08/04/2026
Abair Kelso.
ABAIR
In Irish and Scottish Gaelic, abair is an irregular verb that means "to say" or "to utter". As an imperative command form, it is also used in exclamations to mean "say" (as in "for instance") or combined to express emphasis like "what a...!"
Common Usages and Meanings
• To Say: Used as the base imperative form of the verb "to say".
• Ná habair é: A common Irish phrase meaning "don't mention it" or "you're welcome" (literally "don't say it").
• Exclamatory use: In Gaelic phrasing, placed before nouns to mean "What a...!" (e.g., Abair an duine! meaning "What a guy!").
• Etymological root: In older Anglo-French, the root abair meant "to astonish," which survives in modern English words like abashed and unabashed.