Chapter 1 The Article

1.1 General

1.1.1

There is one article in the Irish language — the definite article. The subject of the article is called the definite noun. Here the article has two forms: *an* and *na*. The article is placed before the noun, e.g. an baile; an mhír; na caoirigh; teach na cúirte; or before whatever word is put before the noun as a qualifier e.g. an uile dhuine; scéal mhadra na n-ocht gcos; tús na chéad seachtaine. It is possible to replace the article with possessive adjectives e.g. Tá an croí ag cur air; Bhí an ghrian ag baint na súl asam.

1.1.2

The article is written with a small letter in the middle of sentences e.g. Nach raibh tú ag an Oireachtas i mbliana? Bhí aithne mhaith agam ar an Seabhac; except in certain cases such as publication titles e.g. Cé a scríobh An tOileánach?

1.1.3

If a title containing an article (see 1.1.5 (a), (b) and (c)) is written on its own, for example on a public notice or on head paper, always include the article and capitalize it e.g. *An Ghníomhaireacht um Thacaíocht Teaghlaigh; Na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim; An Ceoláras Náisiúnta*.

1.1.4

Put a hyphen between the preliminary letter t and a vowel, except when the vowel is capitalized e.g. an t-ospidéal; an tAlbanach. Do not put a hyphen between the preliminary letter t and s e.g. an tsaoirse; an tSionainn; tús an tsaoil; or between the preliminary letter h and a vowel e.g. na hainmneacha; lár na habairte; stair na hUachtaránachta.

1.1.5

The article is used in the following cases:

Official Titles e.g. an tAire Airgeadais, an Príomh-Oifigeach Feidhmiúcháin, an Taoiseach, Ard-Rúnaí na Náisiún Aontaithe

Beidh an tAire Airgeadais ag freastal ar an gcruinniú.	The Minister for Finance will attend the meeting.
Cá bhfuil an Príomh-Oifigeach Feidh miúcháin?	Where is the Chief Executive Officer?
Tá an Taoiseach ag labhairt leis na daltaí.	The Taoiseach is speaking with the students.
An é sin Ard-Rúnaí na Náisiún Aontaithe?	Is that the Secretary General of the United Nations?

Titles of Govornment Departments and State Companies e.g. an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna, an Oifig um Rialú Tobac, Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte, an Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh.

Is san fhoirgneamh sin thall atá an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna.	This building is opposite the Department of Education and Skills.
Chuaigh Seán go dtí an Oifig um Rialú Tobac.	Sean went to the Office of Tobacco Control.
Tá Feidh meannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte an-ghnóthach.	The Health Service Executive is very busy.
Seo an Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh.	This is the Central Statistics Office.

Titles of people before a proper noun e.g. an tAthair Peadar Ua Laoghaire, an Captaen Ó Murchú, an tUachtarán Mhic Róibín, an Teachta de Barra, an Múinteoir Ailbhe, an Pápa Eoin Pól II, an Rí Anraí VIII.

Ba é an tAthair Peadar Ua Laoghaire a scríobh an dráma An Sprid.	Father Peadar Ua Laoghaire wrote the play An Sprid.
Labhair an Captaen Ó Murchú leis na himreoirí.	Captain Ó Murchu spoke to the players.
Bhí an tUachtarán Mhic Róibín le feiceáil sa ghrianghraf.	President Robinson was to be seen in the photograph.
Beidh an Dochtúir de Barra ar saoire ar feadh seachtaine.	Doctor De Barra will be on holiday for the week.
Tá an Múinteoir Ailbhe i bhfeighil ar rang a sé i mbliana.	Teacher Ailbhe is in charge of sixth class this year.
Is í an Bhanríon Elsa a Dó atá sa scannán.	It is Queen Elsa II in the film.

Festivals e.g. an Nollaig, an Cháisc, an Carghas.

