Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA |
|---|---|
| airigh ó | /ˈaɾʲɪɟ oː/ (Munster, word by word) |
| cronaigh |
airigh ó literally means to feel something from yourself, and it is used for missing a person or thing you no longer have with you. The verb cronaigh is another word for missing someone or something.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase combines the verb airigh (feel, notice) with the preposition ó (from).
Which one should you use?
airigh ó and cronaigh both express missing someone. The title "Miss" for an unmarried woman is a different word altogether, ógbhean or iníon, not either of these verbs.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition ó combines with the pronoun of the person who does the missing. In "I will miss you" it becomes uaim (from me).
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /ˈaɾʲɪɟ oː/. The stress is on the first syllable and the last word is a long vowel like the one in English "go".
When do people say it?
When you miss someone dear, you might add a loving word such as A stóirín, which is similar to "sweetheart" or "darling".
Did you know?
- The word cronaigh can be a tricky term because, depending on the dictionary used, it might mean 'to miss someone' or it might actually mean 'to find fault' or 'to blame' someone.
- The verb airigh used in the phrase for missing someone actually carries the older sense of 'guarding' or 'tending' to something, much like a guard would watch over a post.
- The term A stóirín used with these phrases is a diminutive of stór, meaning 'treasure'. Calling someone a 'little treasure' is a traditional way to soften the sadness of missing them.
Examples in context
- Aireoidh mé uaim thú.I’ll miss you.Aireoidh mé uaim thú is the future tense of the verb with uaim, meaning "I will miss you".
- Iníon AndersonMiss Anderson
Example conversation
Two friends talking about a mutual friend who moved away.
- NiamhAn airigh tú Seán ó?Do you miss Sean?
- CianTá, airigh mé é ó go mór.Yes, I miss him very much.
- NiamhTá mé ag caint leis anocht.I am talking to him tonight.
- CianInis dó go bhfuil muid ag airigh ó.Tell him that we miss him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “miss” translations and entries airigh ó, cronaigh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (airigh, ó) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries airigh, cronaigh, ó, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
