beir

See also: beír

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲɛɾʲ/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish beirid, from Old Irish beirid. Cognate with English bear, Latin ferō, Sanskrit भरति (bharati).

Verb

beir (present analytic beireann, future analytic béarfaidh, verbal noun breith, past participle beirthe) (transitive, intransitive)

1. bear, give birth to (of persons, usually autonomously with do)

   Rug sí lao. ― She bore a calf.

   Rugadh iníon di. ― A calf was born to her.

2. (of birds) lay
3. bear away, win
4. bring, take
5. proceed, advance

Conjugation

Conjugation of beir

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	beirim	beireann tú; beirir†	beireann sé, sí	beirimid; beireann muid	beireann sibh	beireann siad; beirid†	a bheireann; a bheireas / a mbeireann*; a mbeireas*	beirtear
	past	rug mé; rugas	rug tú; rugais	rug sé, sí	rugamar; rug muid	rug sibh; rugabhair	rug siad; rugadar	a rug / ar rug*	rugadh
	past habitual	bheirinn / mbeirinn‡‡	bheirteá / mbeirteᇇ	bheireadh sé, sí / mbeireadh sé, s퇇	bheirimis; bheireadh muid / mbeirimis‡‡; mbeireadh muid‡‡	bheireadh sibh / mbeireadh sibh‡‡	bheiridís; bheireadh siad / mbeiridís‡‡; mbeireadh siad‡‡	a bheireadh / a mbeireadh*	bheirtí / mbeirt퇇
	future	béarfaidh mé; béarfad	béarfaidh tú; béarfair†	béarfaidh sé, sí	béarfaimid; béarfaidh muid	béarfaidh sibh	béarfaidh siad; béarfaid†	a bhéarfaidh, a bhéarfas / a mbéarfaidh*, a mbéarfas*	béarfar
conditional		bhéarfainn / mbéarfainn‡‡	bhéarfá / mbéarfᇇ	bhéarfadh sé, sí / mbéarfadh sé, s퇇	bhéarfaimis; bhéarfadh muid / mbéarfaimis‡‡; mbéarfadh muid‡‡	bhéarfadh sibh / mbéarfadh sibh‡‡	bhéarfaidís; bhéarfadh siad / mbéarfaidís‡‡; mbéarfadh siad‡‡	a bhéarfadh / a mbéarfadh*	bhéarfaí / mbéarfa퇇
subjunctive	present	go mbeire mé; go mbeiread†	go mbeire tú; go mbeirir†	go mbeire sé, sí	go mbeirimid; go mbeire muid	go mbeire sibh	go mbeire siad; go mbeirid†	—	go mbeirtear
	past	dá mbeirinn	dá mbeirteá	dá mbeireadh sé, sí	dá mbeirimis; dá mbeireadh muid	dá mbeireadh sibh	dá mbeiridís; dá mbeireadh siad	—	dá mbeirtí
imperative		beirim	beir	beireadh sé, sí	beirimis	beirigí; beiridh†	beiridís	—	beirtear
verbal noun		breith
past participle		beirthe

*Indirect relative
† Dialect form
‡‡ Dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

In Munster, past indicative forms built on the form riug are encountered:

• riugas (1st person singular)
• riugais (2nd person singular)
• riug (analytic)
• riugamar (1st person plural)
• riugabhair (2nd person plural)
• riugadar (3rd person plural)

 

Derived terms

• beir ar (“catch; overtake”)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

beir

1. (literary, Munster) second-person singular future of bí

   Beir ana-shásta ansin.

   You will be very happy there.

Usage notes

The modern standard form is the analytic construction beidh tú.

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
beir	bheir	mbeir
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• "beir" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “beirid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

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Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲerʲ/

Verb

beir

1. second-person singular imperative of beirid

·beir

1. third-person singular present conjunct of beirid

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
·beir	·beir pronounced with /-v(ʲ)-/	·mbeir
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish beirid

Verb

beir (past rug, future beiridh, verbal noun breith, past participle beirte)

1. give birth to
2. ‘beir air’: carry, catch; catch up with; overtake; catch hold of
3. ‘beir’ without ‘air’: give birth to

Conjugation

Tense \ Voice	Active	Passive
Present	a' breith	--
Past	rug	rugadh
Future	beiridh	beirear
Conditional	bheireadh	bheirteadh

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “beir”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “beirid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

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West Flemish

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch bēre, from Old Dutch *bero, from Proto-West Germanic *berō.

Noun

beir m (plural beirn)

1. bear (large predatory mammal of the family Ursidae)
2. (figuratively) person who is physically impressive and/or crude

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch bêer, from Old Dutch *bēr, from Proto-West Germanic *bair.

Noun

beir m (plural beirn)

1. boar (male swine)