Tá an Nollaig ag teannadh linn.	Christmas is approaching us.
Is i mí an Mhárta a bheid an Cháisc i mbliana.	Easter will be in March this year.
Rinne mé an Carghas ar an ól.	I gave up drinking for lent.

Note that the article is not used in certain adverbial situations e.g. faoi Cháisc, um Nollaig, faoi Bhealtaine.

Days of the week, e.g. an Luan, an Mháirt, an Chéadaoin.

Is é an Luan an lá is ansa liom.	Monday is my favourite day
Téim ag snámh ar an Máirt.	I go swimming on Tuesdays
Inniu an Chéadaoin.	Today is a Wednesday

Note that the adverb Dé is used in place of the article when referring to a particular day e.g. Bhí mé ag caint leis Dé Céadaoin seo caite.

If a preposition is used before certain days, the article is merged with the preposition e.g. Ní mór na hiarratais a bheith faighte foin Aoine, an 16 Bealtaine.

Months of the year
The article is used for the months Márta, Bealtaine, Meitheamh, Samhain and Nollaig. The article is not used for the other months except for the static form san Aibreán.

Is minic a bhíonn mí Eanáir níos fuaire ná mí na Nollag.	Often January is colder than December
Tá an Cháisc i mí an Mhárta seachas mí Aibreáin i mbliana.	Easter is in March rather than April this year.

Dátaí
The article should be used when referring to a date in a sentence

Ba chóir é a dhéanamh tráth nach déanaí ná an 30 Meán Fómhair gach bliain.	I should be done no later than 30 September every year.
Beidh an chóisir ar síúl ar an 12 Aibreán.	The party will be on the 12th of April
Baineann na ráitis airgeadais leis an mbliain dar chríoch an 31 Nollaig 2014.	The financial reports are for the year ended 31 December 2014
Pósfaidh siad an 26 Feabhra.	They will marry on the 26th of February
Ní ghlacfar le haon iarratas a gheofar tar éis an 7 Márta 2016.	No applications will be accepted after 7 March 2016

When the date is by itself – in a letterhead, or as in the date on an invoice or Act etc. – omit the article e.g. 26 Feabhra 2014.

Names of towns, mountains and rivers
- Some cities and towns e.g. an Aithin, na Cealla Beaga, na Gleannta, an tSnaidhm, an Spidéal
- Certain mountains and cities e.g. na hAindéis, na hAlpa, an Bhograch an Chearc, na Comaraigh, an Earagail, na Himiléithe, an Mhucais
- Most rivers e.g. an Bhóinn, an Danóib, an Life, an Phó, an Réin, an Róin, an tSéin, an tSionainn, an Tibir

Rinne mé an Mhucais a shiúl inné.	I did the Muckish walk yesterday.
Ar bhuaig an Spidéal an cluiche?	Did Spiddal win the game?
Bhí an tSionainn le feiceáil ón eitleán.	Shannon can be seen from the Airplane

Names of countries and regions
The article accompanies the names of countries and regions if the noun is female and
1. If it ends with a slender consonant e.g. an Airgintín, an Albáin, an Bhaváir, an Chatalóin, an Eastóin, an Eoraip, an Fhrainc, an Ghearmáin, an Mhacadóin, an Namaib, an Phacastáin, an tSeineagáil, an Spáinn, an tSúdáin;
1. If it ends with -ia e.g. an India, an Laitvia, an tSiria;
1. If it ends with –e, –é e.g. an Chóiré, an Chrimé, an Ghuine, an tSile.

Some names of countries and regions end with a slender consonant but are not accompanied by the article e.g. Bairéin, Beinin, Cuáit, Éimin, Guadalúip, Lichtinstéin, Mósaimbíc, or end with -í in the singular case but are not accompanied by the article e.g. Geansaí, Geirsí, Háití, Haváí, Mailí, Taihítí. Do not use the article except for the genitive in the case of Albain, Éire (see 3.1.4).

