THE FOURTH
DECLENSION OF NOUNS
This group of
nouns is the simplest in one respect: the genitive or possessive form
is the same as the basic or nominative form. An example: bosca
(BOHSK-uh), an bosca, an bhosca, na boscaí (BOHSK-ee); box,
the box, of the box, the boxes.
The word bosca
is masculine. A feminine noun of this declension is banaltra (BAHN-uhl-truh),
an bhanaltra, na banaltra, na banaltraí (nuh BAHN-uhl-tree);
nurse, the nurse, of the nurse, the nurses.
There are several
plural endings in this declension. One common one is an "-í"
(ee) added to nouns ending in "-a"
Examples:
Masculine
babhta (BOU-tuh),
an babhta, an bhabhta (VWOU-tuh), na babhtaí; bout, etc.
cárta (KAW*R-tuh),
an cárta, an chárta, na cártaí; card,
etc.
fógra (FOHG-ruh),
an fógra, an fhógra (OHG-ruh), na fógraí;
notice, advertisement, etc.
Feminine
bearna (BAR-nuh),
an bhearna (VAR-nuh), na bearna, na bearnaí; gap, blank space
in a questionnaire, etc.
eala (AH-luh),
an eala, na heala, na healaí; swan, etc.
mala (MAHL-uh),
an mhala (VWAHL-uh), na mala, na malaí; eyebrow, etc.
Not all fourth-declension
nouns ending in "-a" form their plural in this way. Another
way: Most masculine fourth-declension nouns ending in "-ín"
(een) add "-í" for the plural. Examples:
cailín,
an cailín, an chailín, na cailíní; girl,
etc.
toitín
(ti-TYEEN), an toitín, an toitín, na toitíní;
cigarette, etc.
gairdín
(gahr-DEEN), an gairdín, an ghairdín, na gairdíní;
garden, etc.
Here are some
phrases that contain some fourth-declension nouns in various forms:
ar eagla na heagla
(ah-gluh); in fear of fear, meaning "just in case, to be on the
safe side."
lá an dreoilín
(droh-LEEN); wren day.
duine na dúiche
(DOO-i-he); a person of the district.
ar shlí
na firinne (er hlee nuh FEER-in-ye); (literally: on the way of the
truth), gone to eternal reward, dead.
Vocabulary
of fourth-declension nouns
Masculine (firinscneach)
hata (HAH-tuh),
an hata, an hata, na hataí; hat, etc.
páiste
(PAW*SH-te), an páiste, an pháiste (FAW*SH-te), na páistí;
child, etc.
práta (PRAW*-tuh),
an práta, an phráta, na prátaí; potato,
etc.
nia (NEE-uh),
an nia, an nia, na nianna; nephew, etc.
seomra, an seomra,
an tseomra, na seomraí; room, etc.
cóta, an
cóta, an chóta, na cótaí; coat, etc.
céilí
(KAY*-lee), an céilí, an chéilí, na céilithe
(KAY*-li-he); dance, etc.
balla (BAHL-uh),
an balla, an bhalla (VWAHL-uh), na ballaí; wall, etc.
gloine (GLIN-e),
an gloine, na ghloine, na gloiní; glass, etc.
gúna (GOON-uh),
an gúna, an ghúna, na gúnaí; dress, etc.
Feminine (baininscneach)
bá (BAW*),
an bhá (VWAW*), na bá, na bánna; bay, etc.
eorna (OHR-nuh),
an eorna, na heorna, (no plural); barley, etc.
oíche (EE-he),
an oíche, na hoíche, na hoícheanta (HEE-huhn-tuh);
night, etc.
léine (LAY*-ne),
an léine, na léine, na léinte; shirt, etc.
saoirse (SEER-she),
an tsaoirse (un TEER-she), na saoirse, (no plural); freedom, etc.
Adjectives
álainn
(AW*-lin) is "beautiful", but dathúil (dah-HOO-il)
is "handsome:, na madraí dathúla (MAH-dree dah-HOO-luh),
the handsome dogs.
Is dathúla
Seán ná Brían; Seán is handsomer than
Brian.
oiriúnach
(ir-OON-ahk*), suitable. Seomra oiriúnach, seomraí oiriúnacha;
a suitable room, suitable rooms.
Tá Gráinne
níos oiriúnaí don phost ná Treasa (GRAW*N-ye;
ir-OON-ee; fohst; TRAS-uh); Gráinne is more suitable for the
job than is Treasa.
clúiteach
(KLOO-tyahk*), famous; filí clúiteacha, famous poets.
Is clúití
Gráinne ná Eilís; Gráinne is more famous
than Eilís.
ceomhar (KYOH-wuhr),
foggy; ceomhaire, foggier
deonach (DYOHN-ahk*),
voluntary, volunteer; oibritheoir deonach (ib-ri-HOH-ir), a volunteer
worker.
A Volunteer in
the Irish Republican Army is óglach (OHG-lahk*), an t-Óglach,
an Óglaigh (OHG-lee), na hÓglaigh; Volunteer, the Volunteer,
of the Volunteer, the Volunteers.
Sean-Óglach
is a former or veteran Volunteer.
Dictionaries
By now, you have
enough Irish grammar to need many more words than these lessons can
give you. You are also meeting new Irish words and forms of speech
that you have not seen in these lessons. Dictionaries, grammars, and
manuals will be helpful to you now. Here are some of the materials
available:
Foclóirí
(foh-KLOH-ir-ee)
Foclóir
Gaeilge-Béarla (Irish-English dictionary), ed. Niall Ó
Dónaill.
This is the largest
and most modern one. It superseded that of an t-Athair Ó Duinnín
(Dineen's dictionary).
English-Irish
Dictionary, ed. Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
This is the leading
one, offering many examples of good style and alternative expressions.
The book requires patience and care by the beginner, because of its
comprehensiveness.
There are smaller
dictionaries, too. The Learner's Irish-English and English-Irish Dictionaries
are examples. The two have been bound together into a single small
volume printed by Talbot Press.
Simple grammars
include the familiar Progress in Irish. For those who have finished
this, the Réchúrsa Gramadaí, by Brian Mac Giolla
Phádraig, is a next step. It is almost entirely in Irish, and
it has countless examples of usage, extensive word lists, and paradigms
or form changes for verbs and nouns.
Anois is Arís
is a language manual and practice book for the RTÉ language
programs on television in Ireland. The authors, Donall Ó Baoill
and Éamon Ó Tuathail, have oriented the program and
book toward situations, and you will be able to understand and benefit
from the book,
These books are
readily available at Irish stores and can be ordered through many
other stores having contacts with Irish publishers.
Would
you like to learn Irish Gaelic with audio pronunciation?
You
can really start to learn to speak Irish with Bitesize Irish Gaelic.
It's a full online learning program.
- Would you like
to make a connection with Ireland?
- And speak the
native language of the Irish?
- Do you find
it difficult to learn from reading only text?
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Irish
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of days, you'll get a mini-series of free Irish language lessons. Each
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