Declension of Adjectives

The Declension of Adjectives

As mentioned in and adjectives can be used predicately, i.e. following the verb **To Be**. The adjective never changes in this situation :
Masculine noun	Tha am balach beag - The boy is small
Feminine noun	Tha a' chaileag beag - The girl is small
Plural nouns	Tha na balaich beag - The boys are small Tha na caileagan beag - the girls are small

Adjectives which directly qualify their nouns are said to be used attributely. These adjectives must agree with their nouns in three ways: number, gender and case. dealt with the nominative case of both the nouns and their adjectives. These are only mentioned again here for comparison.

Lenition of Adjectives
All adjectives can be lenited except for those beginning with: l, n, r, sg, sm, sp or st

**Masculine Nouns**
The nominative, dative and genitive forms of masculine nouns were met in , ,
and respectively. The change in the adjective closely matches the change in its noun except that the adjective is always lenited in the genitive singular :
	Nominative	Dative	Genitive
Singular	Use the basic form	For definite nouns lenite the basic form	Lenite the basic form and insert an i if final vowel is broad
	gille glic - a wise boy an gille glic - the wise boy	le gille glic - with a wise boy leis a' ghille ghlic - with the wise boy	gille ghlic - of a wise boy a' ghille ghlic - of the wise boy
	cat mòr - a big cat an cat mòr - the big cat	le cat mòr - with a big cat leis a' chat mhòr - with the big cat	cait mhòir - of a big cat a' chait mhòir - of the big cat
Plural	All plurals add a terminal -a or an -e to the basic form
	gillean glice - wise boys na gillean glice - the wise boys	le gillean glice - with wise boys leis na gillean glice - with the wise boys	ghillean glice - of wise boys nan gillean glice - of the wise boys
	cait mhòra † - big cats na cait mhòra - the big cats	le cait mhòra † - with big cats leis na cait mhòra † - with the big cats	chat mòra - of big cats nan cat mòra - of the big cats
	Nominative	Dative	Genitive

† Nouns (whether masculine or feminine) which have a final i in their plural always lenite the following adjective

**Feminine Nouns**
The nominative, dative and genitive forms of feminine nouns were met in , ,
and respectively :
	Nominative	Dative	Genitive
Singular	For definite nouns lenite the basic form	lenite the basic form and insert an i if final vowel is broad †	insert an i if final vowel is broad and add a terminal e ‡
	caileag ghlic - wise girl a' chaileag ghlic - the wise girl	le caileig ghlic - with a wise girl leis a' chaileig ghlic - with the wise girl	caileige glice - of a wise girl na caileige glice - of the wise girl
	cùis mhòr - a big affair a' chùis mhòr - the big affair	le cùis mhòir - with a big affair leis a' chùis mhòir - with the big affair	cùise mòire - of a big affair na cùise mòire - of the big affair
Plural	All plurals add a terminal -a or an -e to the basic form
	caileagan glice - wise girls na caileagan glice - the wise girls	le caileagan glice - with wise girls leis na caileagan glice - with the big girls	chaileagan glice - of wise girls nan caileagan glice - of the wise girls
	cùisean mòra - big affairs na cùisean mòra - the big affairs	le cùisean mòra - with big affairs leis na cùisean mòra - with the big affairs	chùisean mòra - of big affairs nan cùisean mòra - of the big affairs
	Nominative	Dative	Genitive

† As mentioned in the trend is for feminine singular dative nouns, particularly in the spoken language, to be identical to the nominative. This erosion is also reflected in the agreement of the adjective.

‡ A characteristic of monosyllabic feminine singular genitive adjectives is the addition of a terminal -e. Polysyllabic feminine singular genitive adjectives do not generally add a terminal -e. Monosyllabic feminine singular genitive adjectives resist this trend since the corresponding monosyllabic feminine singular genitive nouns have mostly retained the terminal -e (see ).