Is tír álainn í an Fhrainc.	France is a beautiful country.
Luaitear Mósaimbíc sa leabhar.	Mozambique is mentioned in the book.

The article does not accompany the names of countries and regions if it is the case that the noun is masculine and:
- If it ends with a broad consonant e.g. Barbadíd, Eacuadór, Guam, Hondúras, Natal, Óman, Sead, Siam, Suranam;
- If it ends with -eo, -ó, e.g. Boirneo, Maracó, Meicsiceo, Monacó, Samó (exception: an Congó)
- If it ends with -a, -á, -iú, -ua, e.g., Alasca, Ceanada, Cúba, Gána, Meiriceá, Nicearagua, Panama, Papua, Paragua, Peiriú, Sasana.
- If it ends with -ael e.g. Iosrael.
The article accompanies the names of countries and regions that are nouns in the plural case e.g. na hAsóir, na Bahámaí, na Garbhchríocha, na Scigirí.

I Muir Chairib atá na Bahámaí.	The Bahamas are in the Caribbean
Rinnead an scannán a thaifeadadh sna Garbhchríocha.	The film was recorded in the Highlands

Prayers and certain battle cries, e.g. an Choróin Mhuire, an Ghlóir, an Dord Fiann.

Dúradh an Ghlóir i lár an Aifrinn.	Glory was said in the middle of Hell.
Ní minic a chloistear an Dord Fiann.	The Dord Fiann is not often heard.
Dúirt sé an Choróin Mhuire os ard	He siad the rosary loudly.

Distributive use
Use the article to express rate when either every individual separately or in opposition is in question.

Dhíol sé na leabhair ar euro an ceann.	He sells the books for a euro each.
Eagraítear comóradh uair sa bhliain.	An anniversary is organised once per year.
Bhí mála an duine ag na páistí scoile	Every schoolchild had a bag.

The noun has an abstract or conceptual meaning

Nuair a bhíonn an t-ól istigh, bíonn an chiall amuigh.	When the drink is in, sense is out.
Ní maith í an fhearg.	Anger is not good.
Tugad isteach an colscaradh in Éirinn roinnt blianta ó shin.	Divorce was introduced in Ireland some years ago.
Is rud nua í an taiscéalaíocht sa spás.	Space exploration is a new thing.
Ní féidir taisteal san am.	Time travel is not possible.
Inseoidh an aimsir.	The weather will tell.
Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras.	Hunger is the best sauce.

Note that the article is not used in some situations e.g. Tá ciall cheannaith aige;or when the noun does not have a general meaning e.g. Bhí ocras orm; Tá siad i ngrá

Certain Illnesses, e.g., an ailse, an déideadh, an titimeas, an bhruitíneach

Bhí an bhruitíneach fairsing in Éirinn go dtí na 1960idí.	Measles was widespread in Ireland until the 1960s.
An bhfuil leigheas ar an titimeas?	Is there a cure for epilepsy?

Languages e.g., an Ghaeilge, an Ghearmáinis, an Béarla

Is í an Ghaeilge teanga ár sinsear.	Irish is the language of our ancestors
Labhraítear an Ghearmáinis san Ostair.	German is spoken in Austria
Bhí an Béarla go maith aici.	She had good English

Note that the article should be omitted if the general case e.g. Tá Fraincis aici; Cuir i nGaeilge é; rang Iodáilise.

The Cases

There are five cases in the Irish language: the nominative case, the objective/accusative case, the dative case, the genitive case and the vocative case (see 2.1.2). In the following tables, changes applied to the article and the first letter of the noun are shown based on four items – gender, case, number and the first letter of the noun. Also see Chapter 10 for additional information about initial changes.

1.2 The Nominative Case and the Singular Objective Case

The noun form is the same for the nominative case and the singular objective case. See the table below which shows the effect of the article on the noun in those cases.

Table 1A The nominative case and the singular objective case