural
Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	nach	nach^L	na^H	nacha^H
Accusative	nach^N		na^H	nacha^H
Genitive	nach^L, naich^L	nacha^H	nach	—
Dative	nach^L			nach
^L indicates a form that triggers lenition, ^N a form that triggers nasalization (eclipsis), and ^H a form that triggers /h/-prothesis. The plural forms shown occur only in negative clauses. In positive clauses, the plural is supplied by alaili, araili.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Verb

nach

Alternative spelling of nách (“that (it) is not”)

Etymology 3

Particle

nach

Alternative form of ná (negative particle used with the imperative) used before an infixed pronoun

Usage notes

Takes a connecting vowel a (in the Milan glosses) or i (in the Würzburg glosses) before a consonant-initial infixed pronoun.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish nach, from Proto-Celtic *ne-kʷe. Cognate with Irish nach.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /n̪ˠax/
(Lewis) IPA^(key): [n̪ˠaχ]
Hyphenation: nach

Verb

nach

Used together with the dependent form of a verb to form negative questions.
Nach eil an t-acras ort? ― Are you not hungry?

Chunnaic mi i, nach fhaca? ― I saw her, didn't I?

Nach buail thu e? ― Won't you strike him?
Used together with the dependent form of a verb to form negative subordinate clauses; that ... not
Bha e ag ràdh nach robh càr aige. ― He said that he didn't have a car.

Usage notes

Traditionally lenites verbs starting in f followed by a vowel, doesn’t mutate other initial sounds.

Inflection

Conjugation of bi (highly irregular)

			singular			plural
			first	second	third m/f	first	second	third
independent	present		tha mi	tha thu	tha e/i	tha sinn	tha sibh	tha iad
	past		bha mi	bha thu	bha e/i	bha sinn	bha sibh	bha iad
	future	simple	bidh mi	bidh tu	bidh e/i	bidh sinn	bidh sibh	bidh iad
	future	emphatic	bithidh mi	bithidh tu	bithidh e/i	bithidh sinn	bithidh sibh	bithidh iad
	conditional	simple	bhithinn	bhiodh tu	bhiodh e/i	bhiodh sinn bhiomaid	bhiodh sibh	bhiodh iad
	conditional	emphatic	bhithinn	bhitheadh tu	bhitheadh e/i	bhitheadh sinn bhitheamaid	bhitheadh sibh	bhitheadh iad
negative	present		chan eil mi	chan eil thu	chan eil e/i	chan eil sinn	chan eil sibh	chan eil iad
	past		cha robh mi	cha robh thu	cha robh e/i	cha robh sinn	cha robh sibh	cha robh iad
	future		cha bhi mi	cha bhi thu	cha bhi e/i	cha bhi sinn	cha bhi sibh	cha bhi iad
	conditional	simple	cha bhithinn	cha bhiodh tu	cha bhiodh e/i	cha bhiodh sinn cha bhiomaid	cha bhiodh sibh	cha bhiodh iad
	conditional	emphatic	cha bhithinn	cha bhitheadh tu	cha bhitheadh e/i	cha bhitheadh sinn cha bhitheamaid	cha bhitheadh sibh	cha bhitheadh iad
affirmative interrogative	present		a bheil mi?	a bheil thu?	a bheil e/i?	a bheil sinn?	a bheil sibh?	a bheil iad?
	past		an robh mi?	an robh thu?	an robh e/i?	an robh sinn?	an robh sibh?	an robh iad?
	future		am bi mi?	am bi thu?	am bi e/i?	am bi sinn?	am bi sibh?	am bi iad?
	conditional	simple	am bithinn?	am biodh tu?	am biodh e/i?	am biodh sinn? am biomaid?	am biodh sibh?	am biodh iad?
	conditional	emphatic	am bithinn?	am bitheadh tu?	am bitheadh e/i?	am bitheadh sinn am bitheamaid?	am bitheadh sibh?	am bitheadh iad?
negative interrogative	present		nach eil mi?	nach eil thu?	nach eil e/i?	nach eil sinn?	nach eil sibh?	nach eil iad?
	past		nach robh mi?	nach robh thu?	nach robh e/i?	nach robh sinn?	nach robh sibh?	nach robh iad?
	future		nach bi mi?	nach bi thu?	nach bi e/i?	nach bi sinn?	nach bi sibh?	nach bi iad?
	conditional	simple	nach bithinn?	nach biodh tu?	nach biodh e/i?	nach biodh sinn? nach biomaid?	nach biodh sibh?	nach biodh iad?
	conditional	emphatic	nach bithinn?	nach bitheadh tu?	nach bitheadh e/i?	nach bitheadh sinn? nach bitheamaid?	nach bitheadh sibh?	nach bitheadh iad?
relative future		simple	(a) bhios mi	(a) bhios tu	(a) bhios e/i	(a) bhios sinn	(a) bhios sibh	(a) bhios iad
relative future		emphatic	(a) bhitheas mi	(a) bhitheas tu	(a) bhitheas e/i	(a) bhitheas sinn	(a) bhitheas sibh	(a) bhitheas iad
imperative		simple	bitheam	bi	biodh e/i	biomaid	bithibh	biodh iad
imperative		emphatic	bitheam	bi	bitheadh e/i	bitheamaid	bithibh	bitheadh iad
verbal noun			a bhith

