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Declension of the Singular Article
| Nominative Article |
Nominative Singular Noun |
Changes >>> | Dative Singular Noun |
Genitive Singular Noun |
| The article is an t-
before nouns beginning with a vowel |
an t-òran - the song | Nouns
beginning with a vowel lose the t- from the definite
article: an t- >> an |
anns an òran - in the song | deireadh an òrain - the end of the song |
| The article is am
before nouns beginning with b, f, m, or p |
am bainne - the milk | Nouns
beginning with b, f, m, p,
c or g all lenite. |
anns a' bhainne - in the milk | uachdar a' bhainne - the top of the milk |
| am feasgar - the evening | anns an fheasgar - in the evening | blàths an fheasgair - the warmth of the evening | ||
| am monadh - the moor | air a' mhonadh - on the moor | fraoch a' mhonaidh - the heather of the moor | ||
| am pàipear - the paper | anns a' phàipear - in the paper | dath a' phàipeir - the colour of the paper | ||
| The article is an before all other nouns | an càise - the cheese | anns a' chàise - in the cheese | blas a' chàise - the taste of the cheese | |
| an gille - the boy | air a' ghille - on the boy | màthair a' ghille - the mother of the boy | ||
an duine - the man |
Nouns beginning with d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp or st show no initial consonant change. The definite article remains an | aig an duine - at the man | bean an duine - the wife of the man | |
| an leabhar - the book | anns an leabhar - in the house | còmhdach an leabhair - the cover of the book | ||
| an nead - th nest | anns an nead | am broinn an nid - inside the nest | ||
| an sgoilear - the pupil | ris an sgoilear - to the pupil | leabhar an sgoileir - the book of the pupil | ||
| an smal - the stain | leis an smal - with the stain | dath an smail - the colour of the stain | ||
| an speur - sky | anns an speur - in the sky | dath an speura - the colour of the sky | ||
| an taigh - the house | anns an taigh - in the house | mullach an taighe - the roof of the house | ||
| an slaod - the sledge | Nouns
beginning with sl, sn, sr, or
s+vowel add t- to the definite article: |
air an t-slaod - on the sledge | meud an t-slaoid - the size of the sledge | |
| an sneachd - the snow | anns an t-sneachd - in the snow | fuachd an t-sneachda - the cold of the snow | ||
| an sreath - the row | anns an t-sreath | deireadh an t-sreatha - the end of the row | ||
| an saoghal | anns an t-saoghal - in the world | deireadh an t-saoghail - the end of the world |
| Genitive Singular Definite Noun |
<<< Changes |
Nominative & Dative Article |
Nominative Singular Definite Noun |
Dative Singular Definite Noun § |
| ceann na slaite - the end of the rod | The genitive singular article is na (na h- before a vowel) for all nouns. There is no initial consonant change before the nouns. | The article is an t- before nouns beginning with sl, sn, sr, or s+vowel | an t-slat - the rod | leis an t-slait - with the rod |
| rinn na snàthaid(e) - the point of the needle | an t-snàthad - the needle | air an t-snàthaid - on the needle | ||
| taobh na sràide - the side of the street | an t-sràid - the street | air an t-sràid - on the street | ||
| boladh na seòbhraich(e) - the fragrance of the primrose | an t-seòbhrach - the primrose | anns an t-seòbhraich - in the primrose | ||
| àirde na beinne - the height of the mountain | The article is a'
before nouns beginning with b, f, m, p, c or g but an before nouns beginning with f. All these nouns are lenited. |
a' bheinn - the mountain | air a' bheinn - on the mountain | |
| mullach na cruaiche - the top the stack | a' chruach - the stack | anns a' chruaich - in the stack | ||
| sgiath na faoileig(e) - the wing of the gull | an fhaoileag - the gull | ris an fhaoileig - to the gull | ||
| earball na gearra - the tail of the hare | a' gheàrr - the hare | air a' gheàrr - on the hare | ||
| fuachd na mòintich(e) - the cold of the moor | a' mhòinteach - the moor | air a' mhòintich - on the moor | ||
| làmh na poit(e) - the handle of the pot | a' phoit - the pot | anns a' phoit - in the pot | ||
meadhan na dùthcha - the middle the country |
Nouns beginning with d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp or st or a vowel show no initial change. The article is an before all these nouns | an dùthaich - the country |
air an dùthaich - in the country |
|
| cùl na làimhe - the back of the hand | an làmh - the hand | leis an làimh - by the hand | ||
| dreasa na nighinn(e) - the dress of the girl | an nighean - the girl | leis an nighinn - with the girl | ||
| doras na sgoile - the door of the school | an sgoil - the school | anns an sgoil - in the school | ||
| blas na smeura - the taste of the bramble | an smeur - the bramble | anns an smeur - in the bramble | ||
| faobhar na speala - the edge of the scythe | an speal -the scythe | leis an speal - with the scythe | ||
| fad na trannsa - the length of the corridor | an trannsa - the corridor | anns an trannsa - in the corridor | ||
| nead na h-eala - the nest of the swan | an eala - the swan | air an eala - on the swan |
dm©lelland -
Faodar na leasanan seo ath-riochdachadh le aithneachadh dhan ùghdar
dm©lelland - These lessons may be reproduced with credit to the author