These ordinal numbers are adjectives which we use before a noun, còigeamh latha, dàrna àite, etc. If we use the definite article with the noun, we treat the ordinal number as a noun of the same gender as the noun following it. The article will follow the rules for masculine or feminine nouns in each case:
with masculine nouns | with feminine nouns |
an còigeamh latha | a’ chòigeamh oidhche |
air a’ chòigeamh latha | air a’ chòigeamh oidhche |
obair a’ chòigeamh latha | obair na còigeamh oidhche |
an siathamh taigh | an t–siathamh oifis |
anns an t–siathamh taigh | anns an t–siathamh oifis |
coltas an t–siathamh taighe | coltas na siathamh oifise |
an seachdamh taigh | an t–seachdamh oifis |
anns an t–seachdamh taigh | anns an t–seachdamh oifis |
coltas an t–seachdamh taighe | coltas na seachdamh oifise |
an t–ochdamh taigh | an ochdamh oifis |
anns an ochdamh taigh | anns an ochdamh oifis |
coltas an ochdamh taighe | coltas na h–ochdamh oifise |
The rules for each case are summarised below for reference. Remember, it is the first letter of the ordinal number and the gender of the noun it precedes we are using here.
MASCULINE | FIREANN | |||||
NOMINATIVE | DATIVE | GENITIVE | |||
FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE | FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE | FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE |
b, f, m, p | am | b, c, g, m, p | a’ _h | b, c, g, m, p | a’ _h |
vowels (a,e,i,o,u) | an t– | f | an _h | f | an _h |
sl, sn, sr, s+vowel | an t– | sl, sn, sr, s+vowel | an t– | ||
all other letters | an | all other letters | an | all other letters | an |
+ Noun is Slenderised |
FEMININE | BOIREANN | |||||
NOMINATIVE | DATIVE | GENITIVE | |||
FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE | FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE | FIRST LETTER | ARTICLE |
b, c, g, m, p | a’ _h | b, c, g, m, p | a’ _h | Consonant | na |
f | an _h | f | an _h | ||
sl, sn, sr, s+vowel | an t– | sl, sn, sr, s+vowel | an t– | ||
all other letters | an | all other letters | an | vowels (a,e,i,o,u) | na h– |
+ Noun is Slenderised |
The exception to this rule is a’ chiad. This used to follow the same pattern, but these days it is used as a’ chiad with both masculine and feminine nouns. However you may still see na ciad with feminine nouns in the genitive (possessive) case: oileanach na ciad bhliadhna.
Summaries of the rules for articles with each case along with examples are given below for reference.
MASCULINE | FIREANN
NOMINATIVE (NOMINAL) | DATIVE (PREPOSITIONAL) | GENITIVE (POSSESSIVE) | |||||
FIRST LETTER | NOUN | ARTICLE | with NOMINATIVE | ARTICLE | with DATIVE | ARTICLE | with GENITIVE |
b | bonnach | am | am bonnach | a’ _h | anns a’ bhonnach | a’ _h | blas a’ bhonnaich |
m | ministear | am | am ministear | a’ _h | aig a’ mhinistear | a’ _h | guth a’ mhinisteir |
p | peitean | am | am peitean | a’ _h | air a’ pheitean | a’ _h | putan a’ pheitein |
f | fleasgach | am | am fleasgach | an _h | aig an fhleasgach | a’ _h | peitean an fhleasgaich |
c | cluaran | an | an cluaran | a’ _h | air a’ chluaran | a’ _h | dath a’ chluarain |
g | gealladh | an | an gealladh | a’ _h | leis a’ ghealladh | a’ _h | buaidh a’ gheallaidh |
sl | sluagh | an | an sluagh | an t– | anns an t–sluagh | an t– | meud an t–sluaigh |
sn | snasadh | an | an snasadh | an t– | anns an t–snasadh | an t– | buaidh an t–snasaidh |
sr | sruthan | an | an sruthan | an t– | anns an t–sruthan | an t– | blas an t–sruthain |
s+vowel | seòmar | an | an seòmar | an t– | anns an t–seòmar | an t– | doras an t–seòmair |
vowels (a,e,i,o,u) | athair | an t– | an t–athair | an | air an athair | an | mac an athar |
all other letters | doras | an | an doras | an | aig an doras | an | deoch an dorais |
FEMININE | BOIREANN
NOMINATIVE (NOMINAL) | DATIVE (PREPOSITIONAL) | GENITIVE (POSSESSIVE) | |||||
FIRST LETTER | NOUN | ARTICLE | with NOMINATIVE | ARTICLE | with DATIVE | ARTICLE | with GENITIVE |
b | banais | a’ _h | a’ bhanais | a’ _h | air a’ bhanais | na | bean na bainnse |
c | cairt | a’ _h | a’ chairt | a’ _h | air a’ chairt | na | beulaibh na cairte |
g | glainne | a’ _h | a’ ghlainne | a’ _h | anns a’ ghlainne | na | bonn na glainne |
m | màthair | a’ _h | a’ mhàthair | a’ _h | aig a’ mhàthair | na | nighean na màthar |
p | pìob | a’ _h | a’ phìob | a’ _h | aig a’ phìob | na | ceòl na pìoba |
f | fèis | an _h | an fhèis | an _h | aig an fhèis | na | latha na fèise |
sl | slàinte | an t– | an t–slàinte | an t– | an t–slàinte | na | math na slàinte |
sn | snàthad | an t– | an t–snàthad | an t– | leis an t–snàthad | na | crò na snàthaid |
sr | sreang | an t– | an t–sreang | an t– | leis an t–sreang | na | dath na sreanga/sreinge |
s+vowel | seirm | an t– | an t–seirm | an t– | leis an t–seirm | na | binneas na seirme |
vowels (a,e,i,o,u) | oidhche | an | an oidhche | an | air an oidhche | na h– | beul na h–oidhche |
all other letters | deise | an | an deise | an | anns an deise | na | snas na deise |