The Genitive Singular Case of Feminine Nouns

The Genitive Case is the form of the noun used to express possession and attributes.

General statement
Polysyllabic genitive singular feminine nouns are for the most part identical to the dative singular forms. Except for a few irregular nouns the monosyllabic genitive singular feminine nouns are the same as the dative singular forms save for the addition of a terminal e.

lessonbl.gif (3196 bytes)seven.gif (1304 bytes)exemplifies the changes associated with the dative singular feminine nouns.

The definite article in all instances is Na (Na h- before a vowel). 
The singular noun is never lenited in the genitive singular.

Only the genitive noun can have the definite article. The meaning of a preceding noun, whether a or the, is understood from the context.

If you are not sure or are looking for the genitive of any noun used in this course then go to the section

Type 1
In monosyllabic nouns a final e added to the dative singular :
Dative Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Definite
le circ -  with a hen biadh circe - the food of a hen biadh na circe - the food of the hen
(- the hen's food)
air cois - on a leg cùl coise - the back of a leg cùl na coise - the back of the leg
aig crìch - at a boundary callaid crìche - the fence of a boundary
(- a boundary fence)		 callaid na crìche - the fence of the boundary
(- the boundary fence)
air làimh - on a hand cùl làimhe - the back of a hand cùl na làimhe - the back of the hand
air luing - on a ship neart luinge - the power of a ship
(- a ship's power)		 neart na luinge - the power of the ship
(- the ship's power)
le sgian - with a knife oir sgeine - the edge of a knife
(- a knife edge)		 oir na sgeine - the edge of the knife
(- the knife edge)

Type 2
Polysyllabic nouns are the same as the dative singular, with an optional terminal e (becoming less common in the spoken langauge) :
Dative Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Definite
ri caileig - to a girl falt caileig(e) - the hair of a girl
(- a girl's hair)		 falt na caileig(e) - the hair of the girl
(- the girl's hair)
le caillich - with an old woman ad caillich(e) - the hat of an old woman
(- an old woman's hat)		 ad na caillich(e) - the hat of the old woman
(- the old woman's hat)
le maraig - with a pudding mìlsead maraig(e) - the sweetness of a pudding mìlsead na maraig(e) - the sweetness of the pudding
fo uinneig - under a window glainne uinneig(e) - the glass of a window glainne na h-uinneig(e) - the glass of the window

Type 3
Nouns ending in -ir add -rach/- reach. A few monosyllabic nouns ending in -ail add -lach :
Dative Singular Definite Genitive Singular Definite
anns an litir - in the letter sgeul na litreach - the story of the letter
anns an obair - in the work fallas na h-obrach - the sweat of the work

leis an dàil - with the delay

 fad na dàlach - the length of the delay

Type 4
Many words which end in -ainn & -eann lose this syllable and add -ne :
Dative Singular Definite Genitive Singular Definite
fon abhainn - under the river bùrn na h-aibhne - the water of the river
(- the river water)
anns a' bhuidheann - in the group daoine na buidhne - the people of the group

anns a' mhadainn - in the morning

 solas na maidne - the light of the morning
(- the morning light)

Type 5
There is no change with nouns ending in -chd :
Dative Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Definite
ann an rìoghachd - in a kingdom
 ceann rìoghachd - the head of a kingdom ceann na rìoghachd - the head of the kingdom


Some common irregular genitives are best learned :
Dative Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Indefinite Genitive Singular Definite
ann am bùth - in a shop uinneag bùtha - the window of a shop
(- a shop window)		 uinneag na bùtha -  the window of the shop
(- the shop window)
le caora - with a sheep ceann caorach - the head of a sheep
(- a sheep's head)		 ceann na caorach - the head of the sheep
(- the sheep's head)
ann an sùil - in an eye oisean sùla - the corner of an eye oisean na sùla - the corner of the eye
air tràigh -on a beach allt tràghad - the stream of a beach
(- a beach stream)		 allt na tràghad - the stream of the beach
(- the beach stream)
le màthair - with a mother mac màthar - the son of a mother
(- a mother's son)		 mac na màthar - the son of the mother
(- the mother's son)
ri piuthar - to a sister leabhar peathar - the book of a sister
(- a sister's book)		 leabhar na peathar - the book of the sister
(- the sister's book)
le seanmhair - with a grandmother cidsin seanmhar - the kitchen of a grandmother
(- a grandmother's kitchen)		 cidsin na seanmhar - the kitchen of the grandmother
(- the grandmother's kitchen)

Where there is more than one noun in the genitive then only the final one can take the genitive form and only this noun can have a definite article, e.g.

blas bùrn na h-aibhne - the taste of the water of the river (- the taste of the river water)
blàths gainmheach na tràghad - the warmth of the sand of the beach

The possessive adjective can also be used with a genitive noun, e.g.
bean mo charaid - the wife of my friend (- my friend's wife)
bràthair mo mhàthar - my mother's brother (- my maternal uncle)
cùis ar litreach - the subject of our letter

NEW WORDS

Nouns

blas (m) - accent, taste

 cùl (m) - back side

fad (m) - length

 fallas (m) - sweat

guth (m) - voice

 mìlsead (m) - sweetness

neart (m) - energy, strength

 oisean (m) - corner
smal (m) - mark

ad (f) - hat

 bas (f) - palm (of hand)

buidheann (f) - group

 callaid (f) - fence

glainne (f) - glass

 ite (f) - feather
piuthar (f) - sister saothair (f) - labour, toil
seanmhair (f) - grandmother

Verbs
glais/glas, glasadh - lock

EXERCISE 1 Translate into English

1.Dh'fhuirich màthair na caileig(e) aig an taigh

 2.Bhris am balach uinneag na bùtha

3.Tha bùrn na h-aibhne seo salach

 4.Bha doras na h-eaglais(e) glaiste

5.Bha na daoine aig iasgach na mara

 6.Nach robh iad a-staigh fad na h-ùine?

7.Bha solas na grèine a' tighinn tron uinneig

 8.Tha smal ann air cùl a làimhe

9.Tha falt na caillich(e) fada

 10.Tha blas na Gàidhlig(e) aca

EXERCISE 2 Translate into English

1.bus na h-oidhche; ad mo mhàthar; loch na mara; dèideag a pheathar
2.guth na h-uiseig; biadh na maidne; fuaim na mara
3.doras na sgoile; làmh na sgeine; casan na leapa
4.fàileadh toite; gob circe; ite sgèithe; glainne na h-uinneig
5.callaid na pàirce; saothair obrach; neart na stoirme
6.dath a sùla; gainmheach na tràghad; eun coille
7.mullach na beinne; pian bochdainn; mìlsead a pòige
8.dath na h-ite; meud a h-aid; fallas mo shaothrach

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1
1.The girl's mother stayed at home 2.The boy broke the shop window
3.The water of this river is dirty 4.The church door was locked
5.The men were at sea fishing 6.Weren't they in(side) all (of) the time?
7.The sunlight was coming through the window 8.There is a mark on the back of her hand
9.The old woman's hair is long 10.They have a Gàidhlig accent

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2
1.the night bus; my mother's hat; the sea loch; his sister's toy
2.the lark's voice; the morning meal; the sound of the sea
3.the school door; the handle of the knife; the legs of the bed
4.smell of smoke; a hen's beak; a wing feather; the window glass
5.the park's fence; toil of work; the power of the storm
6.the colour of her eye; the beach sand; a forest bird
7.the top of the mountain; pain of poverty; the sweetness of her kiss
8.the colour of the feather; the size of the hat; the sweat of my labour

This lesson in PDF format

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