dóbair

Irish

Alternative forms

• hóbair (Cois Fharraige, Ulster)

Etymology

From the past tense d'fhóbair of fóbair (“to attack, approach, attempt”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈd̪ˠoːbˠəɾʲ/

Adverb

dóbair

1. almost (in the past tense); it almost happened

   Dóbair dom é a bhriseadh.

   I almost broke it.

   Dóbair gur bhris mé é.

   I almost broke it.

   Ba dhóbair dom é a bhriseadh.

   I almost broke it.

   Ba dhóbair gur bhris mé é.

   I almost broke it.

Usage notes

Followed by do (“to”) plus the subject plus a verbal noun or by a clause introduced by go (“that”); see usage examples above. Also appears after ba (past copula) as ba dhóbair as if it were a noun.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “fúabair, fóbair”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “dóbair”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN