Joy explains how to create plurals in Gaelic.
Most Gaelic nouns have only one plural form. Always check your dictionary to see what it is. There are two main types of endings:
We will give you a very brief overview of these two types using vocabulary you have already met.
+ (e) an | radan | radain | rats |
+ t (e) an | sgoil | sgoiltean | schools |
+ t (e) achan | nathair | nathraichean | snakes |
+ (a) ichean | nurs | nursaichean | nurses |
+ (e) annan | ainm | ainmeannan | names |
Slenderisation + ean | obair | obraichean | jobs |
Slenderisation | cù, cat | coin, cait | dogs, cats |
cù -> coin
cat -> cait
iasg -> èisg
coineanach -> coineanaich
cuilean -> cuileanan
luch -> luchan
nathair -> nathraichean
caora -> caoraich
bò -> bà
ialtag -> ialtagan
cearc-> cearcan
cailleach-oidhche -> cailleachan-oidhche
Here are the plurals for the animals we have learnt:
coin
dogs
cait
cats
èisg
fish
coineanaich
rabbits
cuileanan
puppies
luchan
mice
nathraichean
snakes
caoraich
sheep (plural)
bà
cows
ialtagan
bats
cearcan
chickens
cailleachan-oidhche
owls