There is at present considerable variation regarding declension of the feminine singular nouns and their adjectives. Except for some common idiomatic structures the nominative has all but replaced the dative in the spoken language. Regarding the feminine singular genitive there exists a higher register (formal prose and speech) which uses grammatical forms and a lower register (colloquial spoken and often written) which exhibits a marked erosion toward the equivalent dative form for both nouns and adjectives :
High Register	Various Intermediates Might Arise †	Low Register
caileige glice - of a wise girl na caileige glice - of the wise girl	caileige ghlic na caileige ghlic	caileig ghlic na caileig ghlic
faoileige mòire - of a big seagull na faoileige mòire - of the big seagull	faoileige mhòir na faoileige mhòir	faoileig mhòir na faoileig mhòir
cùise mòire - of a big affair na cùise mòire - of the big affair	cùise mhòir na cùise mhòir	cùis mhòir na cùis mhòir
làimhe glice - of a wise hand na làimhe glice - of the wise hand	làimhe ghlic na làimhe ghlic	làimh ghlic na làimh ghlic

† Low register adjectives should only be used with their corresponding low register nouns. Associating high register adjectives with low register nouns and vice versa should be avoided. Likewise, intermediate forms are best avoided.

Internal Modifications in Adjectives

Polysyllabic adjectives are slenderised by inserting an i after a final broad vowel or changing a final ea to i. There is never any terminal -e added for the feminine genitive singular. In fact, polysyllabic adjectives exhibit the same erosion toward the equivalent masculine form:
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular
beartach - rich	beartaich	bheartaich	beartaich
bòidheach - beautiful	bòidhich	bhòidhich	bòidhich
dìleas - loyal	dìlis	dhìlis	dìlis
freagarrach - suitable	freagarraich	fhreagarraich	freagarraich
salach - dirty	salaich	shalaich	salaich

There is no internal change where the adjective already has a final i or when the it ends in a vowel :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular
cofhartail - comfortable		chofhartail	cofhartail
cruinn - round		chruinn	cruinne
eireachdail - handsome		eireachdail	eireachdail
fada - long		fhada	fada
tana - thin		thana	tana
tinn - ill		thinn	tinne

However, most monosyllabic adjectives with a final broad vowel undergo an analogous process of slenderisation as nouns (see and ). As with nouns the process can involve internal vowel modification with the slenderisation of the final vowel to i .

To help you the section shows the fully slenderised feminine genitive singular adjective from which other forms can be derived.

Type 1

An i is inserted after the broad vowel. This type contains mostly those with a final a or ao in the basic form :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular (terminal -e)
àrd - high	àird	àird	àirde
blàth - warm	blàith	bhlàith	blàithe
caol - narrow	caoil	chaoil	caoile
mòr - big	mòir	mhòir	mòire

Type 2

An i is inserted after a change in the single broad vowel, e.g. **o >> ui** and **a >> oi**. Neither modification is particularly common but they are found in a number of commonly used adjectives :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular (terminal -e)
bog - soft	buig	bhuig	buige
dall - blind	doill	dhoill	doille
donn - brown	duinn	dhuinn	duinne
gorm - blue	guirm	ghuirm	guirme
trom - heavy	truim	thruim	truime

Type 3

The substitution of a final broad vowel in a diphthong with i, e.g. ea and eu >> ei :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular (terminal -e)
dearg - red	deirg	dheirg	deirge
deas - right	deis	dheis	deise
geur - sharp	gèir	ghèir	gèire
searbh - bitter	seirbh	sheirbh	seirbhe

Type 4

The substitution of a diphthong with i, e.g. **ea >> i** :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular (terminal -e)
beag - small	big	bhig	bige
geal - white	gil	ghil	gile
sean - old	sin	shin	sine

Type 5

The substitution of the diphthong ia with èi :
Basic	Internal Change	Masculine Genitive Singular (lenited)	Feminine Genitive Singular (terminal -e)
cian - distant	cèin	chèin	cèine
ciar - dusky, swarthy	cèir	chèir	cèire
liath - grey	lèith	lèith	lèithe

Adjectives Coming Before the Noun

There are a few common adjectives which can only be used before a noun :
ath - next	a h-uile - every
corra - a few	deagh - good
dearbh - very, exact, ideal	droch - bad
fìor - true, exceptional	gach - each
iomadach, iomadh - many a	prìomh - main, prime
mion - minor, petty	sàr - exceptional
seann - old

These adjectives do not change in any case. They all however lenite the following noun except for a h-uile, **iomadach/iomadh** and **gach** :
an ath bhliadhna - next year	a h-uile duine - everyone
corra dhuine - a few men	deagh dhùrachdan - good wishes
an dearbh rud - the ideal thing	droch shìde - bad weather
fìor ghaisgeach - a true hero	gach madainn - each day
iomadach là / iomadh là - many a day	prìomh shràid - main street
mion chànanan - minority languages	sàr bhoireannach - an exceptional woman
seann chraobh - old tree

