#firinscneach-agus-baininscneach

[not-that-debonair]

One of my favourite funky little language facts is that both German and Irish get shit for the word for girl not being feminine (Mädchen being neuter and cailín being masculine) and despite not being hugely similar languages it is for literally the exact same reason.

(I’m sure a load of other languages have that too but these are the two I know of so)

Fíricín fhánach teanga amháin is fearr liom go bhfaigheann Gearmáinis agus Gaeilge cac mar níl a bhfocal ar chailín baininscneach (tá Mädchen neodrach agus tá cailín firinscneach) agus in ainneoin nach bhfuil siad ró-chosúil le cheile ó thaobh na teangeolaíochta de, tarlaíonn sé díreach ar an gcúis chéanna.

(Táim lánchinnte go dtarlíonn sé le lán teangacha eile ach is iad sin na samplaí go bhfuil fhios agam faoi)

[toinghaeilge]

The Neuter Noun and its Repercussions

When the neuter gender dropped out of the language, words were reassigned to masculine and feminine, which resulted in a few words having different gender in different regions. 

In Placenames

The old Irish neuter noun caused an eclipsis (or its equivalent today), and evidence of the neuter gender can still be found in certain placenames:

Modern Irish Magh-Breagh (Modern day Meath, Louth and Dublin) was Mag-mBreg

Dadreen in Galway translates to dá dtriain, or two thirds. What should stick out to you is that in Modern Irish, dhá thrian is used.

If the word following a neuter noun begins with a vowel, the letter n is prefixed to the vowel. 

Gortnanuv (Limerick): Gort na n-Ubh

Lough Neagh comes from Loch nEachach, which was also alternatively anglicised as Lough-Eaugh. 

In Munster Irish

Ubh

The Proto-Indo-European h₂ōwyóm gave rise to the Latin ovum, modern Irish ubh, French œuf and many other modern European equivalents. These then, by extension, formed the English oval and Irish adjective ubhach (egg-like) and noun ubhchruth (egg shape). 

While ubh is feminine everywhere else, it is a masculine noun in Munster Irish.

Ainm

Ainm is a feminine noun in Munster Irish, and masculine everywhere else:

An ainm (feminine) An t-ainm (masculine)

In standard Irish, though, ubh is listed as feminine and ainm as masculine. 

[toingaeilge]

The Neuter Noun and its Repercussions

When the neuter gender dropped out of the language, words were reassigned to masculine and feminine, which resulted in a few words having different gender in different regions. 

In Placenames

The old Irish neuter noun caused an eclipsis (or its equivalent today), and evidence of the neuter gender can still be found in certain placenames:

Modern Irish Magh-Breagh (Modern day Meath, Louth and Dublin) was Mag-mBreg

Dadreen in Galway translates to dá dtriain, or two thirds. What should stick out to you is that in Modern Irish, dhá thrian is used.

If the word following a neuter noun begins with a vowel, the letter n is prefixed to the vowel. 

Gortnanuv (Limerick): Gort na n-Ubh

Lough Neagh comes from Loch nEachach, which was also alternatively anglicised as Lough-Eaugh. 

In Munster Irish

Ubh

The Proto-Indo-European h₂ōwyóm gave rise to the Latin ovum, modern Irish ubh, French œuf and many other modern European equivalents. These then, by extension, formed the English oval and Irish adjective ubhach (egg-like) and noun ubhchruth (egg shape). 

While ubh is feminine everywhere else, it is a masculine noun in Munster Irish.

Ainm

Ainm is a feminine noun in Munster Irish, and masculine everywhere else:

An ainm (feminine) An t-ainm (masculine)

In standard Irish, though, ubh is listed as feminine and ainm as masculine. 

[toinghaeilge]

Roimh vs. Sula

Sula and roimh both mean before. Sula is a conjunction and comes before a verb, while roimh is a preposition and precedes a noun. In other words, sula joins two ideas, while roimh give us a relative idea.

Beidh ort fanacht tamall sula gcuirfidh tú ort í

Rinne mé m'obair roimh dhinnéar Sheas mé roimh an uisce

Notice that roimh takes séimhiú while sula triggers urú. The past tense sular also takes a séimhiú.

Note

I have also crafted a sneaky wee opportunity to explain something else: we know that uisce, as a masculine noun, should take a t- prefix when it is a definite article: an t-uisce.

