Generally speaking, with nouns in S followed by a consonant, the definite article takes the form "an" in the nominative, accusative dative singular, and "na" in the plural. E.g.:
Tha an sgadan anns a' mhuir.
The herring is in the sea.Ghlac an t-iasgair an sgadan. *
The fisherman caught the herring.Tha an sporan anns a' phòcaid.
The purse is in the pcket.Tha an t-airgiod anns an sporan.
The money is in the purse.
There is a difference, however, when we have nouns in S - followed by l, n, r, or by a vowel. Before dealing with these, we shall illustrate the general nouns in S by a short paragraph of Reading.
| Masculine | |
| stiùir, a rudder | sgarbh, a cormorant |
| sgiobair, a skipper | stòl, a stool |
| sgòrr, a cliff or peak | stàbull, a stable |
| Feminine | |
| sgeir, a rock | speal, a scythe |
| sguab, a brush, sheaf | spàin, a spoon |
| smeòrach, a mavis | staidhir, a stair |
| stoirm, a storm | spòg, a paw |
| spaid, a spade | spuir, a claw |
| Verbs | ||
| gheàrr, cut | cheangail, tied | ghleus, sharpened |
Bha mise anns a' bhàta an dé. Shuidh an sgiobair aig an stiùir. Thàinig an stoirm agus bhris am bàta air na sgeirean. Chunnaic na h-iasgairean an sgarbh air an sgòrr. Cheangail an gille an t-each anns an stàbull. Sheas a' chaileag air an staidhir ach shuidh am balach air an stòl. Chuala mi an smeòrach anns a' choille, agus chunnaic mi an cat anns an uinneig. Chuir an cat na spògan air a' ghloinne, ach mharbh e an t-eun leis na spuirean. bha an tuathanach anns an achadh le spaid. Ghleus e an speal agus gheàrr e am feur. Bhris a' chaileag an sguab agus thilg i an spàin anns an teine. Chunnaic mi stiùir air an traigh agus fhuair mi partan aig an taigh-bhata. Ghleus Seumas an t-inneal-bhuana. Cheangail an luchd-buana na sguaban. Bhris an saor am fiodh leis an spaid. Bhris an stoirm na craobhan anns an fhogharadh.
| QUESTIONS | ANSWERS | |
| Có gheàrr a' chraobh? | Gheàrr an tuathanach a' chraobh. | |
| C'àite an robh an smeòrach? | Bha an smeòrach anns a' choille. | |
| Dé bha air an sgòrr? | Bha sgarbh air an sgòrr. | |
| Có chunnaic an sgarbh? | Chunnaic na h-iasgairean an sgarbh. | |
| C' uin' a thàinig a' chaileag? | Thàinig i an diugh. |