Caibidil a Dó: the adjective (an Aidiacht)The declension of adjectives (Díochlaonadh na nAidiachtaí) |
Declination in general
which adjectives are declined lenition of adjectives eclipsis der adjectives the cases (of nouns) formation of the genitive plural of an adjective vocative form of an adjective dative of an adjectives |
The 3 declensions:
1st declension: all adjectives, ending in a consonant with the following subgroups: 1.1.: those ending in broad consonants enden 1.2.: those ending in slender consonants enden 1.3.: those ending in a broad -ll, -nn or a long vowel + -ch 1.4.: those ending in -ach 2nd declension: 2.1.: those ending in -úil 2.2.: those ending in -ir 3rd declension: all adjectives ending in a vowel irregular adjectives |
Which adjectives are declined
:
Descriptive attributive adjectives, that follow a noun.
Preceding a noun, adjectives are not declined .
Also predicative adjectives are not declined .
Therefore, the comparative is not declinable.
lenition rules:
lenition of an adjective is used:
genitive plural:
The genitive plural is equivalent to:
The dative plural is always the same as
the nominative plural.
e.g.: ag na fuinneoga beaga = at the small windows
Even if one uses the old dative plural suffix -ibh with a noun, it is
never used with an adjective:
e.g.: ag na fuinneogaibh beaga = at the small windows
1st declension (An chéad díochlaonadh) |
All adjectives, ending in consonants.
With the exception of those ending in auf -úil or -ir (2nd
declension)
Generally, these adjectives are declined like the nouns of the 1st declension
(masculine) or the 2nd declension (feminine).
1st subgroup: adjectives, ending in a broad consonant
Who belongs here:
Most of the adjectives that end in a broad consonant.
(slender consonant: 2nd subgroup)
In written Irish, this means that the last vowel is a a, o or u
What doesn't belong are adjectives ending in -ll,-nn (3rd
subgroup) or -ch (3rd and 4th
subgroup)
examples: mór = big, dearg = red, gorm = blue, olc = evil
forming the genitive in the singular:
nominative plural
Paradigms
weak plural
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | palat. | L | palat. + e | - |
nom. pl. | + a | -/L | + a | -/L |
gen. pl. | - | - | - | - |
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | palat. | L | palat. + e | - |
nom. pl. | + a | - | + a | - |
gen. pl. | + a | - | + a | - |
examples
mór = big, after a noun with a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | mór | an bhean | mhór |
gen. sg. | an fhir | mhóir | na mná | móire |
nom. pl. | na fir | mhóra | na mná | móra |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | mór | na mban | mór |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an teach | mór | an mhuir | mhór |
gen. sg. | an tí | mhóir | na mara | móire |
nom. pl. | na tithe | móra | na mara | móra |
gen. pl. | na dtithe | móra | na mara | móra |
2nd subgroup: adjectives ending in slender consonants
Who belongs here:
All adjectives ending in a slender consonant.
In written Irish, that means the last vowel is e or i
examples: maith = good, áillinn = beautiful, etc.
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
Paradigms
weak plural
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | + e | - |
nom. pl. | + e | -/L | + e | -/L |
gen. pl. | - | - | - | - |
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | + e | - |
nom. pl. | + e | - | + e | - |
gen. pl. | + e | - | + e | - |
examples
maith = good, after a noun with a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | maith | an bhean | mhaith |
gen. sg. | an fhir | mhaith | na mná | maithe |
nom. pl. | na fir | mhaithe | na mná | maithe |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | maith | na mban | maith |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an dalta | maith | an ainnir | mhaith |
gen. sg. | an dhalta | mhaith | na hainnire | maithe |
nom. pl. | na daltaí | maithe | ainnireacha | maithe |
gen. pl. | na ndaltaí | maithe | ainnireacha | maithe |
3rd subgroup: adjectives ending in -ll,-nn or long vowel + -ch
Who belongs here:
Some adjectives, ending in certain broad consonants, are not palatalised in
the masculine genitive.
