ag1, prep. (Pron. forms:agam, agat, aige m, aici f, againn, agaibh, acu).(Does not affect initial letter of following noun. For rules governing use with article see an1) At. 1. (a) (Position) Ag an doras, an tine, an abhainn, at the door, the fire, the river. Ag an teach, an scoil, at the house, the school. Ag baile, at home. Ag an Éirne, at the Erne. Ag Bealach an Doirín, at, when at, Ballaghadereen. (b) (Attendance) Ag an damhsa, at the dance. Ag an aonach, ag an Aifreann, at the fair, at Mass. Ag bainis, cruinniú, at a wedding, a meeting. (c) (Time, occasion) Ag a sé a chlog, at six o’clock. Ag am tae, at tea-time. Éirímid ag an Soiscéal, we rise at the Gospel. (d) (Source) Chuala mé ag Brian é, I heard it from Brian. Is aige a fuair mé an speal, I got the scythe from him. Tá trácht ag Céitinn air, it is mentioned in (the writings of) Keating. Léitear ag Eoin, it is to be read in (the gospel of) St. John. (e)Ag seo, sin, here is, there is. Ag seo mo chomhairle duit, here, this, is my advice to you. Ag sin an scéal duit, there, that, is the story for you. Sin agat é, there it is for you. (f) (Opinion) Is mór acu Seán, they have a great regard for Seán. Tá sé ina fhear uasal acu, they look on him as a gentleman. Ní leathdhuine mise agaibh, you needn’t take me for a half-wit. Fuafar ag Dia, hateful to God. Níl aon mhaith le duine ar bith aige sin, he thinks nobody is any good. 2. (Of possession) (a)Fág an eochair aige, leave the key with him. Coinnigh agat féin é, keep it in your possession. D’fhan an méid sin agam, that amount remained in my possession. Is agat is fearr é, it is better in your possession. Ní miste liom agam nó uaim é, I don’t care whether I have it or not. (b)An teach seo againne, our house. Máire seo acusan, their Mary. An mac sin aige, that son of his. Theip ar an misneach aige, he lost courage. (c)Ní hé an chéad uair aige é, it is not his first time. Is minice an moladh aige ná an cáineadh, he is more given to praise than to blame. An croí a bhogadh aige, to soften his heart. 3. (With substantive verb) (a) (Of property, of sth. in one’s possession) Tá teach agus talamh aige, he has a house and land. Bhí slat aige, he had a rod. (b) (Of possession, other than of property) Tá beirt mhac aige, he has two sons. Tá comharsana maithe aige, he has good neighbours. Bhí aois mhór aige, he was very old. (c) (Of service, attention, presence) Tá a máthair aici, she has her mother (staying with her, helping her). Cé atá ag an leanbh? Who is minding the baby? Bhí an dochtúir agam, I had the doctor in. Bhí mé ag feirmeoir anuraidh, I was working for a farmer last year. Tá sé ag na prátaí, he is working at the potatoes. Bhí siad ar dinnéar againn, we had them to dinner. Tá duine éigin ag an madra, the dog has detected the presence of s.o. D’aithin mé cé a bhí agam, I recognized who was in my presence. (d) (Of attribute, function, right, characteristic) Bíodh ciall agat, have sense. Bhí an nós sin acu, they had that custom. Is aige atá an fhoighne, he has great patience. (e) (Of experience) Tá an tsláinte aige, he has good health. Is agaibh atá an saol, you have a great time. Bhí an-oíche againn, we had an excellent night. (f) (Of knowledge, or possession of a skill or of an intellectual acquirement) Tá Gaeilge agus Spáinnis acu, they know Irish and Spanish. Tá snámh aige, he can swim. Tá agam! I have it! Tá tú agam anois! I have (grasp, comprehend) you now! Dá mbeadh caint ag na clocha, if stones could speak. (g) (Of duty, of sth. to be done) Tá go leor le déanamh agam, I have a lot to do. Níl agat ach é a bhrú, all you have to do is to press it. Ní raibh agam ach an teach a dhíol, I had no alternative but to sell the house. Sin é a bhí agat a dhéanamh, that is what you should have done. (h) (Of feeling) Tá grá, gráin, aici air, she loves, hates, him. Tá dúil agam ann, I desire it. (i) (Of proceeding, action) Bhí cruinniú againn, we had a meeting. Tá gnó agam leis, I have business with him. Bíodh cluiche againn, let’s have a game. Bhí troid aige leo, he had a fight with them. (j) (Of obtaining) Bhí mac óg inné aici, she had, gave birth to, a son yesterday. Caithfidh siad a bheith agam amárach, I must have them to-morrow. Bíodh deoch agat! Have a drink! Bíonn uain ag na caoirigh san earrach, the sheep have lambs in the spring. (k) (Of advantage) Tá buntáiste aige orm, he has an advantage over me. Tá orlach aige orm, he is an inch taller than I am. Tá airgead agat orm, I owe you money. (l) (Of time) Tá uair againn lena dhéanamh, we have an hour in which to do it. Dá mbeadh bliain eile agam, if I had another year. (m) (In exclamatory phrases) Beidh tú aige! He will have your life! Bíodh aige! Let him be! Bíodh an diabhal aige! Let him go to the devil! 4. (Partitive use) Duine amháin, beirt, cuid, agaibh, one, two, some, of you. Cé agaibh? Which of you? Is beag acu a tháinig, few of them came. 5. (Of agent or instrument) (a)Tá sé briste agat, you have broken it. Caite ag an aois, worn out with age. Buí ag an ngrian, tanned by the sun. Leáite ag an teas, melted with the heat. (b)Tá tinneas cinn orm agaibh, you give me a headache. B’éigean dom imeacht aige, I had to leave because of him. Ní chluinim thú ag gleo na bpáistí, I can’t hear you because of the noise of the children. 6. (With adjective or adjectival phrase) At, for. Go dona ag an Laidin, ag an léann, poor at Latin, learning. Go maith ag an slaghdán, good for a cold. Ba mhaith againn é, it would be well for us to have it. Mall ag an traein, late for the train. Tá sé trom aige, it is heavy for him. Tá sé beag go leor agat, it is little enough for you. Bhí sé mór againn imeacht air, it was too much to expect that we should leave without him. Tá sé in am aige pósadh, it is time for him to get married. 7. (With vn.)(a) (Of action in progress) Tá sé ag caint, ag ithe, he is speaking, eating. An rud a bhí sé ag iarraidh a dhéanamh, what he was trying to do. Bhí sé romham ag teacht dom, he met me when I was coming. (b) (Of purpose) Thosaigh sí ag caint, she began to speak. Tháinig sé ag iarraidh airgid orm, he came to ask me for money. (c)(With poss. a. & vn.)Ag (mo, do, bhur) = do (mo, do, bhur) : do37. Ag ár = dár13.