6. The article: Nouns with the Article
With the Plurals
Noun Meaning article with article
cù dog an cù na coin
cat cat an cat na cait
ceann head an ceann na cinn
cnoc hill an cnoc na cnuic
càrn cairn an càrn na càirn
dùn fort an dùn na dùin
duine man an duine na daoine
dreas bramble an dreas na dreasan
na drisean
dearc berry an dearc na dearcan
damh ox an damh na daimh
earb roe an earba na h-earban
eala swan an eala na h-ealan
gille lad an gille na gillean
iolair eagle an iolair na h-iolairean
làmh hand an làmh na làmhan
làr floor an làr na làir
long ship an long na longan
loch loch an loch na lochan
loth filly an loth na lothan
laogh calf an laogh na laoigh
ròn seal an ròn na ròin
radan rat an radan na radain
spòg paw an spàg na spògan
toll hole an toll na tuill
tarbh bull an tarbh na tairbh
teine fire an teine na teintean
teas heat an teas -
sgeir rock an sgeir na sgeirean
ubhal apple an ubhal na h-ùbhlan
uaimh cave an uaimh na h-uamhan
The verb "BI"
Present tense
| Tha mi | I am | Tha sinn | we are |
| Tha thu | thou art | Tha sibh | you are |
| Tha e, i | he, it, she is | Tha iad | they are |
Past tense
| Bha mi | I was | Bha sinn | we were |
| Bha thu | thou wert | Bha sibh | you were |
| Bha e, i | he, it, she was | Bha iad | they were |
It will be necessary at this point, also, to know the present
tense of the "Assertive Form" of the verb `to be'. It is as follows:
[Note: the following would normally nowadays be called "the copula"
rather than being considered part of the same verb. - CPD]
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
| Is mi | it is I | Is sinn | it is we |
| Is thu | it is thou | Is sibh | it is you |
| Is e, i | it is he, it, she | Is iad | it is they |
Examples
| QUESTION FORMS | ANSWER FORMS |
| Dé tha seo? | What is this? | Is e seo cù. | This is a dog. |
| Dé tha sin? | What is that? | Is e sin cat. | That is a cat. |
|
| An e seo tarbh? | Is e seo tarbh. |
| Is this a bull? | This is a bull. |
| or | Chan e seo tarbh. |
| This is not a bull. |
|
| Am beil an cù aig an dorus? | Tha an cù aig an dorus. |
| Is the dog at the door? | The dog is at the door. |
| or | Chan eil an cù aig an dorus. |
| The dog is not at the door. |
|
| C'àite am beil an cù? * | Tha an cù aig an teine. |
| Where is the dog? | The dog is at the fire. |
Prepositions
| aig |
at |
ann an |
in (a) |
le |
with (a) |
| air |
on |
anns |
in (the) |
leis |
with (the) |
Leughadh
Tha an cù aig an dorus. Tha an cat air an làr. Tha
an eala air an loch. Tha an ròn air an sgeir. Tha ceann
air an duine. Tha an laogh agus an tarbh anns an achadh.
Tha dùn air cnac agus tha duine anns an dùn. Dé tha
seo? Is e seo toll. Dé tha anns an toll? Tha luch anns
an toll. C'àite am beil an loth? Tha an loth anns an
stàbull. Tha an gille aig an dorus le laogh. An e sin
an gille? Chan e sin an gille ach an duine. Tha làmhan
air an duine, tha casan air an loth, agus tha spògan air
cat. Dé tha sin? Is e sin gual. C'àite am beil an gual?
Tha an gual anns an teine. Bha na gillean aig an lock.
Bha long air an loch. An e sin an loch? Chan e sin an
loch ach an sgeir. C'àite am beil an sgeir? Tha an sgeir
anns an loch. Dé tha seo? Is e seo ubhal? C'àite am beil
an ubhal? Tha ùbhlan air an truinnsear. Am beil an
ròn anns an uaimh? Chan eil an ròn anns an uaimh.
Am beil long air an loch? Tha. C'àite am beil an gille?
Bha an gille air na cnuic leis na coin. C'àite am beil an
eala? Tha an eala air an loch. Co chunnaic an iolair?
Chunnaic an gille an iolair air an dùn.
Additional Words used in Reading:
| achadh |
a field |
gual |
coal |
| luch |
a mouse |
ach |
but |
| stàbull |
a stable |
truinnsear |
a plate |
| Co? |
who? |
chunnaic |
saw |
