Third
declension nouns and practice
A
"declension" is nothing more than a
group of nouns that have some common grammatical
characteristics, usually concerning the way of
forming plurals and the genitive case. For the
third declension, the characteristic is the "
__ a " ending in the genitive (possessive)
singular. An example: ceacht (kyahk*t), a lesson;
ciall an cheachta (keel un HYAHK*T-uh), meaning
of the lesson.
Here
are some important nouns from this declension,
each with a phrase including the noun. The purpose
of the phrase is to help you remember the noun
and its forms, and also to give you some useful
short expressions.
Vocabulary
Masculine
(Firinscneach)
cíos
(kees), an chíosa, na cíosanna;
rent, of the rent, the rents; ag bailiú
an chíosa, collecting the rent.
gleann
(gloun), an ghleanna (un YLAN-uh), na gleannta
(nuh GLOUN-tuh); glen, of the glen, the glens.
(The
genitive of this word is pronounced like a shortened
version of un yuh-LAN-uh. Run the "yuh"
and "LAN" together after a few trials
of pronouncing it (un yuh-LAN-uh).
ciúnas
an ghleanna (KYOO-nuhs un YLAN-uh), the quiet
of the glen.
rang
(rahng), an ranga, na ranganna; class, of the
class, the classes; baill an ranga (beyel un RAHNG-uh),
members of the class.
éisteoir
(ay*sh-TYOH-ir), an t-éisteoir, an éisteora,
na héisteoirí; listener, the listener,
of the listener, the listeners.
ceist
an éisteora (kesht un ay*sh-TYOH-ruh),
the listener's question.
dath
(dah), an dath, an datha (DAH-huh), na dathanna
(nuh DAH-huh-nuh); color, the color, of the color,
the colors.
ag
toghadh an datha (uh TOH-uh), selecting the color.
cith
(ki), an cith, an cheatha (un HYA-huh), na ceathanna
(nuh KA-uh-nuh); shower, the shower, of the shower,
the showers.
níl
ann ach cith, it's only a shower; an tuar ceatha
(TOO-uhr), the rainbow.
droim
(drim), an droma (DROHM-uh), na dromanna; back,
of the back, the backs.
tinneas
droma; backache.
ceoltóir,
an cealtóir (kyohl-TOH-ir), an cheoltóra,
na ceoltóirí; musician, the musician,
of the musician, the musicians.
uirlis
an cheoltóra (IR-lish un hyohl-TOH-ruh);
the musician's instrument.
crios
(kris), an crios, an chreasa (un HYRAS-uh), na
criosanna; belt, the belt, of the belt, the belts.
ag
lorg mo chreasa (uh LOHR-uhg muh HYRAS-uh); looking
for my belt.
bláth,
an bláth (blaw*), an bhlátha (un
VLAW*-uh) na bláthanna (nuh BLAW*-uh-nuh);
flower, the flower, of the flower, the flowers.
áilleacht
an bhlátha (AW*-il-ahk*t un VLAW*-uh);
the flower's beauty.
scáth,
an scáth (skaw*), an scátha (un
SKAW*-uh), na scáthanna (nuh SKAW*-uh-nuh);
shadow, the shadow, of the shadow, the shadows.
in
aice an scátha ( in A-ke); next to the
shadow.
bainisteoir
bwin-ish-TYOH-ir), an bainisteoir, an bhainisteora
(un vwin-ish-TYOH-ruh), na bainisteoirí;
manager, etc.
oifig
an bhainisteora (IF-ig); the manager's office.
Feminine
(Baininscneach)
altóir
(ahl-TOH-ir), an altóir, na haltóra,
na haltóirí; altar, etc.
os
comhair na haltóra (ohs KOH-ir); in front
of the altar.
mil,
an mhil, (mil, un VIL), na meala (nuh MAL-uh);
honey, etc.
mí
na meala (mee); month of honey, or "honeymoon".
iarracht,
an iarracht (EER-ahk*t), na hiarrachta, na hiarrachtaí
(nuh HEER-ahk*t-ee); attempt, try.
ag
déanamh na hiarrachta (uh DAY*N-uhv nuh
HEER-ahk*t-uh); making the attempt.
casacht,
an chasacht (KAHS-uhk*t, un K*AHS-uhk*t-uh), na
casachta; cough, the cough, of the cough ( no
plural).
ag
leigheas na casachta (uh LEYE-uhs); curing the
cough.
fuil,
an fhuil (fwil un IL), na fola, na fola (nuh FOHL-uh);
blood, etc.
Domhnach
na Fola (DOH-nahk* nuh FOHL-uh); Bloody Sunday.
Verbs
scríobh,
ag scríobh (shkreev), write; scríobhann
sé, he writes; scríobhaidh sé
(SHKREEF-hee shay*), he will write.
teip,
ag teip (tep), fail; teipeann sé, he fails;
teipfidh sé (TEP-hee), he will fail.
mol,
ag moladh (muhl, uh MUHL-uh), praise; molann sé,
he praises; molfaidh sé (MUHL-hee), he
will praise.
Conversation
Aodán
(AY*-daw*n): Dia dhuit, a Aisling (ASH-ling).
Aisling:
Dia's Muire dhuit, a Aodáin (AY*-daw*-in).
Conas tá tú inniu?
Aodán:
Tá biseach orm inniu. Bhí tinneas
droma orm le tamall anois. (I'm getting better
today. I had a backache for a while now)
Aisling:
Bhí casacht orm ón Domhnach. Chuaigh
mé go oifig an bhainisteora sa cheap árasán
chun an cíos a íoc, agus ansin shiúil
mé trí na gleannta. Chonaic mé
áilleacht na mbláthanna sa ghleann,
lena ndathanna. (I had a cough since Sunday. I
went to the manager's office in the apartment
house to pay the rent, and then I walked through
the glens. I saw the beauty of the flowers in
the glen, with their colors.)
Aodán:
Caithfidh mé (KAH-hee may*) iarracht eile
a dhéanamh chun dul ann amárach
tar éis mo ranga. Anois, feicim na ceolteoirí
ag gabháil siar an bóthar (uh guh-VWAW*-il
SHEE-uhr un BOH-uhr), á n-ullmhú
don chéilí, is dócha (aw*
NUL-vwoo dohn HYAY*-lee is DOHK*-uh). ( I must
try again to go there tomorrow after my class.
Now, I see the musicians going west along the
road, getting themselves ready for the céilí,
probably.)
Aisling:
Mhol gach éisteoir iad an tseachtain seo
caite. Bhí siad go hiontach (HOON-tuhk*).
(Every listener praised them last week. They were
wonderful.)
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