This includes the adjectives ending in -ll,-nn or a long vowel + -ch
(e.g.-íoch, -ách, -óch -iuch, -eoch etc.)
As well as adjectives ending in a broad -cht, -ng, -m, and some ending
in -r/-rr
examples: fann = weak, fionn = blond, dall = blind, imníoch
= anxious, gleoch = loud, fliuch = wet, bocht = poor
adjectives ending in a short -ach do not belong here (4th
subgroup)
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
Paradigma
weak plural
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | palat. + e | - |
nom. pl. | + a | -/L | + a | -/L |
gen. pl. | - | - | - | - |
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | palat. + e | - |
nom. pl. | + a | - | + a | - |
gen. pl. | + a | - | + a | - |
examples
fionn = blond, after a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | fionn | an bhean | fhionn |
gen. sg. | an fhir | fhionn | na mná | finne |
nom. pl. | na fir | fhionna | na mná | fionna |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | fionn | na mban | fionn |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an dalta | fionn | an ainnir | fhionn |
gen. sg. | an dhalta | fhionn | na hainnire | finne |
nom. pl. | na daltaí | fionna | ainnireacha | fionna |
gen. pl. | na ndaltaí | fionna | ainnireacha | fionna |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem. noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | imníoch | an ghirseach | imníoch |
gen. sg. | an fhir | imníoch | na girsí | imníche |
nom. pl. | na fir | imníocha | na girseacha | imníocha |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | imníoch | na ngirseach | imníoch |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem. noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an dalta | imníoch | an ainnir | imníoch |
gen. sg. | an dalta | imníoch | na hainnire | imníche |
nom. pl. | na daltaí | imníocha | ainnireacha | imníocha |
gen. pl. | na ndaltaí | imníocha | ainnireacha | imníocha |
4th subgroup: adjectives ending in -ach
Who belongs here:
All adjectives, that end in -ach (or -each).
But not adjectives ending in -och, -ách, -óch, -íoch (3rd
subgroup)
examples: salach = dirty, Éireannach = Irish, díreach = direct
etc.
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
Paradigma
weak plural
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | -ach | - | -ach | L |
gen. sg. | -aigh | L | -aí | - |
nom. pl. | -acha | -/L | -acha | -/L |
gen. pl. | -ach | - | -ach | - |
- | masc. | L/E | fem.. | L/E |
nom. sg. | -ach | - | -ach | L |
gen. sg. | -aigh | L | -aí | - |
nom. pl. | -acha | - | -acha | - |
gen. pl. | -acha | - | -acha | - |
examples
salach = dirty, after a noun with a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem. noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | salach | an ghirseach | shalach |
gen. sg. | an fhir | shalaigh | na girsí | salaí |
nom. pl. | na fir | shalacha | na girseacha | salacha |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | salach | na ngirseach | salach |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem. noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an dalta | salach | an ainnir | shalach |
gen. sg. | an dalta | shalaigh | na hainnire | salaí |
nom. pl. | na daltaí | salacha | ainnireacha | salacha |
gen. pl. | na ndaltaí | salacha | ainnireacha | salacha |
2nd declension (An dara díochlaonadh) |
Who belongs here:
All adjectives ending -úil (1st subgroup) and some ending in -ir
(2nd subgroup)
Basically, these adjectives are declined like the nouns of the 3rd declension.
1st subgroup: adjectives ending in -úil
The suffix -úil stems from the word (s)amhail = same, the
same and is equivalent to the German suffix -lich or the English -like,
-ly, related to the latin simul-. Through this samhail also the definite feminine
genitive (samhail - samhla).
