Third declension nouns and practice

Remember that in this group of nouns, the genitive singular ends in "-a." Plurals form in various ways, so that each noun must be learned separately.

Vocabulary


Masculine (firinscneach) Nouns

rás (raw*s), an rás, an rása, na rásaí; race, the race, of the race, the races.

anam (AH-nuhm), an t-anam, an anama (AH-nuh-muh), na hanamacha (HAH-nuh-mahk*-uh); soul, etc.

conradh (KOHN-ruh), an conradh, an chonartha (K*OHN-uhr-huh), na conarthaí (KOHN-uhr-hee),; contract, etc. This word also means "league", and Conradh na Gaeilge is "The Gaelic League"; ag síniú an chonartha (SHEEN-yoo); signing the contract.

feirmeoir (fer-im-OH-ir), an feirmeoir, an fheirmeora, na feirmeoirí; farmer, etc.



Feminine (bainiscneach) Nouns

filíocht, (FIL-ee-ohk*t), an fhilíocht, na filíochta, (no plural); poetry, etc.; ag foghlaim filíochta, learning poetry.

tabhacht (TOU-uhk*t), an tabhacht, na tabhachta, (no plural); importance, etc.

milseacht (MIL-shahk*t), an mhilseacht (VIL-shahk*t), na milseachta, (no plural); sweetness; ag blaiseadh na milseachta (BLASH-uh), tasting the sweetness.

áilleacht (AW*-il-ahk*t), an áilleacht, na háilleachta, (no plural); beauty, etc.; ag moladh a háilleachta, praising her beauty; caighdeán na háilleachta (keye-DAW*N), the standard of beauty.

bochtaineacht (BOHK*T-in-ahk*t), an bhochtaineacht, na bochtaineachta, (no plural); poverty, etc.; ualach na bochtaineachta (OO-uh-lahk*), the burden of poverty.

cráifeacht (KRAW*-fahk*t), an chráifeacht, na cráifeachta, (no plural); piety, devotion; ag cleachtadh cráifeachta ((KLAK*-tuh), practicing piety.


Verbs

lean, ag leanúint (lan-OO-int), follow; leanann sé, he follows; leanfaidh sé (LAN-hee), he will follow; ag leanúint an bhainisteora, following the manager.

ordaigh (OHR-dee), ag ordú, order; ordaíonn sé (ohr-DEE-uhn), he orders; ordóidh sé (ohr-DOH-ee), he will order; d'ordaigh sé leabhar dom, he ordered a book for me.

réitigh (RAY*-tee), ag réiteach (uh RAY*-tyahk*), solve; réitíonn sé (ray*-TEE-uhn), he solves; réiteoidh sé (ray*-TYOH-ee), he will solve; ag réiteach na faidhbe (FEYE-be), solving the problem. (réitigh also means "smooth out," "unravel," "set in order;" réitigh sé an teach, he set the house in order; réiteoidh mé an bord, I will set the table).


Compound prepositions with the genitive

i lár (i LAW*R), in the middle of; i lár an tseomra (TOHM-ruh), in the middle of the room.

i rith (i RI), during; i rith an cheachta (HYAHK*T-uh), during the lesson.


Adjectives

beo (byoh), alive

marbh (MAHR-ruhv), dead

Adjectives derived from some of the words in this lesson are:

tábhachtach (TOU-uhk*-tuhk*), important; níos tábhachttaí (nees TOU-uhk*-tee), more important.

anamúil (AH-nuh-MOO-il), lively, spirited; níos anamúla, livelier.

cráifeach (KRAW*-fahk*), devout; níos cráifí (KRAW*-fee), more devout.



By pacing prefixes in front of adjectives, the meaning of the adjective can be changed, as in English. The prefix "mí-" is an example.

It is equivalent to "un-" or "dis-" in English.

Examples:

macánta (mah-KAW*N-tuh), honest, becomes, mímhacánta (mee-vuh-KAW*N-tuh), dishonest.

compordach becomes míchompordach (mee-k*ohm-POHR-dahk*), uncomfortable.

sásta; míshásta (mee-HAW*S-tuh); satisfied, dissatisfied.

dílis; mídhílis (mee-YEE-lish); loyal, disloyal.



"Mí" always causes aspiration of a consonant, if the consonant can be aspirated. "Mí" cannot be added to every adjective. For example: "daor" (day*r), expensive, and "saor" (say*r), cheap or free, are opposites, but "mí" cannot be added to either.


CONVERSATION (COMHRÁ)

Deirdre (DIR-dre): Dia dhuit, A Fheilim.

Feilim (FEL-im): Dia's Muire dhuit, a Dheirdre (YIR-dre). Cé'n chaoi (KAY*-hee) bhfuil tú inniu?

Deirdre: Tá mé go maith anois. Agus conas tá tú féin?

Feilim: Níos fearr ná a bhí mé inné. Beagnach marbh (BYUHG-nahk* MAHR-ruhv) a bhí mé, le slaghdán (sleye-DAW*N). Bhí fiabhras (FEE-vruhs) orm, freisin, agus d'fhan mé sa leaba ó mhaidin go tráthnóna.

Deirdre: Ar cuireadh fios ar an dochtúir?

Feilim: Cuireadh, go cinnte. D'ordaigh sé mé fanúint sa leaba.

Deirdre: Ar tháinig sé go dtí do theach, mar sin (HAW*-nig)?

Feilim: Níor tháinig. Labhair mé leis ar an guthán, agus tá orm bheith sásta leis sin.



Translation:

Deirdre: Hello, Feilim.

Feilim: Hello, Deirdre. How are you today?

Deirdre: I am well now. And how are you?

Feilim: Better than I was yesterday. Nearly dead I was, with a cold. I had a temperature (fever), too, and I stayed in bed from morning to evening.

Deirdre: Was the doctor sent for?

Feilim: He was, certainly. He ordered me to stay in bed.

Deirdre: Did he come to your house, then?

Feilim: He didn't. I spoke with him on the phone, and I have to be satisfied with that.

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