1-E: Fourth set of very basic vocabulary Flashcards
Introducing more simple Gaelic terms, and a few basic phrases.
à
prep.
from,
of (in the “from” sense)
Can also mean “out of” in some constructions like à fasan (“out of fashion”) though this is more fully a-mach à fasan, and a-mach à or a-mach às is more generally used for “out of”.
Rarely also indicates “off-“ in the same sort of way, e.g. à gleus (“off-key”); but far- is more usual than à for this sense.
À! = “Ah!”
from,
of (in the “from” sense)
à
Can also mean “out of” in some constructions like à fasan (“out of fashion”) though this is more fully a-mach à fasan, and a-mach à or a-mach às is more generally used for “out of”.
Rarely also indicates “off-“ in the same sort of way, e.g. à gleus (“off-key”); but far- is more usual than à for this sense.
À! = “Ah!”
sinn
Also sinne.
we
pron., 1st-person pl.
Usage: Tha sinn …; Chan eil sinn …
we
sinn
Also sinne (may be dialectal).
Usage: Tha sinn …; Chan eil sinn …
snog
Bonus: what is gu snog?
nice, pleasant
Doesn’t seem to quite imply “kind[ly]” like còir does.
Bonus: gu snog means “[doing] well/okay/ alright”, in a construction like A bheil thu gu snog? (“Are you alright/okay?”). The gu here is a multi-use preposition (“to”, “until”, “for”, “that”) we’ll learn later, but in this construction doesn’t really translate into English directly.
nice, pleasant
Bonus: what is “[doing] well/okay/alright”?
snog
Doesn’t seem to quite imply “kind[ly]” like còir does.
Bonus: gu snog means “[doing] well/okay/ alright”, in a construction like A bheil thu gu snog? (“Are you alright/okay?”). The gu here is a multi-use preposition (“to”, “until”, “for”, “that”) we’ll learn later, but in this construction doesn’t really translate into English directly.
sgoil
f.; gen. sgoile, pl. sgoiltean
school
school
sgoil
f.; gen. sgoile, pl. sgoiltean
ann an
in, into
The an in this is not quite the same as the an that means “the”. This one does mutate into am before b, p, or f, but does not mutate into a’, seemingly ever (nor into na).
In a handful of expressions, ann an takes the place of “on” or “at” in the rough-equivalent English phrase.
As we’ll learn later, this fuses with pronoun particles to form prepositional pronouns (anns an/san; annam, annad, ann, innte, annainn, annaibh, annta).
in, into
ann an
The an in this is not quite the same as the an that means “the”. This one does mutate into am before b, p, or f, but does not mutate into a’, seemingly ever (nor into na).
In a handful of expressions, ann an takes the place of “on” or “at” in the rough-equivalent English phrase.
As we’ll learn later, this fuses with pronoun particles to form prepositional pronouns (anns an/san; annam, annad, ann, innte, annainn, annaibh, annta).
faisg air
near [to];
close to
near [to];
close to
faisg air
Inbhir Nis
Inverness
“Capital of the Highlands.”
Pronunciation varies by dialect: /IN-vər NISH/, /IN-yər NEESH/, etc.
Inverness
Inbhir Nis
“Capital of the Highlands.”
Pronunciation varies by dialect: /IN-vər NISH/, /IN-yər NEESH/, etc.
peata
m.; pl. peatachan
pet (noun)
pet (noun)
peata
m.; pl. peatachan
aig (prep.)
at
Aig usually does mean “at”, e.g. aig sgoil = “at school.”
Can replace other pronouns like “on”, “in”, “of”, etc., when English uses a different idiom than Gaelic: aig deireadh (or aig a’ cheann thall), “in the end”, lit. “at the end”.
at
aig (prep.)
Usually does mean “at”, e.g. aig sgoil = “at school.”
Can replace other pronouns like “on”, “in”, “of”, etc., when English uses a different idiom than Gaelic: aig deireadh (or aig a’ cheann thall), “in the end”, lit. “at the end”.
aig (v.)
have/has
(possess)
Object may come first sometimes, e.g.: Tha cù aig Anna (“Anna has a dog”, lit. “Is dog has Anna”, perhaps more memorable as “It’s a dog Anna has”. Anyway, it’s rather Yoda-like syntax.)
have/has
(possess)
aig (v.)
Object may come first sometimes, e.g.: Tha cù aig Anna (“Anna has a dog”, lit. “Is dog has Anna”, perhaps more memorable as “It’s a dog Anna has”. Anyway, it’s rather Yoda-like syntax.)
agam
I have
Your first prepositional pronoun!
These combine a preposition and a pronoun particle into a single word. There are a bunch of them to memorize.
I have
prepositional pronoun
agam
Your first prepositional pronoun!
These combine a preposition and a pronoun particle into a single word. There are a bunch of them to memorize.
agad
you have
prepositional pronoun
you have
prepositional pronoun
agad
prepositional pronoun
feòil
f.; gen. feòla, pl. feòilean
meat, flesh
May mutate into -fheoil (no ò) in compounds.
meat, flesh
feòil
f.; gen. feòla, pl. feòilean
May mutate into -fheoil (no ò) in compounds.
muc
f.; gen. muice (or muic), pl. mucan
Bonus 1: what is muicfheoil or feòil-mhuice?
Bonus 2: what are cràin (f.; gen. cràine, pl. cràintean) and giusaidh (f.; pl. guisaidhan)?