Some other *conventional* adjectives may also be seen before a noun, when particular emphasis is required, in which case they all lenite the following noun. A number of associations have become permanent indicated by a hyphen :
mòr bheinn - great mountain	dearg amadan - a total fool
cruaidh fheum - desperate need	cruaidh-chàs - extreme hardship
garbh bheinn - rough mountain	dubh-fhacal - enigma (dark word)
dearg chuthach - derangement	dubh-chàineadh - intense criticism

NEW WORDS

**Adjectives**
ath - next (before noun)	beartach - rich
bog - soft	breac - speckled
caol - narrow	cian (cèin also as basic form) - distant
ciar - dusky, swarthy	clì - left
cruinn - round	dall - blind
deagh - good (before noun)	dearbh - exact, the very (before noun)
deas - right (side)	droch - bad (before noun)
garbh - rough	gòrach - stupid
gruamach - grumpy, gloomy	mìlis - sweet
òg - young	sean - old (after noun)
seann - old (before noun)	searbh - bitter
sracte - torn	trom - heavy

**Nouns**
amadan (m) - fool, clown	bata (m) - walking stick, baton
càineadh (m) - criticism	cànan (m), cànain (f) - language
càs (m) - hardship	cuthach (m) - rage
faobhar (m) - edge of a blade	gaisgeach (m) - hero
gleans (m) - shine, finish	gràdh (m) - love
greim/grèim (m) - grip, a portion of food	mòran (m) - much, many, a lot
turas (m) - trip, journey, instance
bruach (f) - bank (of river &c)	corrag (f) - finger
dùrachd (f) - wish, tiding	feadhainn (f) - some, ones (collective noun)
làmh (f) - handle

**All exercises use the high register. As you do these think about the low colloquial forms you are likely to hear**.

EXERCISE 1 Translate into English
1.Bha mòran uinneagan beaga anns an t-seann chaisteal ann	2.'S toil leam flùraichean gorma ach 's beag orm an fheadhainn phurpaidh
3.Gheàrr mi mo chorrag air faobhar na sgeine gèire	4.Tha mo bhean a' glanadh nan soithichean salach
5.Thèid sinn a-rithist an sin an ath thuras	6.A bheil sibh eòlach air prìomh shràid a' bhaile ùir?
7.Tha e na amadan leis a' bhriogais ghoirid bhric air	8.Thug an duine deagh chomhairle dhuinn
9.Bha an dearg chuthach oirre le feirg mhòir	10.Tha na caoraich dhubha ag ithe an fheòir mhìlis
11a.Bha mi nam laighe fon ghrèin bhlàith 11b.Bha mi nam laighe ann an teas na grèine blàithe	12a.Bha an t-eun breac air druim an eich dhuibh 12b.Tha na h-eòin bheaga air druim na caorach duibhe
13a.Cùm grèim math air làmh a' chopain daoir 13b.Cùm an copan daor sin sàbhailte nad ghrèim	14a.Shuidh corra dhuine còmhla air a' chathair mhòir ghuirm 14b.Shuidh mi air an fheur ghrod fhliuch
15a.Fosgail doras an t-seòmair bhig 15b.Dùin doras na h-eaglaise bige	16a.Ràinig a h-uile duine mullach na beinne àirde 16b.Bha iad air mullach an t-seann chaisteil
17a.Chaidh e a-muigh anns an uisge throm 17b.Thàinig i a-staigh dhan t-seòmar bhlàth	18a.Bha a' ghlainne ghlan nam làimh dheis 18b.An robh am peann nad làimh chlì? Bha
19a.Tha dèideag bhriste aig a' chaileig òig 19b.Tha dèideag na caileige òige briste	20a.Tha an cat fon bhòrd bheag 20b.Tha an cù fon chathair bhig
21a.Dè tha ceàrr air spòg na piseige bige? 21b.Dè tha ceàrr air spòg a' choin bhig?	22a.'S e droch naidheachd a tha ann 22b.'S e deagh naidheachd a tha ann
23a.Tha seacaid dhonn agam le pòcaid mhòir oirre 23b.Tha pòcaid na seacaide duinne agam sracte	24a.'S toil leam gleans an fhuilt bhàin fhada aice 24b.'S toil leam gleans an fhuilt chèir ghoirid aige
25a.Chluich iad anns an allt gharbh 25b.Shiubhail iad air an abhainn ghairbh	26a.Tha iomadach duine ann dhen bharail neònaich sin 26b.Tha iomadh tè ann dhen bharail ghòraich sin
27a.Choimhead mi air obair a' bhalaich thruim 27b.Choimhead mi air obair na caileige truime	28a.Seo bata na cailliche doille 28b.Seo bata a' bhodaich dhoill
29a.Chuala mi an sgeul bho nighean an duine ghruamaich 29b.Chuala mi an naidheachd bho mhac na mnà gruamaich	30a.Bha na caileagan òga nan suidhe air an leabaidh bhuig chofhartail 30b.Bha na balaich òga nan suidhe air a' chloich fhuair chruaidh

