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 form | Definite form | Meaning |
aibidil | an aibidil | the alphabet |
aghaidh | an aghaidh | the face |
eaglais | an eaglais | the church |
eala | an eala | the swan |
ìԱ | an ìԱ | the nail |
inntinn | an inntinn | the mind |
ò岹 | an ò岹 | the thumb |
osag | an osag | the breeze |
uaimh | an uaimh | the cave |
ù | an ù | the wire |
Indefinite form | aibidil |
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Definite form | an aibidil |
Meaning | the alphabet |
Indefinite form | aghaidh |
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Definite form | an aghaidh |
Meaning | the face |
Indefinite form | eaglais |
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Definite form | an eaglais |
Meaning | the church |
Indefinite form | eala |
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Definite form | an eala |
Meaning | the swan |
Indefinite form | ìԱ |
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Definite form | an ìԱ |
Meaning | the nail |
Indefinite form | inntinn |
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Definite form | an inntinn |
Meaning | the mind |
Indefinite form | ò岹 |
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Definite form | an ò岹 |
Meaning | the thumb |
Indefinite form | osag |
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Definite form | an osag |
Meaning | the breeze |
Indefinite form | uaimh |
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Definite form | an uaimh |
Meaning | the cave |
Indefinite form | ù |
---|---|
Definite form | an ù |
Meaning | the wire |
1. (b)
an is used before masculine words beginning with c, g, and s.
Indefinite form | Definite form | Meaning |
cleasaiche | an cleasaiche | the actor |
cliabh | an cliabh | the creel |
gruth | an gruth | the crowdie |
ùٳ | an ùٳ | the liver |
sluagh | an sluagh | the crowd |
soitheach | an soitheach | the vessel |
Indefinite form | cleasaiche |
---|---|
Definite form | an cleasaiche |
Meaning | the actor |
Indefinite form | cliabh |
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Definite form | an cliabh |
Meaning | the creel |
Indefinite form | gruth |
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Definite form | an gruth |
Meaning | the crowdie |
Indefinite form | ùٳ |
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Definite form | an ùٳ |
Meaning | the liver |
Indefinite form | sluagh |
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Definite form | an sluagh |
Meaning | the crowd |
Indefinite form | soitheach |
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Definite form | an soitheach |
Meaning | the 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 form | Definite form | Meaning |
ò | an ò | the hope |
ò | an ò | the pool |
neach | an neach | the person |
reothadh | an reothadh | the frost |
trosg | an trosg | the cod |
Indefinite form | ò |
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Definite form | an ò |
Meaning | the hope |
Indefinite form | ò |
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Definite form | an ò |
Meaning | the pool |
Indefinite form | neach |
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Definite form | an neach |
Meaning | the person |
Indefinite form | reothadh |
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Definite form | an reothadh |
Meaning | the frost |
Indefinite form | trosg |
---|---|
Definite form | an trosg |
Meaning | the cod |
Remind yourself of how to use an before these feminine nouns:
Indefinite form | Definite form | Meaning |
ì | an ì | the inheritance |
èԱ | an èԱ | the shirt |
nighean | an nighean | the girl |
è | an è | the race |
targaid | an targaid | the target |
Indefinite form | ì |
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Definite form | an ì |
Meaning | the inheritance |
Indefinite form | èԱ |
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Definite form | an èԱ |
Meaning | the shirt |
Indefinite form | nighean |
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Definite form | an nighean |
Meaning | the girl |
Indefinite form | è |
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Definite form | an è |
Meaning | the race |
Indefinite form | targaid |
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Definite form | an targaid |
Meaning | the 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 form | Definite form | Meaning |
sgeulachd | an sgeulachd | the story |
sgait | an sgait | the skate (fish) |
sgeilp | an sgeilp | the shelf |
sgiath | an sgiath | the shield, the wing |
smuain | an smuain | the thought |
è | an è | the ice skate |
spiris | an spiris | the perch |
ٰì | an ٰì | the conflict |
stoidhle | an stoidhle | the style |
Indefinite form | sgeulachd |
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Definite form | an sgeulachd |
Meaning | the story |
Indefinite form | sgait |
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Definite form | an sgait |
Meaning | the skate (fish) |
Indefinite form | sgeilp |
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Definite form | an sgeilp |
Meaning | the shelf |
Indefinite form | sgiath |
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Definite form | an sgiath |
Meaning | the shield, the wing |
Indefinite form | smuain |
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Definite form | an smuain |
Meaning | the thought |
Indefinite form | è |
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Definite form | an è |
Meaning | the ice skate |
Indefinite form | spiris |
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Definite form | an spiris |
Meaning | the perch |
Indefinite form | ٰì |
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Definite form | an ٰì |
Meaning | the conflict |
Indefinite form | stoidhle |
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Definite form | an stoidhle |
Meaning | the 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 form | Definite form | Meaning |
faiceall | an fhaiceall | the care |
àٱ | an fhàilte | the welcome |
fearg | an fhearg | the anger |
è | an fhèill | the sale, the market |
fiacail | an fhiacail | the tooth |
fois | an fhois | the peace |
fuaimreag | an fhuaimreag | the vowel |
fuil | an fhuil | the blood |
Indefinite form | faiceall |
---|---|
Definite form | an fhaiceall |
Meaning | the care |
Indefinite form | àٱ |
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Definite form | an fhàilte |
Meaning | the welcome |
Indefinite form | fearg |
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Definite form | an fhearg |
Meaning | the anger |
Indefinite form | è |
---|---|
Definite form | an fhèill |
Meaning | the sale, the market |
Indefinite form | fiacail |
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Definite form | an fhiacail |
Meaning | the tooth |
Indefinite form | fois |
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Definite form | an fhois |
Meaning | the peace |
Indefinite form | fuaimreag |
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Definite form | an fhuaimreag |
Meaning | the vowel |
Indefinite form | fuil |
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Definite form | an fhuil |
Meaning | the blood |