How to say Probably In Irish

It is probably time that we took a bitesized look at how to say ‘probably’ in Irish!

One way to say probably in Irish is to use the adjective dócha /do-khuh/ in combination with the copula is /iss/ and the conjunction go /guh/. This give us is dócha go.. /iss do-khuh guh/ (‘is probable that’)

So if, for instance, we wanted to say ‘It is probable that we will be late’ this is how would construct the sentence : Is dócha go mbeimid déanach /Iss do-khuh guh meh-meed day-un-okh/

For a slightly different emphasis we could use is dócha at the end of the sentence instead: Beimid déanach is dócha /Beh-meed day-un-ukh iss do-khuh/ (‘We will be late, it is likely’).

What about if we wanted to say that something is not likely or improbable? The we would replace the coplua is with its negative form, the negative form of the copula, ní /nee/. So in response to the question An ndéarfaidh tú leis? /Un nayr-hig thoo lesh?/ (‘Will you tell him?’)…

..we would reply Ní dócha é /Nee do-khuh ay/ (‘Probably not / It is not likely’).

If you want to say that something is very likely you can use the word seans /shan-ss/, which means ‘chance’.

So, here is how you would say ‘There is every chance that I will be there tomorrow’: Gach seans go mbeidh mé ann amárach

/Gokh shan-ss guh megg may ow-un a-maw-ir-ukh/

If you wanted to say that something is the most likely out of a number of possibilities you would use the superlative form of dócha, dóichí /do-ich-ee/

Let’s imagine that you wanted to say ‘It is most probable that Italy will win the World cup’. that would be stated thus: Is é is dóichí go mbuafaidh an Iodáil an Corn Domhanda /Shay iss do-ich-ee guh moo-a-hig un Id-aw-ill un Kurr-un Dhow-un-dhuh/

Ok, it has been nice talking to you but it is probably time to finish. Here’s how to say it! Is dócha go bhfuil sé in am críochnú!

/Iss do-khuh guh wil shay in ow-mm kree-ukh-noo/