Prior to the spelling reform, this suffix was also written -amhail (bródamhail
> bródúil)
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
Paradigma
weak plural
- | masc | L/E | fem. | L/E |
nom. sg. | -úil | - | -úil | L |
gen. sg. | -úil | L | -úla | - |
nom. pl. | -úla | -/L | -úla | - |
gen. pl. | -úil | - | -úil | - |
- | masc | adj. | fem | adj. |
nom. sg. | -úil | - | -úil | L |
gen. sg. | -úil | L | -úla | - |
nom. pl. | -úla | - | -úla | - |
gen. pl. | -úla | - | -úla | - |
examples
bródúil = proud , after a noun with a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | bródúil | an bhean | bhródúil |
gen. sg. | an fhir | bhródúil | na mná | bródúla |
nom. pl. | na fir | bhródúla | na mná | bródúla |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | bródúil | na mban | bródúil |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an dalta | bródúil | an ainnir | bhródúil |
gen. sg. | an dalta | bhródúil | na hainnire | bródúla |
nom. pl. | na daltaí | bródúla | ainnireacha | bródúla |
gen. pl. | na ndaltaí | bródúla | ainnireacha | bródúla |
2nd subgroup adjectives ending in -ir
Who belongs here:
some adjectives that end in -ir (mostly -air)
examples: deacair = difficult; cóir = just, socair = quiet
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
Widely similar to the 1st subgroup
Paradigma
weak plural
- | masc | L/E | fem. | L/E |
nom. sg. | -air | - | -air | L |
gen. sg. | -air | L | -ra | - |
nom. pl. | -ra | -/L | -ra | - |
gen. pl. | -air | - | -air | - |
- | masc | adj. | fem | adj. |
nom. sg. | -air | - | -air | L |
gen. sg. | -air | L | -ra | - |
nom. pl. | -ra | - | -ra | - |
gen. pl. | -ra | - | -ra | - |
examples
deacair = difficult, after a noun with a weak plural
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an t-úll | deacair | an bhróg | dheacair |
gen. sg. | an úill | dheacair | na bróige | deacra |
nom. pl. | na húlla | deacra | na bróga | deacra |
gen. pl. | na n-úll | deacair | na mbróg | deacair |
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an rud | deacair | an troid | dheacair |
gen. sg. | an ruda | dheacair | na troda | deacra |
nom. pl. | na rudaí | deacra | na troideanna | deacra |
gen. pl. | na rudaí | deacra | na dtroideanna | deacra |
3rd declension (an tríú díochlaonadh) |
Who belongs here:
All adjectives ending in a vowel.
forming the genitive in the singular
nominative plural
These adjectives do not change at all (aside from an occasional lenition)
Paradigms
weak plural
- | masc | L/E | fem. | L/E |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | - | - |
nom. pl. | - | -/L | - | - |
gen. pl. | - | - | - | - |
- | masc | adj. | fem | adj. |
nom. sg. | - | - | - | L |
gen. sg. | - | L | - | - |
nom. pl. | - | - | - | - |
gen. pl. | - | - | - | - |
examples
crua = hard
- | masc.noun | adj. | fem.noun | adj. |
nom. sg. | an fear | crua | an bhean | chrua |
gen. sg. | na fhir | chrua | na mná | crua |
nom. pl. | na fir | chrua | na mná | crua |
gen. pl. | na bhfear | crua | na mban | crua |
Irregular adjectives (aidiachtaí néamhrialta) |
A few adjectives have irregular declension forms.
(irregular forms highlighted in red)
English | nom. sg. | gen. sg. | nom. pl. | explanation | |
masculine | feminine | ||||
short | gearr | gearr | giorra | gearra | instead of giorra regularly *girre would be expected. |
friendly | lách | lách | láí | lácha | instead of láí regularly *láiche would be expected |
exact | beacht | beacht | beaichte | beachta | instead of beaichte regularly *bichte would be expected |
hot | te | te | te | teo | instead of teo regularly *te would be expected. |
fine | breá | breá | breá | breátha | instead of breáthe regularly *breá would be expected. |
dry | tirim | tirim | tirime | tiorma, tirime | tirime is regular. |
fast | tapaidh | tapaidh | tapaí | tapaí | tapaí is regular, while -aí is just the new spelling of -aidhe. |
beautiful | álainn | álainn | áille | áille | the form áille comes from syncopation |