Practice
with fourth-declension nouns
In this
declension, the genitive (possessive) form has the same
ending as the basic form. Plurals of the nouns form in several
ways, so that you must learn them noun by noun.
Review
of changes in the noun in the singular. First masculine
nouns:
aoí
(ee), an t-aoí, an aoí, na haíonna
(HEE-uh-nuh); guest, the guest, of the guest, the guests.
The word begins with a vowel, "a" here, so a "t"
precedes it in "the guest". Because the noun starts
with a vowel, the genitive has no letter prefixed.
Phrases
with the word "aoí":
Is aoí
í; she is a guest.
D'imigh
an t-aoí; the guest left.
Cá
bhfuil (vwil) seomra an aoí?; where is the guest's
room?
Íosfaidh
(EES-hee) na haíonna; the guests will eat.
Ghlan
siad seomra na n-aíonna; they cleaned the guest room.
Coiste
(KISH-te), an coiste, an choiste (K*ISH-te), na coistí;
committee, the committee, of the committee, the committees.
In the genitive, the initial "c" becomes aspirated.
Phrases
with the word "coiste":
Chuir
sé coiste ann; he put a committee there.
Molann
siad an coiste; they praised the committee.
D'fhág
(daw*g) mé bord an choiste amuigh (ah-MWEE); I left
the committee's table outside.
Gheobhaidh
(YOH-ee) sé na coistí; he will get the committees.
Ag míniú
(MEEN-yoo) na gcoistí; explaining the committees.
In the genitive plural, eclipsis occurs after "na",
so a "g" sound replaces the "c" sound
here.
seic
(shek), an seic, an tseic (tek), na seiceanna; check, the
check, of the check, the checks (banking term). In the genitive
singular, a "t" sound replaces (eclipses) the
"s" sound.
Phrases
with the word "seic":
Fuair
mé seic eile; I got another check.
Scríobhaidh
(SHKREEF-hee) sé an seic; he will write the check.
Ag bailiú
(BAHL-yoo) an tseic; collecting the check.
Chuir
sé na seiceanna sa bhanc; he put the checks in the
bank.
Ag milleadh
(MIL-uh) na seiceanna; destroying the checks.
If the
masculine noun begins with sl, sn, or sr, the genitive singular
prefixes a "t" sound after the word "an",
meaning "of the". The "t" sound eclipses
the sound of the "s". Examples:
sloinne
(SLIN-ye), family name; lucht an tsloinne (TLIN-ye), people
of the name.
sneachta
(SHNAHK*-tuh), snow; dath an tsneachta (TNAHK*-tuh), the
snow's color.
sraithchíste
(srah-HYEESH-te), layer cake; ag bácáil an
tsraithchíste (uh baw*-KAW*-il un trah-HYEESH-te),
baking the layer cake.
If the
masculine noun begins with sc, sm, or st, however, then
the genitive singular stays unchanged, even after "an",
of the. Examples:
scála
(SKAW*-luh), scale; ar chúl an scála, behind
the scale.
smitín
(smi-TYEEN), sharp blow, tap; i ndiaidh an smitín
sin (in YEE-uhn smi-TYEEN shin), after that sharp blow.
spóca
(SPOH-kuh), spoke; ag gearradh an spóca (uh GYAHR-uhn
SPOH-kuh), cutting the spoke.
stábla
(STAW*B-luh), stable; in aice an stábla (in AK-uhn
STAW*B-luh), next to the stable.
Reviewing
feminine nouns in the fourth declension:
ola
(OH-luh), an ola, na hola, na holaí: oil, the oil,
of the oil, the oils. The word begins with a vowel, "o"
so an "h" is prefixed to it after "na,"
of the.
Phrases
with the word "ola":
ceannóidh
mé ola; I will buy oil.
sheiceáil
(hek-AW*-il) sé an ola; he checked the oil.
in aice
na hola; next to the oil.
Chonaic
(k*uh-NIK) siad na holaí; they saw the oils.
Ag meascadh
(MASK-uh) na n-olaí; mixing the oils.
bá
(baw*), an bhá (vwaw*), na bá, na bánna;
bay, the bay, of the bay, the bays. Aspiration of the initial
"b" occurs in the basic form after "an",
the, but not in the genitive singular.
Phrases
with the word "bá".
feicim
(FEK-im) bá; I see a bay.
is í
sin an bhá; that's the bay.
Ar thaobh
(HAYV) eile na bá; on the other side of the bay.
Bhí
na bánna tanaí (TAH-nee); the bays were shallow.
Os comhair
(KOH-ir) na mbánna (MAW*-nuh); in front of the bays.
slí
(shlee), an tslí (tlee), na slí, na slite
(SHLI-te); way (road), the way, of the way, the ways.
Phrases
with the word "slí":
Fuaireamar
slí; we found a way.
Tar
an tslí seo; come this way.
Ag fáil
na slí; finding the way.
Tá
na slite dorcha (DUHR-uh-huh); the roads are dark.
Ag foghlaim
na slite; learning the roads.
Feminine
nouns beginning with sn or sr also have a "t"
that eclipses the initial "s" in the basic form:
sní
(shnee), an tsní (tuh-NEE), na sní, (no plural);
flow or pouring.
sruthlíne
(sru-LEEN-e), an tsruthlíne (tru-LEEN-e), na sruthlíne,
na sruthlínte; streamline, etc.
Feminine
nouns beginning with sc, sm, or st do not undergo this eclipsis:
scige,
an scige (SHKIG-e); mockery, the mockery.
smearaithne,
an smearaithne (smar-AN-uh); slight acquaintance, etc.
spleá,
an spleá (splaw*); dependence, the dependence.
státchairde,
an státchairde (staw*t-K*AHRD-e); moratorium, etc.
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