91ȱ

Definite article nominative singular case - an

1. The definite article in the nominative singular case - an

1. (a)

an is used before feminine words beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, and u).

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
aibidilan aibidilthe alphabet
aghaidhan aghaidhthe face
eaglaisan eaglaisthe church
ealaan ealathe swan
ìԱan ìԱthe nail
inntinnan inntinnthe mind
ò岹an ò岹the thumb
osagan osagthe breeze
uaimhan uaimhthe cave
ù𾱰an ù𾱰the wire
Indefinite formaibidil
Definite forman aibidil
Meaningthe alphabet
Indefinite formaghaidh
Definite forman aghaidh
Meaningthe face
Indefinite formeaglais
Definite forman eaglais
Meaningthe church
Indefinite formeala
Definite forman eala
Meaningthe swan
Indefinite formìԱ
Definite forman ìԱ
Meaningthe nail
Indefinite forminntinn
Definite forman inntinn
Meaningthe mind
Indefinite formò岹
Definite forman ò岹
Meaningthe thumb
Indefinite formosag
Definite forman osag
Meaningthe breeze
Indefinite formuaimh
Definite forman uaimh
Meaningthe cave
Indefinite formù𾱰
Definite forman ù𾱰
Meaningthe wire

1. (b)

an is used before masculine words beginning with c, g, and s.

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
cleasaichean cleasaichethe actor
cliabhan cliabhthe creel
gruthan gruththe crowdie
ùٳ󲹲an ùٳ󲹲the liver
sluaghan sluaghthe crowd
soitheachan soitheachthe vessel
Indefinite formcleasaiche
Definite forman cleasaiche
Meaningthe actor
Indefinite formcliabh
Definite forman cliabh
Meaningthe creel
Indefinite formgruth
Definite forman gruth
Meaningthe crowdie
Indefinite formùٳ󲹲
Definite forman ùٳ󲹲
Meaningthe liver
Indefinite formsluagh
Definite forman sluagh
Meaningthe crowd
Indefinite formsoitheach
Definite forman soitheach
Meaningthe vessel

1. (c)

an is used before masculine and feminine nouns beginning with d, l, n, r, and t.

Remind yourself of how to use an before these masculine nouns:

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
ò󲹲an ò󲹲the hope
òan òthe pool
neachan neachthe person
reothadhan reothadhthe frost
trosgan trosgthe cod
Indefinite formò󲹲
Definite forman ò󲹲
Meaningthe hope
Indefinite formò
Definite forman ò
Meaningthe pool
Indefinite formneach
Definite forman neach
Meaningthe person
Indefinite formreothadh
Definite forman reothadh
Meaningthe frost
Indefinite formtrosg
Definite forman trosg
Meaningthe cod

Remind yourself of how to use an before these feminine nouns:

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
ì𲹲an ì𲹲the inheritance
èԱan èԱthe shirt
nigheanan nigheanthe girl
èan èthe race
targaidan targaidthe target
Indefinite formì𲹲
Definite forman ì𲹲
Meaningthe inheritance
Indefinite formèԱ
Definite forman èԱ
Meaningthe shirt
Indefinite formnighean
Definite forman nighean
Meaningthe girl
Indefinite formè
Definite forman è
Meaningthe race
Indefinite formtargaid
Definite forman targaid
Meaningthe target

1. (d)

an is used before feminine nouns beginning with the letter s, apart from those beginning with sl, sn, sr, or s + vowel.

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
sgeulachdan sgeulachdthe story
sgaitan sgaitthe skate (fish)
sgeilpan sgeilpthe shelf
sgiathan sgiaththe shield, the wing
smuainan smuainthe thought
èan èthe ice skate
spirisan spiristhe perch
ٰìan ٰìthe conflict
stoidhlean stoidhlethe style
Indefinite formsgeulachd
Definite forman sgeulachd
Meaningthe story
Indefinite formsgait
Definite forman sgait
Meaningthe skate (fish)
Indefinite formsgeilp
Definite forman sgeilp
Meaningthe shelf
Indefinite formsgiath
Definite forman sgiath
Meaningthe shield, the wing
Indefinite formsmuain
Definite forman smuain
Meaningthe thought
Indefinite formè
Definite forman è
Meaningthe ice skate
Indefinite formspiris
Definite forman spiris
Meaningthe perch
Indefinite formٰì
Definite forman ٰì
Meaningthe conflict
Indefinite formstoidhle
Definite forman stoidhle
Meaningthe style

1. (e)

an is also used before feminine nouns beginning with the letter f followed by a vowel. A feminine word like this requires the letter h to be inserted before the vowel when using the definite article. Take faoileag (a seagull), for example. It becomes an fhaoileag.

Indefinite formDefinite formMeaning
faiceallan fhaiceallthe care
àٱan fhàiltethe welcome
feargan fheargthe anger
èan fhèillthe sale, the market
fiacailan fhiacailthe tooth
foisan fhoisthe peace
fuaimreagan fhuaimreagthe vowel
fuilan fhuilthe blood
Indefinite formfaiceall
Definite forman fhaiceall
Meaningthe care
Indefinite formàٱ
Definite forman fhàilte
Meaningthe welcome
Indefinite formfearg
Definite forman fhearg
Meaningthe anger
Indefinite formè
Definite forman fhèill
Meaningthe sale, the market
Indefinite formfiacail
Definite forman fhiacail
Meaningthe tooth
Indefinite formfois
Definite forman fhois
Meaningthe peace
Indefinite formfuaimreag
Definite forman fhuaimreag
Meaningthe vowel
Indefinite formfuil
Definite forman fhuil
Meaningthe blood

Related links