However, when we are referring to a body of water, it should remain an uisce. 

Try it

Translate these:

1. She was here before then 2. Before he bought the car

Hover below for answers

1. Bhí sí anseo roimhe sin 2. Sula cheannaigh sé an carr

[toinghaeilge]

Not Always an Exception

I have written about identifying gender before and listed some general rules.

Cailín, being the diminutive of caile (f), is masculine.

However, an ending might sometimes imply that the noun is a certain gender when it is actually the other. These are exceptions, and one such example would be beainín (f), little woman, which is both a diminutive and a feminine noun.

Muinín (f) would also appear to be an exception to the rule, but this is one instance where it isn’t an exception — muinín isn’t a dimunitive: it comes from Middle Irish muinigin. 

[toinghaeilge]

Plurals 2: With Adjectives

When nouns are plural, the adjectives attached to them must also take plural forms. Here is a general guide on the various plural forms for adjectives:

Ending in a vowel

These usually do not change with the plural noun (exceptions include breá → breátha and te → teo)

tanaí → daoine tanaí

One syllable

Often, adjectives with one syllable get an -a suffix in the plural for broad ending nouns, and -e for slender ending nouns:

mór → buachaillí móra binn → guthanna binne

Adjectives already in plural forms

Adjectives that are already in the plural form take on their singular forms:

Ending in -úil

Adjectives ending -úil become -úla:

fear dathúil → fir dathúla

Ending in -air

Adjectives ending -air become -ra:

leabhar deacair → leabhair dheacra

Feminine nouns

The adjectives here do not take a séimhiú:

oíche fhuar → oícheanta fuar

Masculine nouns ending in slender syllables

These will take a séimhiú:

amhr��n fada → amhráin fhada

Try it

Translate these:

1. Sweet apples 2. Small books 3. Soft ears 4. Common questions (Hint: you can spot this somewhere on Butt Gaeilge)

Hover below for answers

1. Úlla mhilse 2. Leabhair bheaga 3. Cluasa boga 4. Ceisteanna coitianta

[toinghaeilge]

The Article in the Genitive Case

Revisiting the Genitive Case:

Introduction: When is it used?

All posts related to the Genitive Case

In the genitive case, the singular article can be na instead of an. This is used when the noun is feminine.

So we can have an doras, and the singular doras na scoile.

Compare the genitive cases of doras (masculine) and tine (feminine) with the singular article:

ag oscailt an dorais ag lasadh na tine

And for masculine nouns beginning with ‘S’ (with some exceptions), the genitive singular offers the t- prefix.

doras an tsiopa dath na súile

In the genitive case, definite articles with a séimhiú lose them, while those without gain them. Compare the masculine fear with the feminine fuinneog:

An fear An fhuinneog

→ →

Obair an fhir Ag glanadh na fuinneoige

Try it

Translate these:

1. The school board 2. County championship 3. Nightfall

Hover below for answers

1. Bord an scoile 2. Craobh an chontae 3. Titim na hoíche

[toinghaeilge]

Rules: Gender Nouns

Masculine words

Definite article beginning with a consonant: no change (an pobal)

Definite article beginning with a vowel: t-prefix (an t-uisce)

Adjectives: no change (fear bocht)

Genitive case: noun, an, then second noun with séimhiú and, in most cases, a slightly different spelling (Oifig an Phoist)

Note: Certain words do not change in the genitive case (lána bus) Certain phrases do not have an in the middle (cúirt leadóige)

Feminine words

Definite articles beginning with consonants: séimhiú (an chistin)

Definite article beginning with a vowel: no change (an oifig)

Definite articles beginning with s: t-prefix (an tseachtain)

Adjectives: séimhiú (beoir fhuar)

Genitive case: noun, na, then second noun with, in most cases, a slightly different spelling (Cumann na mBan)

Further reading: The Article in the Genitive

Note: Certain words do not change in the genitive case (Cogadh na Saoirse) Certain phrases do not have na in the middle (mála scoile)

The most common exception to these rules are words beginning with D, N, T, L, or S. If these letters are next to each other in a sentence, the second word doesn’t get a séimhiú.

Also, t-prefixes only apply to the definite article, and not when it is in the genitive or with a preposition. (chonaic mé an t-iriseoir but ar an iriseoir; obair an iriseora)

However, with attribute adjectives, we have an exception to the exception: an bhean dheas is correct.

