caith

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish caithid, from Proto-Celtic *katyeti; compare Latin catēia (“projectile”), which is from Gaulish.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /kɑh/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ka/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /kaiç/, /kãiç/

Verb

caith (present analytic caitheann, future analytic caithfidh, verbal noun caitheamh, past participle caite)

1. to wear
2. to consume
   1. to smoke (tobacco)
   2. to take (medicine)
3. to spend
4. to throw
5. (modal) must, have to (in future and conditional)

   Caithfidh mé imeacht. ― I have to go.

   Chaith sí dhá stoca éagsúil. Ar ndóigh, chaithfeadh sí a bheith difriúil.

   She wore non-matching socks. Of course she had to be different.

Conjugation

conjugation of caith (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	caithim	caitheann tú; caithir†	caitheann sé, sí	caithimid	caitheann sibh	caitheann siad; caithid†	a chaitheann; a chaitheas / a gcaitheann*	caitear
	past	chaith mé; chaitheas	chaith tú; chaithis	chaith sé, sí	chaitheamar; chaith muid	chaith sibh; chaitheabhair	chaith siad; chaitheadar	a chaith / ar chaith*	caitheadh
	past habitual	chaithinn / gcaithinn‡‡	chaiteá / gcaiteᇇ	chaitheadh sé, sí / gcaitheadh sé, s퇇	chaithimis; chaitheadh muid / gcaithimis‡‡; gcaitheadh muid‡‡	chaitheadh sibh / gcaitheadh sibh‡‡	chaithidís; chaitheadh siad / gcaithidís‡‡; gcaitheadh siad‡‡	a chaitheadh / a gcaitheadh*	chaití / gcait퇇
future		caithfidh mé; caithfead	caithfidh tú; caithfir†	caithfidh sé, sí	caithfimid; caithfidh muid	caithfidh sibh	caithfidh siad; caithfid†	a chaithfidh; a chaithfeas / a gcaithfidh*	caithfear
conditional		chaithfinn / gcaithfinn‡‡	chaithfeá / gcaithfeᇇ	chaithfeadh sé, sí / gcaithfeadh sé, s퇇	chaithfimis; chaithfeadh muid / gcaithfimis‡‡; gcaithfeadh muid‡‡	chaithfeadh sibh / gcaithfeadh sibh‡‡	chaithfidís; chaithfeadh siad / gcaithfidís‡‡; gcaithfeadh siad‡‡	a chaithfeadh / a gcaithfeadh*	chaithfí / gcaithf퇇
subjunctive	present	go gcaithe mé; go gcaithead†	go gcaithe tú; go gcaithir†	go gcaithe sé, sí	go gcaithimid; go gcaithe muid	go gcaithe sibh	go gcaithe siad; go gcaithid†	—	go gcaitear
	past	dá gcaithinn	dá gcaiteá	dá gcaitheadh sé, sí	dá gcaithimis; dá gcaitheadh muid	dá gcaitheadh sibh	dá gcaithidís; dá gcaitheadh siad	—	dá gcaití
imperative		caithim	caith	caitheadh sé, sí	caithimis	caithigí; caithidh†	caithidís	—	caitear
verbal noun		caitheamh
past participle		caite

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

Derived terms

• caith seile
• caith suas

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
caith	chaith	gcaith
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “caith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish caithid, from Proto-Celtic *katyeti; compare Latin catēia (“projectile”), which is from Gaulish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰɛh/

Verb

caith (past chaith, future caithidh, verbal noun caitheamh, past participle caithte)

1. spend, pass (time)
2. waste, squander
3. wear (clothes)

Derived terms

• caitheadair (“consumer”)
• fear-caitheamh (“wearer; consumer”)