PRONUNCIATION
REVIEW
Pronounce the combinations "adh" and "agh" as (eye)
when they are in accented or initial syllables.
Examples:
adharc (EYE-uhrk), horn; radharc (REYE-uhrk), view;
fadhb (feyeb), problem; aghaidh (EYE-ee), face;
laghad (LEYE-uhd), smallness; saghas (seyes), sort.
If an "i" or "e" follows the "adh" or "agh," an
"i" will be needed between the "a" and the "adh"
or "agh"; the spelling becomes "aidh" or "aigh."
The (eye) sound is retained.
Examples:
taighde (TEYE-de), research; aighneas (EYE-nuhs),
dispute; caighdeán (keye-DAW*N), standard;
saighdiúir (seye-DYOO-ir), soldier.
The "i" is added, too, if a consonant after the
"adh" or "agh" is to have its slender sound.
Examples:
aidhm (eyem), aim; maidhm (meyem), explosion. Make
sure that the broad "m" sound in "adhmad" differs
from the slender "m" sound in "aidhm."
If the "adh", "aidh" or "aigh" is at a word end
and unaccented, the sound may be either (uh) or
(ee). Examples:
samhradh (SOU-ruh), summer; samhraidh (SOU-ree),
of summer; ceannaigh (KAN-ee), buy.
The group "agh" is rare at the end of a word. Where
it occurs in misspelled Irish place names, it usually
should be "ach".
For all the above rules, memorize the examples,
not the rules.
Grammar
First-declension nouns are all masculine and end
in a broad consonant, with "a, o, u" before the
consonant. The plural form of these nouns often
is the same as the genitive singular that we have
studied in the last two lessons. Examples are:
bád (baw*d), an bháid (uh VWAW*-id),
na báid (nuh BAW*-id); boat, of the boat,
the boats.
cuntas (KOON-tuhs), an chuntais (uh K*OON-tish),
na cuntais (nuh KOON-tish), account, of the account,
the accounts.
Here, "na" means "the" in the plural. Use the plural
forms given above in sentences like:
Téann (TAY*-uhn) na báid amach; the
boats go out.
Téann báid amach; boats go out.
Feiceann sé (FEK-uhn shay*) na báid;
he sees the boats
Feiceann sé báid; he sees boats.
Note that this plural form is the same whether the
word is the subject or the object.
Other first-declension nouns form the plural differently.
Here are examples:
úll
(ool), apple; becomes "úlla" (OOL-uh), apples,
and "na húlla" (nuh HOOL-uh), the apples.
Note that an "h" is added here in front of the vowel.
dán (daw*n), poem; becomes "dánta"
(DAW*N-tuh), poems, and "na dánta", the poems.
bealach (BAL-uhk*), road; becomes "bealaí"
(BAL-ee), roads, and "na bealaí", the roads.
carr (kahr), car; becomes "carranna" (KAHR-uh-nuh),
cars, and "na carranna", the cars.
Learn the plural for each new noun in the vocabulary
lists.
Vocabulary
Here are more first declension nouns. Learn the
genitive singular and the plural for each:
Cupán (ku-PAW*N), an cupán, an chupáin
(uh k*u-PAW*-in), na cupáin; cup, the cup,
of the cup, the cups.
ciseán (kish-AW*N), an ciseán, chiseáin
(uh hyish-AW*-in), na ciseáin; basket, etc.
rothar (ROH-huhr), an rothar, an rothair (uh ROH-hir),
na rothair; bicycle, etc.
airgead (AR-i-guhd), an t-airgead, an airgid (uhn
AR-i-gid), na hairgid; money, etc.
ceann (kyoun), an ceann, an chinn (uh hyin), na
cinn (nuh kin); head, one of anything, etc.
lasán (luh-SAW*N), an lasán, an lasáin
(uh luh-SAW*-in), na lasáin; match (inflammable),
etc.
