| Masculine nouns - | |||
| Article an in singular, na in plural | |||
| saighdear | a soldier | an saighdear | na saighdearan |
| seanair | a grandfather | an seanair | na seanairean |
| siol | a seed | an siol | na sìl |
| soitheach¹ | a dish | an soitheach | na soithichean |
| suidheachan | a seat | an suidheachan | na suidheachannan |
| slachdan | a rod, pestle | an slachdan | na slachdain |
| sneachd | snow | an sneachd | na sneachdannan |
| sruth | a stream | an sruth | na sruthan |
| Feminine nouns - | |||
| Article an t- in singular, na in plural | |||
| sàil | a heel | an t-sàil² | na sàilean |
| sìth | peace | an t-sìth | - |
| sòbhrach | a primrose | an t-sòbhrach | na sòbhraichean |
| soitheach¹ | a ship | an t-soitheach | na soithichean |
| sùil | an eye | an t-sùil | na sùilean |
| slochd | a pit | an t-slochd | na sluichd |
| snàthad | a needle | an t-snàthad | na snàthadan |
| sròn | a nose | an t-sròn | na sroinean |
¹ Note difference of gender with difference of meaning.
² After the an t-, s is always silent, so that an t-sàil
would be pronounced like an t-àil; an t-sùil like
an t-ùil, etc.
In the case of masculine nouns, the definite article takes the form an in the nominative and accusative singular.
Tha an suidheachan anns an sgoil.
The seat (or pew) is in the school.
Bhris am ministeir an suidheachan.
The minister broke the seat.
In the dative case the definite article takes the form an t-.
Tha am bradan anns an t-sruth.
The salmon is in the stream.
Tha boneid air an t-saighdear.
A cap is on the soldier
In the case of feminine nouns, the definite article takes the form an t- in the nominative, dative and accusative singular.
Tha an t-snàthad anns an aodach.
The needle is in the cloth.
Chaill i an t-snàthad air an làr.
She lost the needle on the floor
Chàirich i an t-aodach leis an t-snathaid.
She mended the clothes with the needle.
Changes in the feminine nouns themselves are due to their declension:
Leis an t-snàthaid
with the needle (Not *"leis an t-snathad")
Bhris e an uinneag leis an t-slait.
He broke the window with the rod. (Not *"leis an t-slat")
Briefly stated, with the feminine nouns of this section, the definite article takes the form an t- in the nominative, dative and accusative, while the masculine nouns take an t- in the dative. [The latter take an t- in the genitive case also, but we shall discuss the genitive later on.]
| Masculine nouns | |||
| samhradh, summer | seòmar, a parlour | ||
| salann, salt | siol, a seed | ||
| saoghal, world | sionnach, a fox | ||
| sealgair, a hunter | snàth, a thread, a quantity of thread | ||
| seòl, a sail | |||
| Feminine nouns | |||
| salm, a psalm | sleagh, a spear | ||
| sail, a beam | sreang, a string | ||
| slige, a shell | slat, a rod | ||
| searrag, a bottle | slighe, a way | ||
| suipeir, a supper | |||
| Verbs | |||
| bruich, boiled | chàirich, mended | ||
| ghabh, took | thuit, fell | ||
| chaidil, slept | chaidh, went | ||
| Adverbs | |||
| an dé, yesterday | a muigh, out | ||
| an diugh, to-day | a stigh, in | ||
| an nochd, to-night | a mach, out (motion outwards) | ||
| an raoir, last night | a steach, in (motion inwards) | ||
Tha an siol anns a' phoca. Chunnaic mi an t-each aig an t-siol anns a' mhaduinn. Tha solus anns an t-seòmar. Chuir a' bhean an salann anns an t-slige. Chaidil an sgoilear air an t-suidheachan. Fhuair mi na sòbhraichean aig an t-sruth an dé. Chàirich a' mhaighdean an t-aodach leis an t-snàth agus leis an t-snàthaid. Bha an cìobair a muigh air a' bheinn an raoir. Chunnaic e an sneachd anns a' ghleann. Thàinig e dhachaidh an nochd agus ghabh e suipeir anns an t-seòmar. Bha an sealgair air a' bheinn le gunna ach bha an saighdear anns a' chogadh le sleagh. Chaidh an cìobair a mach an diugh ach thuit e anns an t-slochd. Thàinig an sealgair a steach anns a' mhaduinn, chuir bean-an-taighe an t-searrag air a' bhòrd agus fhuair e deoch. Ghlac an t-òganach sionnach anns an toll, chunnaic e sreang air an t-slait, agus cheangail e an sionnach leis an t-sreing. Bha an t-iasgair aig an t-sruth leis an t-slait, ach bhris e an t-sreang agus chaill e am bradan. Chuir an t-searbhant a' mhin anns a' phoca. Mharbh an sealgair tonnag aig a' mheadhon-latha. Chunnaic an sionnach a' mharag anns an t-slige. Tha an t-sìd gu math anns an t-samhradh.
| QUESTIONS | ANSWERS |
| Am bi e a stigh? Will he be in? |
Bithidh e a stigh. He will be in. |
| Cha bhi e a stigh. He will not be in. |
|
| Am bi e anns an sgoil? Will he be in the school? |
Bithidh e anns an sgoil. He will be in the school. |
| Cha bhi e anns an sgoil. He will not be in the school. |
|
| C'àite am bi e? Where will he be? |
Bithidh e aig an taigh. He will be at the house. |
| C'uin' a bhitheas e aig an t-sruth? When will he be at the stream? |
Bithidh e aig an t-sruth a diugh / an nochd. He will be at the stream to-day / to-night. |
| C'uin' a thàinig an gille? When did the lad come? |
Thàinig e an raoir / an dé. He came last night / yesterday. |