Impersonal forms can be found at thathar.

Conjugation of is (highly irregular, defective)

		singular			plural
		first	second	third m/f	first	second	third
independent	present	is mi	is tu	is e/i	is sinn	is sibh	is iad
	past	bu mhi	bu tu	b' e/i	bu sinn	bu sibh	b' iad
	conditional	bu mhi	bu tu	b' e/i	bu sinn	bu sibh	b' iad
negative	present	cha mhi	cha tu	chan e/i	cha sinn	cha sibh	chan iad
	past	cha bu mhi	cha bu tu	cha b' e/i	cha bu sinn	cha bu sibh	cha b' iad
	conditional	cha bu mhi	cha bu tu	cha b' e/i	cha bu sinn	cha bu sibh	cha b' iad
affirmative interrogative	present	am mi?	an tu?	an e/i?	an sinn?	an sibh?	an iad?
	past	am bu mhi?	am bu tu?	am b' e/i?	am bu sinn?	am bu sibh?	am b' iad?
	conditional	am bu mhi?	am bu tu?	am b' e/i?	am bu sinn?	am bu sibh?	am b' iad?
Negative interrogative	present	nach mi?	nach tu?	nach e/i?	nach sinn?	nach sibh?	nach iad?
	past	nach bu mhi?	nach bu tu?	nach b' e/i?	nach bu sinn?	nach bu sibh?	nach b' iad?
	conditional	nach bu mhi?	nach bu tu?	nach b' e/i?	nach bu sinn?	nach bu sibh?	nach b' iad?

Conjugation of thathar (highly irregular, defective, impersonal)

	Present	Past	Future	Conditional
Independent	thathar, thatar, thathas¹	bhathar, bhatar, bhathas¹	bithear, bitear, bitheas¹	bhite(adh), bhithist(e)¹
Negative	chan eilear, chan eileas¹	cha robhar, cha robhas¹	cha bithear, cha bitear, cha bitheas¹	cha bhite(adh), cha bhithist(e)¹
Affirmative interrogative	am beilear? am beileas?¹ a bheilear? a bheileas?¹	an robhar? an robhas?¹	am bithear? am biteas?¹	am bite(adh)? am bithist(e)?¹
Negative interrogative	nach eilear? nach eileas?¹	nach robhar? nach robhas?¹	nach bithear? nach bitear? nach bitheas?¹	nach bite(adh)? nach bithist(e)?¹

¹ Lewis dialect form

References

Edward Dwelly (1911) “nach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 nach, nách (‘not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Colin Mark (2003) “nach”, in The Gaelic-English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 446

nach

German

Etymology

Pronunciation

Preposition

Usage notes

Postposition

Adverb

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Irish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Conjunction

Particle

Particle

Related terms

References

Luxembourgish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adverb

Conjunction

Usage notes

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

Synonyms

Old Irish

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Determiner

Inflection

Derived terms

Further reading

Etymology 2

Verb

Etymology 3

Particle

Usage notes

Further reading

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

Usage notes

Inflection

References

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