bóthar (BOH-uhr), an bóthar, an bhóthair
(uh VWOH-ir), na bóithre (nuh BOH-i-re);
road, the road, of the road, the roads.
páipéar (paw*-PAY*R), an páipéar,
an pháipéir (uh faw*-PAY*-ir), na
páipéir; paper, etc.
solas (SUH-luhs), an solas, an tsolais (uh TUH-lish),
na soilse (nuh SEYEL-she); light, etc
amhrán (ou-RAW*N), an t-amhrán, an
amhráin (uhn ou-RAW*-in), na hamhráin;
song, etc.
droichead (DRUH-huhd), an droichead, an droichid
(uh DRUH-hid), na droichid; bridge, etc.
ticéad (ti-KAY*D), an ticéad, an ticéid
(uh ti-KAY*D), na ticéid; ticket, etc.
i gcionn (i GYOON) at the end of (with genitive)
i láthair (i LAW*-hir) in the presence of
(with genitive)
ar chúl (er K*OOL), behind (with genitive)
de bharr (de VWAHR), on account of (with genitive)
Drill
Form phrases, with the genitive, from the following
word groups. As an example:
ag dúnadh: an doras; ag dúnadh an
dorais.
solas; an rothar
dath; an páipéar
os cionn (ohs KYOON); an lasán
praghas (preyes); an ciseán
ag léamh; an leabhar
ag cailleadh (KEYE-luh); an t-airgead
ar chúl; an cupán
tar éis; an t-amhrán
os comhair (ohs KOH-wir); an droichead
in aice (in AK-e); an bóthar
ag briseadh; an cupán
in aice; an ceann eile
le linn (le LIN); an lón
See the Key after the comhrá to verify your
answers.
Comhrá
(KOH-raw*); conversation
Seán
(shaw*n): Nach uafásach an aimsir í,
a Shéamais? (nahk* woo-FAW*S-uhk* un EYEM-sheer
ee, uh HAY*-mish) John: Isn't the weather terrible,
James?
Séamas
(SHAY*-muhs): Tá sí níos dona
ná anuraidh (nees DUH-nuh naw* uh-NOOR-ee).
Ní raibh mé amuigh le linn an lae
(le LIN uh LAY*). It's worse than last year. I wasn't
out during the day.
Seán:
Tá mé ag déanamh oibre
(uh DAY*N-uh IB-re) ag baile inniu. Beidh an bháisteach
anseo i gcúpla uair (be un VWAW*SH-tuhk*
uhn-SHUH i GOOP-luh OO-ir). I am doing work at home
today. The rain will be here in a couple of hours.
Séamas:
Beidh sé ag cur báistí go luath
(uh KUR BAW*SH-tee goh LOO-uh). Rachaidh mé
abhaile (RAHK*-hee may* uh-VWAHL-e), agus beidh
mé ag léamh mo nuachtáin (NOO-uhk*-TAW*-in)
tar éis an dinnéir (tuhr AY*SH uh
din-YAY*R). It will be raining soon (putting of
rain). I shall go home, and I will be reading my
newspaper after dinner.
Note:
"Obair," work, is a feminine noun, and its genitive
singular is "oibre," of work. "Báisteach,"
too, is feminine, so that "the rain" is "an bháisteach".
Key
to drill: Solas an rothair (uh RUH-hir), the
bicycle's light; dath an páipéir,
the paper's color; os cionn an lasáin, above
the match; praghas an chiseáin, price of
the basket; ag léamh an leabhair, reading
the book; ag cailleadh an airgid, losing the money;
ar chúl an chupáin, behind the cup;
tar éis an amhráin, after the song;
os comhair an droichid, in front of the bridge;
in aice an bhóthair, beside the road; ag
briseadh an chupáin, breaking the cup; in
aice an chinn eile (uh HYIN EL-e), beside the other
one; le linn an lóin, during the lunch.
(c)
1999 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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