Identifying Genders

Try it

Translate these:

1. The game 2. The woman 3. Nightfall

Hover below for answers

1. An cluiche 2. An bhean 3. Titim na hoíche / teacht na hoíche

[toinghaeilge]

Identifying Gender

How do you know which nouns are feminine and which are masculine? The basis of words being masculine or feminine is not very regular. Fear is masculine, bean is feminine, but cailín is masculine. Generally, words associated with women are feminine, such as cistin, cuisneoir, clann, ceol, and ealín and words associated with men are masculine, such as carr, ríomhaire, and teach. However, most seem completely arbitrary.

I do not recommend memorising the rules below because the gender of a noun becomes easier to decipher as you become more familiar with the language. You’ll soon realise that phrases like an chóisir sound right and ones like an aerfort don’t.

The below are some general guidelines, but they’re not golden rules by any means:

Masculine

Most professions

Words ending in -adh, -amh, -aí, -án, -ar, -aire, -as, -éara, -aeir, -éir, -eoir, -óir, -úir, -éad, -ste, -ú, -ún, -úr

Words ending in -ín (diminutive)

Bisyllabic words ending in -a (such as mála)

Monosyllabic words ending in -cht (such as bocht)

Derivatives using -ach (Éireannach, Gearmánach, Sasanach, Caitliceach)

Feminine

Country names (except Sasana, Ceanada, Meiriceá)

Languages (except Béarla)

Words ending in -áil, -aíl, -eog, -óg, -seach, -lann, -íocht

Polysyllabic words ending in -acht (such as Gaeltacht)

Words ending in -ach, except derivatives (such as báisteach)

Try it

Are the following words masculine or feminine?

1. Cailín 2. Doras 3. Spúnóg

Hover below for answers

1. Masculine 2. Masculine 3. Feminine

Rules for Each Gender Helpful chart for identifying nouns

[toingaeilge]

Roimh vs. Sula

Sula and roimh both mean before. Sula is a conjunction and comes before a verb, while roimh is a preposition and precedes a noun. In other words, sula joins two ideas, while roimh give us a relative idea.

Beidh ort fanacht tamall sula gcuirfidh tú ort í

Rinne mé m'obair roimh dhinnéar Sheas mé roimh an uisce

Notice that roimh takes séimhiú while sula triggers urú. The past tense sular also takes a séimhiú.

Note

I have also crafted a sneaky wee opportunity to explain something else: we know that uisce, as a masculine noun, should take a t- prefix when it is a definite article: an t-uisce.

However, when we are referring to a body of water, it should remain an uisce. 

Try it

Translate these:

1. She was here before then 2. Before he bought the car

Hover below for answers

1. Bhí sí anseo roimhe sin 2. Sula cheannaigh sé an carr

[toingaeilge]

Not Always an Exception

I have written about identifying gender before and listed some general rules.

Cailín, being the diminutive of caile (f), is masculine.

However, an ending might sometimes imply that the noun is a certain gender when it is actually the other. These are exceptions, and one such example would be beainín (f), little woman, which is both a diminutive and a feminine noun.

Muinín (f) would also appear to be an exception to the rule, but this is one instance where it isn’t an exception — muinín isn’t a dimunitive: it comes from Middle Irish muinigin. 

[toingaeilge]

Plurals 2: With Adjectives

When nouns are plural, the adjectives attached to them must also take plural forms. Here is a general guide on the various plural forms for adjectives:

Ending in a vowel

These usually do not change with the plural noun (exceptions include breá → breátha and te → teo)

tanaí → daoine tanaí

One syllable

Often, adjectives with one syllable get an -a suffix in the plural for broad ending nouns, and -e for slender ending nouns:

mór → buachaillí móra binn → guthanna binne

Adjectives already in plural forms

Adjectives that are already in the plural form take on their singular forms:

Ending in -úil

Adjectives ending -úil become -úla:

fear dathúil → fir dathúla

Ending in -air

Adjectives ending -air become -ra:

leabhar deacair → leabhair dheacra

Feminine nouns

The adjectives here do not take a séimhiú:

oíche fhuar → oícheanta fuar

Masculine nouns ending in slender syllables

These will take a séimhiú:

amhrán fada → amhráin fhada

Try it

Translate these:

1. Sweet apples 2. Small books 3. Soft ears 4. Common questions (Hint: you can spot this somewhere on Butt Gaeilge)

Hover below for answers

1. Úlla mhilse 2. Leabhair bheaga 3. Cluasa boga 4. Ceisteanna coitianta

[toingaeilge]

The Article in the Genitive Case

Revisiting the Genitive Case:

Introduction: When is it used?

