nach

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See also: nách and nach-

German

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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

Preposition

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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
  6. (with verbs of sensual perception) like (see usage notes below)
    Das riecht nach Knoblauch.This smells like garlic.
  7. for (indicating desire for an object)
    nach etwas greifento reach for something
    nach etwas strebento strive for/after something
    nach etwas suchento search for something

Usage notes

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  • (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.

Postposition

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nach [with dative]

  1. according to
    meiner Meinung nachin my opinion
    meinem Urteil nachin my judgement

Adverb

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nach

  1. (in compound verbs) after, behind, later, next to
    Meine Uhr geht nach.
    My watch is slow.

Derived terms

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Further reading

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  • nach” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Irish

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Alternative forms

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  • (Munster; all senses)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Conjunction

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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.

Particle

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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?

Particle

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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 íthe woman who isn’t a teacher
    an bhean nach maith léi bainnethe woman who doesn’t like milk
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References

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Luxembourgish

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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nach

  1. still
    Ech léieren nach Lëtzebuergesch.
    I'm still learning Luxembourgish.
  2. yet
  3. just

Conjunction

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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.

Usage notes

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  • Often used with weder (neither).

Norwegian Nynorsk

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Noun

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

  1. after-party

Synonyms

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Old Irish

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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

Determiner

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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. 23b12
      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. 51a18
      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. 144d3
      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.
Inflection
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Case Singular Plural
Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative nach nachL naH nachaH
Accusative nachN
Genitive nachL, naichL nachaH nach
Dative nachL nach
L indicates a form that triggers lenition, N a form that triggers nasalization (eclipsis), and H a form that triggers /h/-prothesis.
The plural forms shown occur only in negative clauses. In positive clauses, the plural is supplied by alaili, araili.
Derived terms
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Further reading

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Etymology 2

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Verb

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nach

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

Etymology 3

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Particle

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nach

  1. Alternative form of (negative particle used with the imperative) used before an infixed pronoun
Usage notes
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Takes a connecting vowel a (in the Milan glosses) or i (in the Würzburg glosses) before a consonant-initial infixed pronoun.

Further reading

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Scottish Gaelic

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Verb

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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.

Usage notes

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

Inflection

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References

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