Using the Genitive Case of Nouns

Use the genitive case whenever two or more nouns come together.
Whatever the number of nouns only the last noun will be in the genitive case. The other nouns will be indefinite and nominative :
Indefinite Genitive Case Definite Genitive Case
seacaid balaich - the jacket of a boy
(- a boy's jacket)		 seacaid a' bhalaich - the jacket of the boy
(- the boy's jacket)
putan seacaid balaich - the button of the jacket of a boy
(- the button of a boy's jacket)		 putan seacaid a' bhalaich - the button of the jacket of the boy
(- the button of the boy's jacket)

ad caileig(e) - the hat of a girl
(- a girl's hat)

 ad na caileig(e) - the hat of the girl
(- the girl's hat)
ite ad caileig(e) - the feather of the hat of a girl
(- the feather of a girl's hat)		 ite ad na caileig(e) - the feather of the hat of the girl
(- the feather of the girl's hat)

cù tuathanaich -the dog of a farmer
(- a farmer's dog)

 cù an tuathanaich -the dog of the farmer
(- the farmer's dog)
cas cù tuathanaich - the leg of the dog of a farmer
(- a farmer's dog's leg)		 cas cù an tuathanaich - the leg of the dog of the farmer
(- the farmer's dog's leg)

Use the genitive case after the prepositions chun, rè, thar and trìd (and after the compound prepostions - see ) :

Ruith mi chun na h-eaglais(e) - I ran toward the church
Leum sinn thar na h-aibhne - We leapt over the river
Bha an t-sìde math rè na bliadhna - The weather was good throughout the year
Dh'ionnsaich iad trìd na h-obrach - They learned through (the) work

A definite noun following a verbal noun is in the genitive case. It is accepted practice in both the written and spoken language to keep an indefinite noun in the nominative :
Indefinite Noun Following Verbal Noun Definite Noun Following Verbal Noun
Tha e a' faicinn balach - He sees a boy Tha e a' faicinn a' bhalaich - He sees the boy

Tha mi a' gearradh mòine - I am cutting peat

 Tha mi a' gearradh na mòna - I am cutting the peat

However, when more than one noun follows the verbal noun only the last noun is in the genitive :
Tha iad a' faicinn ad caileig(e) - They see the hat of a girl
(- They see a girl's hat)		 Tha iad a' faicinn ad na caileig(e) - They see the hat of the girl
(- They see the girl's hat)
A bheil thu a' cluinntinn fuaim uillt? - Do you hear the sound of a stream? A bheil thu a' cluinntinn fuaim an uillt? - Do you hear the sound of the stream?

Genitives of Proper Nouns
Male names are lenited in the genitive, and exhibit analagous internal vowel modifications to those found with masculine genitive singular nouns :
Calum

taigh Chaluim - Calum's house
Coinneach bean Choinnich - Kenneth's wife
Uilleam cù Uilleim - William's dog

Female names exhibit analagous internal vowel modifications to those found in feminine genitive singular nouns. Traditionally they do not lenite but it has become common practice :
Mòrag

taigh Mhòraig / taigh Mòraig - Marion's house
Catrìona cat Chatrìona / cat Catrìona - Catherine's cat
Pèigi gàrradh Phèigi / gàrradh Pèigi - Peggy's garden

Names of establishments, organisations and multi-word placenames all lenite the initial element in the genitive, even if  they already contain a noun in the genitive case :
Comann na Gàidhlig - The Society of Gàidhlig

Ceannard Chomann na Gàidhlig - The head of the Society of Gàidhlig
Bòrd an Dealain - The Electricity Board Oibriche Bhòrd an Dealain - The Electricity Board worker
Baile na h-Eaglais Bhric - Falkirk (placename) Colaiste Bhaile na h-Eaglais Bhric- Falkirk College

NEW WORDS

Nouns

gàirdeachas (m) - joy

 stoc (m) - scarf

breac (m) - trout

bean (f) - wife, woman

 comhairle (f) - council, counsel, advice

colaiste (f) - college

 mòine (f) - peat
sìde (f) - weather

Verbs

eadar-theangaich, eadar-theanagachadh - translate

 cladhaich, cladhach - dig

feuch, feuchainn (ri) - try (to)

 figh, fighe - knit

geàrr, gearradh - cut

 lìon, lìonadh - fill
teagaisg, teagasg (do) - teach (to)

EXERCISE 1 Translate into English

1.Tha taigh Sheumais làn gàirdeachais

 2.Am bi thu a' faicinn Chaluim a-nochd? Cha bhi

3.Uair bha mi ag obair airson Chomhairle nan Eilean

 4.A bheil thu a' leughadh leabhar math? Tha

EXERCISE 2 Translate into English

1.Bha e ag eadar-theangachadh na sgeulachd

 2.An robh iad a' cladhach a' ghàrraidh? Bha

3.Tha i a' sgrìobhadh na litreach gu a màthair

4.Bha e a' leughadh an leabhair gu sàmhach

5.Bha mo sheanmhair a' fighe an stuic dhomh

 6.Bha m' athair a' cleachdadh a' bhàta aige a-raoir
7.Chunnaic mi e a' tilgeil clach ris a' chù

EXERCISE 3 Translate into Gàidhlig

1.They were building a new house

 2.He was reading the book when I saw him

3.They were standing under the town hall clock

 4.Will you take a piece of cheese with the bread?

5.The ship will be leaving the port at 6.30 am

 6.I am teaching Gàidhlig to my friends

7.Where did you put the house door key?

8.I said he was filling the bottle with water

9.The colours of the trout were so beautiful

 10.Will you be cutting peat tomorrow? Yes

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1
1.Seumas' house is full of joy 2.Will you be seeing Calum tonight? No
3.At one time I was working for Comhairle nan Eilean 4.Are you reading a good book? Yes

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2
1.He was translating the story 2.Were they digging the garden? Yes
3.She was writing the letter to her mother 4.He was quietly reading the book
5.My grandmother was knitting the scarf for me 6.My father was using his boat last night
7.I saw him throwing a stone at the dog

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 3
1.Bha iad a' togail taigh ùr 2.Bha e a' leughadh an leabhair nuair a chunnaic mi e
3.Bha iad nan seasamh fo ghleoc tall' a' bhaile 4.An toir thu pìos càise leis an aran?
5.Bidh an long a' fàgail a' phuirt aig 6.30 anns a' mhadainn 6.Tha mi a' teagasg Gàidhlig do mo chàirdean
7.Càit an do chuir thu iuchair doras an taighe? 8.Thuirt mi gun robh e a' lìonadh a' bhotail le bùrn
9.Bha dathan a' bhric cho bòidheach 10.Am bi sibh a' gearradh na mòna a-màireach? Bithidh

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