All posts related to the Genitive Case

In the genitive case, the singular article can be na instead of an. This is used when the noun is feminine.

So we can have an doras, and the singular doras na scoile.

Compare the genitive cases of doras (masculine) and tine (feminine) with the singular article:

ag oscailt an dorais ag lasadh na tine

And for masculine nouns beginning with ‘S’ (with some exceptions), the genitive singular offers the t- prefix.

doras an tsiopa dath na súile

In the genitive case, definite articles with a séimhiú lose them, while those without gain them. Compare the masculine fear with the feminine fuinneog:

An fear An fhuinneog

→ →

Obair an fhir Ag glanadh na fuinneoige

Try it

Translate these:

1. The school board 2. County championship 3. Nightfall

Hover below for answers

1. Bord an scoile 2. Craobh an chontae 3. Titim na hoíche

[toingaeilge]

Rules: Gender Nouns

Masculine words

Definite article beginning with a consonant: no change (an pobal)

Definite article beginning with a vowel: t-prefix (an t-uisce)

Adjectives: no change (fear bocht)

Genitive case: noun, an, then second noun with séimhiú and, in most cases, a slightly different spelling (Oifig an Phoist)

Note: Certain words do not change in the genitive case (lána bus) Certain phrases do not have an in the middle (cúirt leadóige)

Feminine words

Definite articles beginning with consonants: séimhiú (an chistin)

Definite article beginning with a vowel: no change (an oifig)

Definite articles beginning with s: t-prefix (an tseachtain)

Adjectives: séimhiú (beoir fhuar)

Genitive case: noun, na, then second noun with, in most cases, a slightly different spelling (Cumann na mBan)

Further reading: The Article in the Genitive

Note: Certain words do not change in the genitive case (Cogadh na Saoirse) Certain phrases do not have na in the middle (mála scoile)

The most common exception to these rules are words beginning with D, N, T, L, or S. If these letters are next to each other in a sentence, the second word doesn’t get a séimhiú.

Also, t-prefixes only apply to the definite article, and not when it is in the genitive or with a preposition. (chonaic mé an t-iriseoir but ar an iriseoir; obair an iriseora)

However, with attribute adjectives, we have an exception to the exception: an bhean dheas is correct.

Identifying Genders

Try it

Translate these:

1. The game 2. The woman 3. Nightfall

Hover below for answers

1. An cluiche 2. An bhean 3. Titim na hoíche / teacht na hoíche

[toingaeilge]

Identifying Gender

How do you know which nouns are feminine and which are masculine? The basis of words being masculine or feminine is not very regular. Fear is masculine, bean is feminine, but cailín is masculine. Generally, words associated with women are feminine, such as cistin, cuisneoir, clann, ceol, and ealín and words associated with men are masculine, such as carr, ríomhaire, and teach. However, most seem completely arbitrary.

I do not recommend memorising the rules below because the gender of a noun becomes easier to decipher as you become more familiar with the language. You’ll soon realise that phrases like an chóisir sound right and ones like an aerfort don’t.

The below are some general guidelines, but they’re not golden rules by any means:

Masculine

Most professions

Words ending in -adh, -amh, -aí, -án, -ar, -aire, -as, -éara, -aeir, -éir, -eoir, -óir, -úir, -éad, -ste, -ú, -ún, -úr

Words ending in -ín (diminutive)

Bisyllabic words ending in -a (such as mála)

Monosyllabic words ending in -cht (such as bocht)

Derivatives using -ach (Éireannach, Gearmánach, Sasanach, Caitliceach)

Feminine

Country names (except Sasana, Ceanada, Meiriceá)

Languages (except Béarla)

Words ending in -áil, -aíl, -eog, -óg, -seach, -lann, -íocht

Polysyllabic words ending in -acht (such as Gaeltacht)

Words ending in -ach, except derivatives (such as báisteach)

Try it

Are the following words masculine or feminine?

1. Cailín 2. Doras 3. Spúnóg

Hover below for answers

1. Masculine 2. Masculine 3. Feminine

Rules for Each Gender Helpful chart for identifying nouns