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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