nach

From Middle High German nāh, from Old High German nāh with preservation of word-final -h as -ch; thus pertaining to modern nah (“near”) (from Old High German inflected nāh-), from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw. Cognate with Dutch na, English nigh.

• IPA^(key): /naːx/ (generally)
• IPA^(key): /nax/ (sometimes alternatively as a preposition, unless stressed)

• Audio:

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• Audio:

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nach [with dative]

1. after, past (later in time)

   Viertel nach sechs

   a quarter past six

   nach einer Woche

   after a week

2. after, behind (in sequence)

   B kommt nach A.

   B comes after A.

3. to, towards (with geographical names; see usage notes below)

   die Flucht nach Ägypten

   the flight into Egypt

4. according to; guided by
   • 1918, Elisabeth von Heyking, Die Orgelpfeifen, in: Zwei Erzählungen, Phillipp Reclam jun. Verlag, page 19:

     Die eigenen Zimmer hatten sich die Enkel nach persönlichem Geschmack eingerichtet.

     The grandchildren had furnished their own rooms according to their personal taste.

5. by the authority of; following

   die Analyse nach Marx

   the analysis following Marx

7. (with verbs of sensual perception) like (see usage notes below)

   Das riecht nach Knoblauch. ― This smells like garlic.

8. for (indicating desire for an object)

   nach etwas greifen ― to reach for something

   nach etwas streben ― to strive for/after something

   nach etwas suchen ― to search for something

• (to, towards): The directional preposition nach is now used chiefly with geographical names that do not have an article with them: nach Ägypten, nach Hamburg, etc. Only in elevated, literary style are there remnants of a freer use of nach:

nach dem Irak (“to Iraq”) — for which usually: in den Irak

nach dem Schloss (“to the castle”) — for which usually: zum Schloss.

At times, this use of nach conveys the implication that the destination is not reached. Thus: Er fuhr zum Schloss. – “He travelled to the castle [and arrived there].” But: Er fuhr nach dem Schloss. – “He travelled towards the castle [and may or may not have arrived].”

• Directional nach with personal names (or names of shops etc.) is found in the regional vernaculars of north-western Germany: nach Peter (“to Peter's house”). This is nonstandard usage.
• (like): There may be a slight semantic distinction between the use of nach and wie after a verb of sensual perception. The following phrases both translate to English as “This feels like silk”, but compare the different implications: Das fühlt sich nach Seide an. (“This feels like silk, and it probably is.”) Das fühlt sich an wie Seide. (“This feels like silk, although it’s probably something else.”) This distinction is not a strict one, however.

nach [with dative]

1. according to

   meiner Meinung nach ― in my opinion

   meinem Urteil nach ― in my judgement

nach

1. (in compound verbs) after, behind, later, next to

   Meine Uhr geht nach.

   My watch is slow.

• nach-

• “nach” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

• ná (Munster; all senses)

From Old Irish nach, from Proto-Celtic *nekʷe, a combination of Proto-Indo-European *ne (negative particle) and *-kʷe (“and”); compare Latin neque.

• IPA^(key): /n̪ˠax/

nach (triggers eclipsis; used with the dependent form of an irregular verb if there is one)

1. that...not (introduces a negative subordinate clause; the negation of go).

   Dúirt sé nach raibh carr aige.

   He said that he didn’t have a car.

nach (triggers eclipsis; used with the dependent form of an irregular verb if there is one)

1. not (in questions)

   Nach bhfuil ocras ort?

   Are you not hungry?

   Chonaic mé í, nach bhfaca?

   I saw her, didn’t I?

nach (copular form)

1. isn’t...?/whether/if it is... (introduces negative questions, both direct and indirect)

   Nach maith leat bainne?

   Don’t you like milk?

   Níl a fhios agam an miste dó nó nach miste.

   I don’t know if it matters to him or not.

2. who/which isn’t... (introduces negative relative clauses, both direct and indirect)

   an bhean nach múinteoir í ― the woman who isn’t a teacher

   an bhean nach maith léi bainne ― the woman who doesn’t like milk

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “nach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 nach, nách (‘not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “3 nach, nách (‘who/which ... not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “4 nach, nách (‘that ... not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “5 nach, nách (‘isn’t?, doesn’t?’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

From Old High German noh. Cognate with German noch, Dutch nog.

• IPA^(key): /nɑχ/
• Rhymes: -ɑχ

nach

1. still

   Ech léieren nach Lëtzebuergesch.

   I'm still learning Luxembourgish.

2. yet
3. just

nach

1. nor
   • Luxembourgish translation of Matthew 5:35:

     nach bei der Äerd, well dat ass d'Bänkelche fir seng Féiss, nach bei Jerusalem, well dat ass deem grousse Kinnek seng Stad.

     nor by the earth, because it is the footstool for his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

• Often used with weder (“neither”).

nach n (definite singular nachet, indefinite plural nach, definite plural nacha)

1. after-party

• nachspiel

• IPA^(key): [n͈ax]

From Proto-Celtic *nekʷos (“someone, something”); compare nech (“someone”). Cognate with Welsh neb.

nach

1. some, any
   • c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 23^b12

     it essamnu de ar ro·fitetar is ar nach n-indocbáil móir fo·daimim-se inso

     i.e. they are the more fearless, for they know that it is for some great glory that I endure this

   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 51^a18

     In tan imme·romastar són nach noíb, ara cuintea dílgud Dé isind aimsir sin.

     That is, when any saint sins, that he may seek the forgiveness of God at that time.

   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 144^d3

     Nach torbatu coitchenn ro·boí indib fri dénum n-uilc, at·rubalt tar hǽsi á pectha.

     Any common advantage that had been in them for doing evil, it has perished for their sin.

• na ní
• nach aile
• nach oín

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 nach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, § 489, pages 309–10; reprinted 2017

nach

1. Alternative spelling of nách (“that (it) is not”)

nach

1. Alternative form of ná (negative particle used with the imperative) used before an infixed pronoun

Takes a connecting vowel a (in the Milan glosses) or i (in the Würzburg glosses) before a consonant-initial infixed pronoun.

• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, pages 265, 539; reprinted 2017

From Old Irish nach, from Proto-Celtic *ne-kʷe. Cognate with Irish nach.

• IPA^(key): /n̪ˠax/
• (Lewis) IPA^(key): [n̪ˠaχ]
• Hyphenation: nach

nach

1. Used together with the dependent form of a verb to form negative questions.

   Nach eil an t-acras ort? ― Are you not hungry?

   Chunnaic mi i, nach fhaca? ― I saw her, didn't I?

   Nach buail thu e? ― Won't you strike him?

2. Used together with the dependent form of a verb to form negative subordinate clauses; that ... not

   Bha e ag ràdh nach robh càr aige. ― He said that he didn't have a car.

• Traditionally lenites verbs starting in f followed by a vowel, doesn’t mutate other initial sounds.

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “nach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 nach, nách (‘not’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Colin Mark (2003) “nach”, in The Gaelic-English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 446