Dative Case - Masculine Nouns

Dative plural nouns are identical to nominative plural nouns, and the plural definite article remains na :
Masculine plural nouns	balaich - boys na balaich - the boys le balaich - with boys leis na balaich - with the boys
Feminine plural nouns	bùthan - shops na bùthan - the shops ann am bùthan - in shops anns na bùthan - in the shops

**The Indefinite Noun**
The dative indefinite noun is identical to the nominative indefinite noun :
Nominative Indefinite Singular	Dative Indefinite Singular
bòrd - table	air bòrd - on a table
leabhar - book	le leabhar - with a book

The Definite Noun
The masculine dative singular noun undergoes identical initial changes as the feminine nominative singular definite nouns (see

The definite article of nouns beginning with d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp or st is identical to the nominative definite nouns. Combined forms of the definite article with the simple prepositions **bho**, de, do, fo, mu, ro and tro are maintained (see ) :
Nominative Definite Singular	Dative Definite Singular
an doras - the door	tron doras - through the door
an sgoilear - the pupil	leis an sgoilear - with the pupil
an taigh - the house	aig an taigh - at the house

The definite article of dative nouns beginning with a vowel drop the t- of the nominative definite article. Combined forms of the definite article with the simple prepositions **bho**, de, do, fo, mu, ro and tro are maintained (see ) :
Nominative Definite Singular	Dative Definite Singular
an t-òran - the song	leis an òran - with the song
an t-ùrlar - the floor	fon ùrlar - under the floor

Dative nouns beginning with sl, sn, **sr or s+vowel** have t- added to the definite article. Combined forms of the definite article with the simple prepositions **bho**, de, do, fo, mu, ro and tro are maintained (see ) :
Nominative Definite Singular	Dative Definite Singular
an seòl - the sail	air an t-seòl - on the sail
an seòmar - the room	anns an t-seòmar - in the room
an sneachd - the snow	leis an t-sneachd - with the snow
an saoghal - the world	mun t-saoghal - about the world

Nouns beginning with b, f, m, p, c or g all lenite in the dative. Combined forms of the definite article with the simple prepositions **bho**, de, do, fo, mu, ro and tro are maintained (see ), but with all other simple prepositions the definite changes to a' except for nouns beginning with f :
Nominative Definite Singular	Dative Definite Singular
am bòrd - the table	air a' bhòrd - on the table fon bhòrd - under the table
am feasgar - the evening	anns an fheasgar - in the evening den fheasgar - of the evening
am monadh - the moor	air a' mhonadh - on the moor dhan mhonadh - to the moor
am pàipear - the paper	anns a' phàipear - in the paper bhon phàipear
an cù - the dog	air a' chù - on the dog mun chù - about the dog
an gille - the boy	ris a' ghille - to the boy ron ghille - before the boy

**Adjectives**
bòidheach - beautiful	brèagha - lovely
ciùin - calm	donn - brown
luath - fast	mall - slow
stoirmeil - stormy	uaine - green

**Nouns**
achadh (m) - field	allt (m) - burn (stream)
aran (m) - bread	baile (m) - town
bainne (m) - milk	bogsa (m) - box
bòrd (m) - table	cèilidh (m) - ceilidh
cladach (m) - shore	cnoc (m) - hill
falt (m) - hair	feasgar (m) - evening
feur (m) - grass	fiadh (m) - deer
gleann (m) - glen	gual (m) - coal
iasg (m) - fish	ìm (m) - butter
monadh (m) - moor, mountain	òran (m) - song
pàipear (m) - paper	ròn (m) -seal
saoghal (m) - world	seòl (m) - sail
sgoilear (m) - pupil, scholar	sneachd (m) - snow
sruth (m) - stream	uisge (m) -water
ùrlar (m) - floor

**EXERCISE 1 Translate into English**
1.Tha caileag bhòidheach anns a' phàipear ann	2.Tha an cù donn beag ann fon bhòrd sin
3.An robh sibh air a' mhonadh? Bha	4.Tha an t-ìm air an aran glè mhath
5.Bha ròn ann air a' chladach	6.Tha an gleann sin brèagha air là ciùin
7.Bha e uabhasach stoirmeil anns an fheasgar	8.Chan eil uisge ann anns an t-sruth
9.Tha teine math teth ann bhon ghual seo	10.An robh e luath leis an t-seòl?
11.Bha sìth ann tron t-saoghal	12.Tha am bainne bhon fhiadh sin uabhasach math?
13.Nach eil aran ùr anns a' bhogsa ann? Tha	14.Bha an duine, leis a' chù, cho mall air a' chnoc
15.Tha taigh ann thairis air an t-sruth

**EXERCISE 2 Translate into Gàidhlig**
1.The dog is in the box under the table	2.There is (some) coal in the stream
3.Brown hair is very beautiful?	4.I was on the road to the town
5.A day on the moor is good for you(dhut)	6.The floor was wet with water
7.There is green grass in the field	8.The new house is near the fast burn
9.The shore is past the moor	10.Are they not going to the ceilidh in the town? No
11.There are no fish in the burn (There is not a fish in the burn)	12.The table in that room is very nice
13.There was water under the table	14.The boat was under sail
15.There was a seal in the water, and on the shore

**ANSWERS EXERCISE 1**
1.There is a beautiful girl in the paper	2.The small brown dog is under that table
3.Were you on the moor? Yes	4.The butter on the bread is very good
5.There was a seal on the shore	6.That glen is lovely on a calm day
7.It was really stormy in the evening	8.There is no water in the stream
9.There is a good hot fire from this coal	10.Was he quick with the sail?
11.There was peace through(out) the world	12.The milk from that deer is very good?
13.Isn't there fresh bread in the box? Yes	14.The man, with the dog, was so slow on the hill
15.There is a house there over the stream

**ANSWERS EXERCISE 2**
1.Tha an cù anns a' bhogsa fon bhòrd	2.Tha gual ann anns an t-sruth
3.Tha falt donn glè bhòidheach?	4.Bha mi air an rathad dhan bhaile
5.Tha là air a' mhonadh math dhut	6.Bha an làr fliuch le uisge
7.Tha feur gorm ann anns an achadh	8.Tha an taigh ùr faisg air an allt luath
9.Tha an cladach seachad air a' mhonadh	10.Nach eil iad a' dol dhan chèilidh anns a' bhaile? Chan eil
11.Chan eil iasg anns an allt ann	12.Tha am bòrd anns an t-seòmar sin glè shnog
13.Bha uisge ann fon bhòrd	14.Bha am bàta fo sheòl
15.Bha ròn ann anns an uisge, agus air a' chladach

dm©lelland - Faodar na leasanan seo ath-riochdachadh le aithneachadh dhan ùghdar
dm©lelland - These lessons may be reproduced with credit to the author