The genitive case again
An tuiseal ginideach a-rithist
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
| CONSONANTS | na | na pìoba |
| na | na fìdhle | |
| na | na clàrsaich | |
| na | na duiseil | |
| na | na fìdeig | |
| na | na trombaide | |
| VOWELS | na 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
| NOMINATIVE | DATIVE | GENITIVE |
| an ionnsramaid | air an ionnsramaid | bogsa na h-ionnsramaide |
| the instrument | on the instrument | (the) box of the instrument |
| a' phìob | air a' phìob | fuaim na pìoba |
| the pipes | on the pipes | (the) sound of the pipes |
| an fhidheall | air an fhidhill | fonn na fìdhle |
| the fiddle | on the fiddle | (the) tune of the fiddle |
| a' chlàrsach | air a' chlàrsaich | teud na clàrsaich |
| the harp | on the harp | (the) string of the harp |
| an duiseal | leis an duiseil | fuaim na duiseil |
| the flute | with 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, p | a' _h | a' bhogsa |
| b, c, g, m, p | a' _h | a' chiùil |
| f | an fh | an fheadain |
| vowels | an | an inneil |
| vowels | an | an òrain |
| sl, sn, sr, s + vowel | an t- | an t-seinneadair |
| other | an | an 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
| NOMINATIVE | DATIVE | GENITIVE |
| an t-òran | anns an òran | faclan an òrain |
| the song | in the song | (the) words of the song |
| an rèidio | air an rèidio | fuaim an rèidio |
| the radio | on the radio | (the) sound of the radio |
| am bogsa | air a' bhogsa | fuaim a' bhogsa |
| the accordion | on the box | (the) sound of the box |
| am feadan | air an fheadan | fonn an fheadain |
| the chanter | on the chanter | (the) sound of the chanter |
| an ceòl | ris a' cheòl | fuaim a' chiùil |
| the music | to the music | (the) sound of the music |
| an seinneadair | leis an t-seinneadair | òran an t-seinneadair |
| the singer | with 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)