rafar

Galician

Etymology

Perhaps from Suevic [Term?], from Proto-Germanic *hrapōną (“to scratch, scrape”); compare German raffen. Doublet of rapar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /raˈfaɾ/

Verb

rafar (first-person singular present rafo, first-person singular preterite rafei, past participle rafado)

1. (transitive) to erode, to wear away

   Synonym: gastar

2. (transitive) to crumble

   Synonyms: derrafar, esfaragullar, esfarelar, esmigallar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of rafar

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	rafar
Personal	rafar	rafares	rafar	rafarmos	rafardes	rafaren
Gerund
	rafando
Past participle
Masculine	rafado			rafados
Feminine	rafada			rafadas
Indicative
Present	rafo	rafas	rafa	rafamos	rafades	rafan
Imperfect	rafaba	rafabas	rafaba	rafabamos	rafabades	rafaban
Preterite	rafei	rafaches	rafou	rafamos	rafastes	rafaron
Pluperfect	rafara	rafaras	rafara	rafaramos	rafarades	rafaran
Future	rafarei	rafarás	rafará	rafaremos	rafaredes	rafarán
Conditional	rafaría	rafarías	rafaría	rafariamos	rafariades	rafarían
Subjunctive
Present	rafe	rafes	rafe	rafemos	rafedes	rafen
Imperfect	rafase	rafases	rafase	rafásemos	rafásedes	rafasen
Future	rafar	rafares	rafar	rafarmos	rafardes	rafaren
Imperative
Affirmative		rafa	rafe	rafemos	rafade	rafen
Negative (non)		non rafes	non rafe	non rafemos	non rafedes	non rafen

    Reintegrated conjugation of rafar (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	rafar
Personal	rafar	rafares	rafar	rafarmos	rafardes	rafarem
Gerund
	rafando
Past participle
Masculine	rafado			rafados
Feminine	rafada			rafadas
Indicative
Present	rafo	rafas	rafa	rafamos	rafades, rafais	rafam
Imperfect	rafava	rafavas	rafava	rafávamos	rafávades, rafáveis, rafávais1	rafavam
Preterite	rafei	rafaste, rafache1	rafou	rafamos	rafastes	rafárom, rafaram
Pluperfect	rafara	rafaras	rafara	rafáramos	rafárades, rafáreis, rafárais1	rafaram
Future	rafarei	rafarás	rafará	rafaremos	rafaredes, rafareis	rafarám, rafarão
Conditional	rafaria	rafarias	rafaria	rafaríamos	rafaríades, rafaríeis, rafaríais1	rafariam
Subjunctive
Present	rafe	rafes	rafe	rafemos	rafedes, rafeis	rafem
Imperfect	rafasse	rafasses	rafasse	rafássemos	rafássedes, rafásseis	rafassem
Future	rafar	rafares	rafar	rafarmos	rafardes	rafarem
Imperative
Affirmative		rafa	rafe	rafemos	rafade, rafai	rafem
Negative (nom)		nom rafes	nom rafe	nom rafemos	nom rafedes, nom rafeis	nom rafem

¹Less recommended.

Derived terms

• derrafar (“to crumble”)
• rafa (“crumb”)
• rafón (“loaf”)

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “rafar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• “rafar”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “rafar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• “rafar” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “rafar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Irish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

rafar (genitive singular masculine rafair, genitive singular feminine rafaire, plural rafara, comparative rafaire)

1. prosperous; flourishing, thriving; prolific

Declension

Declension of rafar

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	rafar	rafar	rafara; rafara2
vocative	rafair		rafara
genitive		rafaire	rafara	rafar
dative	rafar; rafar1	rafar; rafair (archaic)	rafara; rafara2
Comparative	níos rafaire
Superlative	is rafaire

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “rafar”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “rafar”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “rafar”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025