German

Preposition

nach ‎(+ 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.

Usage notes

• (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

nach ‎(preceded by dative)

1. according to

   meiner Meinung nach‎ ― in my opinion

Adverb

nach

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

   Meine Uhr geht nach.‎

   My watch is slow.

Derived terms

Related terms

• nach-

Irish

Alternative forms

• ná (Munster; all senses)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n̪ˠax/

Conjunction

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

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

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

Related terms

References

• "nach" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• “2 nach, nách (‘not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “3 nach, nách (‘who/which ... not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “4 nach, nách (‘that ... not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “5 nach, nách (‘isn’t?, doesn’t?’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German nāh (compare German nach, noch ‎(“still”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɑχ/
• Rhymes: -ɑχ

Adverb

nach

1. still

   Ech léieren nach Lëtzebuergesch.‎

   I'm still learning Luxembourgish.

2. yet
3. just

Conjunction

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

• Often used with weder ‎(“neither”).

Old Irish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n͈ax/

Determiner

nach

1. some
   • 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

     .i. itessamnu de arrofitetar is arnach nindocbáil móir fodaimimse inso‎

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

References

• Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, ISBN 0 901771 92 9
• “1 nach” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish nach, from Proto-Celtic *ne-kʷe, a combination of negative particle *ne and conjunction *kʷe; compare Latin neque.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nax/

Particle

nach

1. not

Usage notes

• Used with the dependent form of a verb to produce a negative question.

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

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

Conjunction

nach

1. that not

Usage notes

• Used with the dependent form of a verb to introduce a negative subordinate clause. The negation of gu.

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

References

• Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, ISBN 0 901771 92 9
• “2 nach, nách (‘not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “3 nach, nách (‘who/which ... not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “4 nach, nách (‘that ... not’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “5 nach, nách (‘isn’t?, doesn’t?’)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.