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.)

(c) 1999 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.