**EXERCISE 2 Translate into English**
anns an àite shàbhailte; air oidhche chiùin; leis na balaich dhona
biadh nan cearc(an) dubha; eaglais a' bhaile mhòir; bruach na h-aibhne luaithe
air a' mhuir ghuirm; aig deireadh na sgeulachd fada; aig an uinneig fhosgailte
spòg a' chait dhuinn; làmh a' chopain chruinne; anns a' ghlainne chruinn
teas là ghrianaich; bhon oibriche dhìleas; anns an allt dhomhainn
fad a fuilt lèith; thairis air an drochaid chaoil; earball na lucha bige
comhairle duine ghlic; cobhair deagh charaid; blasad bainne ghoirt
ceòl a guth bhòidhich; air a' chois chlì agam; air na h-achaidhean gorma
teas nan teintean blàtha; cinn nam balach beaga; gràdh na caileige bàine

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 1**
1.There were many small windows in the old castle	2.I like blue flowers but I dislike the purple ones
3.I cut my finger on the edge of the sharp knife	4.My wife is cleaning the dirty dishes
5.We'll go there again next time	6.Are you acquainted with the main street of the new town?
7.He's a fool with his short speckled pattern trousers	8.The man gave us some good advice
9.She was delirious with a great anger	10.The black sheep are eating the sweet grass
11a.I was lying under the warm sun 11b.I was lying in the heat of the warm sun	12a.The speckled bird was on the back of the black horse 12b.The small birds were on the back of the black sheep
13a.Keep a good grip on the expensive cup 13b.Keep that expensive cup safe in your grip	14a.A few folk sat together on the big blue chair 14b.I sat on the rotten wet grass
15a.Open the door of the small room 15b.Close the door of the small church	16a.Everyone reached the top of the tall mountain 16b.They were on the roof of the old castle
17a.He went out in the heavy rain 17b.She came in to the warm room	18a.The clean glass was in my right hand 18b.Did you have a pen in your left hand? Yes
19a.The young girl has a broken toy 19b.The young girl's toy is broken	20a.The cat is under the wee table 20b.The dog is under the wee chair
21a.What wrong with the wee kitten's paw? 21b.What wrong with the wee dog's paw?	22a.It's bad news 22b.It's good news
23a.I have a brown jacket with a large pocket on it 23b.The pocket of my brown jacket is torn	24a.I like the shine of her long blond hair 24b.I like the shine of his short dark hair
25a.They played in the rough burn 25b.They travelled on the rough river	26a.Many a man is of that strange opinion 26a.Many a woman is of that silly opinion
27a.I looked at the work of the heavy boy 27b.I looked at the work of the heavy girl	28a.Here's the old blind woman's walking stick 28b.Here's the old blind man's walking stick
29a.I heard the story from the grumpy man's daughter 29b.I heard the news from the grumpy woman's son	30a.The young girls were sitting on the soft comfortable bed 30b.The young boys were sitting on the cold hard stone

**ANSWERS - EXERCISE 2**
in the safe place; on a calm night; with the bad boys
the food of the black hens; the city('s) church; the bank of the rapid river
on the blue sea; at the end of the long story; at the open window
the brown cat's paw; the handle of the round cup; in the round glass
the heat of a sunny day; from the loyal worker; in the deep burn
the length of her grey hair; over the narrow bridge; the tail of the small mouse
the advice of a wise man; the help of a good friend; the taste of sour milk
the music of her beautiful voice; on my left leg; on the green fields
the heat of the warm fires; the small boys' heads; the love of the fair girl

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