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Àireamhan òrdail 2 

Ordinal numbers 2

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 ARTICLEFIRST LETTER  ARTICLEFIRST LETTER ARTICLE
b, f, m, p  amb, c, g, m, p  a’ _h b, c, g, m, p  a’ _h 
vowels (a,e,i,o,u) an t– fan _h fan _h 
sl, sn, sr, s+vowel  an t– sl, sn, sr, s+vowel  an t– 
all other letters anall other letters anall other letters an
+ Noun is Slenderised 
FEMININE | BOIREANN 
NOMINATIVE DATIVEGENITIVE
FIRST LETTER ARTICLE FIRST LETTER  ARTICLEFIRST LETTER ARTICLE 
b, c, g, m, p  a’ _h b, c, g, m, p  a’ _h Consonant  na
fan _h fan _h 
sl, sn, sr, s+vowel  an t– sl, sn, sr, s+vowel  an t– 
all other letters anall other letters anvowels (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 NOUNARTICLEwith NOMINATIVE ARTICLEwith DATIVE ARTICLEwith GENITIVE 
bbonnachamam bonnach a’ _h anns a’ bhonnach a’ _h blas a’ bhonnaich 
mministearamam ministear a’ _h aig a’ mhinistear a’ _h guth a’ mhinistei
ppeiteanamam peitean a’ _h air a’ pheitean a’ _h putan a’ pheitei
ffleasgachamam fleasgach an _h aig an fhleasgach  a’ _h peitean an fhleasgaich 
ccluarananan cluaran a’ _h air a’ chluaran a’ _h dath a’ chluarai
ggealladhanan gealladh a’ _h leis a’ ghealladh a’ _h buaidh a’ gheallaidh 
slsluaghanan sluagh an t– anns an t–sluagh an t– meud an t–sluaigh 
snsnasadhanan snasadh an t– anns an t–snasadh an t– buaidh an t–snasaidh 
srsruthananan sruthan an t– anns an t–sruthan an t– blas an t–sruthai
s+vowel seòmaranan seòmar an t– anns an t–seòmar an t– doras an t–seòmai
vowels (a,e,i,o,u) athairan t– an t–athair anair an athair anmac an athar 
all other letters dorasanan doras anaig an doras andeoch an dorai

FEMININE | BOIREANN

NOMINATIVE (NOMINAL)DATIVE (PREPOSITIONAL)GENITIVE (POSSESSIVE)
FIRST LETTERNOUNARTICLEwith NOMINATIVEARTICLEwith DATIVEARTICLEwith GENITIVE
bbanaisa’ _ha’ bhanaisa’ _hair a’ bhanaisnabean na bainnse
ccairta’ _ha’ chairta’ _hair a’ chairtnabeulaibh na cairte
gglainnea’ _ha’ ghlainnea’ _hanns a’ ghlainnenabonn na glainne
mmàthaira’ _ha’ mhàthaira’ _haig a’ mhàthairnanighean na màthar
ppìoba’ _ha’ phìoba’ _haig a’ phìobnaceòl na pìoba
ffèisan _han fhèisan _haig an fhèisnalatha na fèise
slslàintean t–an t–slàintean t–an t–slàintenamath na slàinte
snsnàthadan t–an t–snàthadan t–leis an t–snàthadnacrò na snàthaid
srsreangan t–an t–sreangan t–leis an t–sreangnadath na sreanga/sreinge
s+vowelseirman t–an t–seirman t–leis an t–seirmnabinneas na seirme
vowels (a,e,i,o,u)oidhcheanan oidhcheanair an oidhchena h–beul na h–oidhche
all other lettersdeiseanan deiseananns an deisenasnas na deise