A2
Dashboard
sg-star
Complete for 2 points

An tuiseal ginideach a-rithist

The genitive case again

Definite nouns which follow a verbal noun take the genitive (or possessive) case. As we saw in A2 Cuspair 5, masculine and feminine nouns have different forms in the genitive case. Let’s have a look at some examples.

Masculine

Is toil le Donnchadh an giotàr (m).

Duncan likes the guitar.

Bidh e a’ cluich a’ ghiotàir gach latha.

He plays the guitar every day.

Feminine

Tha a’ chlàrsach sin glè shnog (f).

That harp is very nice.

Is toil leam a bhith a’ cluich na clàrsaich.

I like to play the harp.

Bidh esan a’ seinn na pìoba (f),

He plays the pipes,

ach bidh ise a’ cluich na fìdhle (f).

but she plays the fiddle.

And it’s worth reminding ourselves how this works:

Feminine nouns with genitive case

CONSONANTSnana pìoba
nana fìdhle
nana clàrsaich
nana duiseil
nana fìdeig
nana trombaide
VOWELSna h-na h-ionnsramaide

na pìoba

of the pipe

na fìdhle

of the fiddle

na clàrsaich

of the harp

na duiseil

of the flute

na fìdeig

of the whistle

na trombaide

of the trumpet

na h-ionnsramaide 

of the instrument

Feminine Nouns

NOMINATIVEDATIVEGENITIVE
an ionnsramaidair an ionnsramaidbogsa na h-ionnsramaide
the instrumenton the instrument(the) box of the instrument
a’ phìobair a’ phìobfuaim na pìoba
the pipeson the pipes(the) sound of the pipes
an fhidheallair an fhidhillfonn na fìdhle
the fiddleon the fiddle(the) tune of the fiddle
a’ chlàrsachair a’ chlàrsaichteud na clàrsaich
the harpon the harp(the) string of the harp
an duisealleis an duiseilfuaim na duiseil
the flutewith the flute(the) sound of the flute

an ionnsramaid

the instrument

air an ionnsramaid

the instrument

bogsa na h-ionnsramaide

(the) box of the instrument

a’ phìob

the pipes

air a’ phìob

on the pipes

fuaim na pìoba

(the) sound of the pipes

an fhidheall

the fiddle

air an fhidhill

on the fiddle

fonn na fìdhle

(the) tune of the fiddle

a’ chlàrsach

the harp

air a’ chlàrsaich

on the harp

teud na clàrsaich

(the) string of the harp

an duiseal

the flute

leis an duiseil

with the flute

fuaim na duiseil

(the) sound of the flute

Masculine nouns with genitive case

b, c, g, m, pa’ _ha’ bhogsa
b, c, g, m, pa’ _ha’ chiùil
fan fhan fheadain
vowelsanan inneil
vowelsanan òrain
sl, sn, sr, s + vowelan t-an t-seinneadair
otheranan rèidio

a’ bhogsa

of the box

a’ chiùil

of the music

an fheadain

of the chanter

an inneil

of the implement

an òrain

of the song

an t-seinneadair

of the singer

an rèidio

of the radio

Masculine nouns

NOMINATIVEDATIVEGENITIVE
an t-òrananns an òranfaclan an òrain
the songin the song(the) words of the song
an rèidioair an rèidiofuaim an rèidio
the radioon the radio(the) sound of the radio
am bogsaair a’ bhogsafuaim a’ bhogsa
the accordionon the box(the) sound of the box
am feadanair an fheadanfonn an fheadain
the chanteron the chanter(the) sound of the chanter
an ceòlris a’ cheòlfuaim a’ chiùil
the musicto the music(the) sound of the music
an seinneadairleis an t-seinneadairòran an t-seinneadair
the singerwith the singer(the) song of the singer

an t-òran

the song

anns an òran

in the song

faclan an òrain

(the) words of the song

an rèidio

the radio

air an rèidio

on the radio

fuaim an rèidio

(the) sound of the radio

am bogsa

the accordion

air a’ bhogsa

on the box

fuaim a’ bhogsa

(the) sound of the box

am feadan

the chanter

air an fheadan

on the chanter

fonn an fheadain

(the) sound of the chanter

an ceòl

the music

ris a’ cheòl

to the music

fuaim a’ chiùil

(the) sound of the music

an seinneadair

the singer

leis an t-seinneadair

with the singer

òran an t-seinneadair

(the) song of the singer

Bha Dòmhnall a’ cluich a’ bhogsa.

Donald was playing the box.

Tha Seònaid a’ cluich na fìdhle.

Seònaid is playing the fiddle.

Bidh Donnchadh a’ seinn na pìoba.

Duncan will play/plays the pipe(s).

Cha phàigh taing am fìdhlear

You can’t eat gratitude (lit. thanks won’t pay the fiddler)

Music can be a pastime or a profession. The same is true for ag iasgach (fishing). Here’s another seanfhacal (saying/proverb) connected to that.

Cha dèan brògan tioram iasgach.

No pain, no gain (lit. dry shoes don’t fish)