The Nominative and Dative Plural of Nouns

The nominative and dative plurals are identical
The definite article in all cases is Na (Na h- before a vowel)

Remember, however, the following rules are at best guidelines and that plurals are best learnt when met.

All monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel, whether masculine or feminine add -than / -thean to the singular:

nì (m) - thing	nithean - things
cnò (f) - nut	cnothan - nuts

Masculine Nouns

Typically masculine nouns form their nominative and dative plurals in one of five ways.

1. The nominative plural is identical to the genitive singular. This is nearly always the case for monosyllabic nouns not ending in a vowel. A number of common disyllabic nouns, particularly those with the agent ending -ach, also form their plurals this way :

Nominative Singular	Genitive Singular	Nominative Plural
albannach - scotsman	albannaich - of a scotsman	albannaich - scotsmen
balach - boy	balaich - of a boy	balaich - boys
bòrd - a table	bùird - of a table	bùird - tables
fear - a man	fir - of a man	fir - men
port - a port	puirt - of a port	puirt - ports
òran - a song	òrain - of a song	òrain - songs

2. By adding ending -an / -ean to the nominative singular. Singular nouns ending in -adh become -aidhean :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
dealbh - a picture	dealbhan - pictures (also deilbh as in rule 1)
iasgair - a fisherman	iasgairean - fishermen
monadh - a moor	monaidhean - moors
pàipear - a paper	pàipearan - papers
taillear - a tailor	taillearan - tailors

3. A terminal -a changes to -achan or -aichean and in a few cases to -annan :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
baga - a bag	bagannan - bags
balla - a wall	ballachan - walls
bogsa - a box	bogsaichean - boxes
còta - a coat	còtaichean - coats

4. A terminal -ar and more rarely -air change to -raichean :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
athair - a father	athraichean - fathers
leabhar - a book	leabhraichean - books

5. Mostly recently monosyllabic borrowings, adding either  -achan or -aichean :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
bus - a bus	busaichean - buses
càr - a car	càraichean - cars

Feminine Nouns

These normally form their plurals in one of three ways:

1. By adding ending -an / -ean to the nominative singular. A number of common nouns exhibit reduction in their second syllable before adding these endings :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
banais - a wedding	bainnsean - weddings
drochaid - a bridge	drochaidean - bridges
madainn - a morning	maidnean - mornings
marag - a pudding	maragan - puddings
slat - a rod	slatan - rods

2. A terminal -a changes to either -achan or -aichean and in a few cases to -annan :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
bliadhna - a year	bliadhnaichean - years
muga - a mug	mugannan - mugs
oidhche - a night	oidhcheannan - nights

3. A terminal -ar and more rarely -air change to -raichean :

Nominative Singular	Nominative Plural
cathair - a chair	cathraichean - chairs
màthair - a mother	màthraichean - mothers

Since there is also a number of minor rules as well as a number of irregular nouns it is always a good idea to try and learn the nominative plural as you meet each new noun.

NEW WORDS

EXERCISE 1 Translate into English

1.An do shabaid a h-athair anns na cogaidhean?	2.Tha iad nan rìghrean
3.Bha fuaimean neònach a' tighinn bhon t-seòmar	4.Bha na coin sin a' comhairtaich fad na h-oidhche
5.Tha deich botail uaine air a' bhalla	6.Leugh mi ceithir leabhraichean an t-seachdain sa chaidh
7.Tha na bliadhnaichean a' dol seachad cho luath	8.Tha na maidnean a' fàs glè fhuar a-nìs
9.Fhuair mo bhràithrean duaisean anns na co-fharpaisean	10.Tha beanntan na h-Alba cho flathail

EXERCISE 2 Put the following sentences into the plural

1.Tha am fear glè thrang	2.Tha snàthad glè gheur
3.Tha an nead falamh	4.Bha an sgoil dùinte an-dè
5.Tha an loch domhainn	6.Càit a bheil an taigh-òsta?
7.An robh an làr fliuch?	8.Tha am bogsa làn de sgudal
9.Cò bhris an uinneag?	10.An robh sibh a-riamh air a' bhàta sin?
11.Tha e (change to iad) na leabaidh	12.Dè tha iad ag ràdh anns an litir?
13.Thilg sinn anns an teine e	14.Tha cù ann fon bòrd
15.A bheil càr aig do bhràthair?	16.Cuir bainne anns a' chopan
17.Tha gunna aig an t-saighdear	18.Tha eun ann an craobh anns a' choille
19.Is toil leam banais	20.Bha an eaglais fuar
21.Bha an là fliuch	22.A bheil peann agaibh?
23.Bidh mo làmh blàth	24.Tha leabhar agam nam phòcaid
25.Cuir do sgian air falbh	26.Cuir a' chearc anns a' phoit
27.Ghlac mi iasg anns an loch	28.Chaidh sinn dhan bhùth
29.Tha mo charaid tinn an-dràsta	30.Tha dust nam shùil
31.Bha leabhar air an sgeilp	32.Chaidh mi fo dhrochaid
33.Bha am feasgar blàth is tioram

ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2

1.Tha na fir glè thrang	2.Tha na snàthadan glè gheur
3.Tha na nid falamh	4.Bha na sgoiltean dùinte an-dè
5.Tha na lochan domhainn	6.Càit a bheil na taighean-òsta?
7.An robh na làir fliuch?	8.Tha na bogsaichean làn de sgudal
9.Cò bhris na h-uinneagean?	10.An robh sibh a-riamh air na bàtaichean sin?
11.Tha iad nan leapannan	12.Dè tha iad ag ràdh anns na litrichean?
13.Thilg sinn anns na teintean iad	14.Tha coin ann fo na bùird
15.A bheil càraichean aig do bràithrean?	16.Cuir bainne anns na copannan
17.Tha gunnachan aig na saighdearan	18.Tha eòin ann an craobhan anns na coilltean
19.Is toil leam bainnsean	20.Bha na h-eaglaisean fuar
21.Bha na làithean fliuch	22.A bheil pinn agaibh?
23.Bidh mo làmhan blàth	24.Tha leabhraichean agam nam phòcaidean
25.Cuir do sgeinean air falbh	26.Cuir na cearcan anns na poitean
27.Ghlac mi èisg anns na lochan	28.Chaidh sinn do na bùithean
29.Tha mo chàirdean tinn an-dràsta	30.Tha dust nam shùilean
31.Bha leabhraichean air na sgeilpean	32.Chaidh sinn fo dhrochaidean
33.Bha na feasgaran blàth is tioram

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