Bonus 3: what is torc (m.; gen. & pl. tuirc)?
pig
Bonus 1: muicfheoil or feòil-mhuice = “pork” (feòil means “meat, flesh”).
See also hamma, beucoin.
Bonus 2: cràin and giusaidh = “sow”.
Bonus 3: torc = “hog”; clearly related to the word “pork”; it can also mean “wild boar”.
pig
Bonus 1: what is “pork”?
Bonus 2: what are words for “sow”?
Bonus 3: what is “hog”?
muc
f.; gen. muice (or muic), pl. mucan
Bonus 1: “pork” = muicfheoil or feòil-mhuice (feòil means “meat, flesh”).
See also hamma, beucoin.
Bonus 2: “sow” = cràin (f.; gen. cràine, pl. cràintean) or giusaidh (f.; pl. guisaidhan)
Bonus 3: “hog” = torc (m.; gen. & pl. tuirc); clearly related to the word “pork”; it can also mean “wild boar”.
each
horse
horse
each
geal
comp. gile; m., gen. gil; nom. gealadh
n. variant: gealag (f.; gen. gealaige, pl. gealagan)
white (adj.);
white/pale stuff/thing (n.);
to whiten, to bleach (v)
The noun can also mean “target”.
The vague noun usage can also instead be gealag, and most often refers to various white fish, birds, flowers, etc.
white
geal
comp. gile; m., gen. gil; nom. gealadh
The noun can also mean “target”.
The vague noun usage can also instead be gealag (f.; gen. gealaige, pl. gealagan), and most often refers to various white fish, birds, flowers, etc.
dubh
comp. duibhe; m., gen. duibh
black, dark (adj.);
darkness (n.)
Can be used metaphorically/poetically for “sad, morose”.
As a prefix, dubh-, it can uncommonly mean “hidden”.
black, dark (adj.);
darkness (n.)
dubh
comp. duibhe; m., gen. duibh
Can be used metaphorically/poetically for “sad, morose”.
As a prefix, dubh-, it can uncommonly mean “hidden”.
cearc
f.; gen. circe, pl. cearcan
Bonus 1: what is circfheoil (f.; gen. circfheola)?
Bonus 2: what is coileach (m.; gen. & pl. coilich)?
chicken (animal);
hen
The pl., cearcan, can also more generally mean “poultry”.
Bonus 1: circfheoil = “chicken (meat)”.
Bonus 2: coileach = “rooster/cock”. Can also mean “male bird (of any species)”, and in this sense is often prefixed or suffixed with a hyphen, followed by the type of bird.
chicken (animal);
hen
Bonus 1: what is “chicken (meat)”?
Bonus 2: what is “rooster/cock”?
cearc
f.; gen. circe, pl. cearcan
The pl., cearcan, can also more generally mean “poultry”.
Bonus 1: “chicken (meat)” is circfheoil (f.; gen. circfheola).
Bonus 2: “rooster/cock” is coileach (m.; gen. & pl. coilich). Can also mean “male bird (of any species)”, and in this sense is often prefixed or suffixed with a hyphen, followed by the type of bird.
isean
m.; gen. isein, pl. iseanan
chick (baby chicken);
young smaller animal
(cub, kit, etc.)
The generic sense is often used as a prefix (causes genitive shift); e.g. isean cait is another term for “kitten”.
For larger animals, it’s more often cuilean.
chick (baby chicken);
young small animal
(cub, kit, etc.)
isean
m.
The generic sense is often used as a prefix (causes genitive shift); e.g. isean cait is another term for “kitten”.
For larger animals, it’s more often cuilean.
tunnag
f.; gen. tunnaige, pl. tunnagan
Bonus 1: What is gèadh (m.; gen. & pl. irregular geòidh)?
Bonus 2: What is eala (f.; pl. ealachan)?
duck
Bonus 1: gèadh = “goose”.
Bonus 2: eala = “swan”.
duck
Bonus 1: what is “goose”?
Bonus 2: what is “swan”?
tunnag
f.; gen. tunnaige, pl. tunnagan
Bonus 1: “goose” is gèadh (m.; gen. & pl. irregular geòidh).
Bonus 2: “swan” is eala (f.; pl. ealachan).
bò
f.; gen. & pl. bà
Bonus 1: what is tarbh (m.; gen. & pl. tairbh)?
Bonus 2: what is crodh (m.; gen. cruidh)?
Bonus 3: what is mart (f.; gen. & pl. mairt)?
Bonus 4: what is mairtfheoil (f.; gen. mairtfheola) or feòil mairt?
cow
Bonus 1: tarbh = “bull”.
Mnemonics: cognate with “bovine” and “taurus”, respectively.
Bonus 2: crodh = “cattle”. There are several other Gaelic words for this, but this seems to be the main one.
Bonus 3: mart = another word for “cow”, especially a meat not dairy cow.
Bonus 4: mairtfheoil and feòil mairt = “beef”.
cow
Bonus 1: What is the word for “bull”?
Bonus 2: What is the (common) word for “cattle”?
Bonus 3: What is another “cow” word?
Bonus 4: What is “beef”?
bò
f.; gen. & pl. bà
Bonus 1: “bull” = tarbh (m.; gen. & pl. tairbh).
Mnemonics: cognate with “bovine” and “taurus”, respectively.
Bonus 2: “cattle” = crodh (m.; gen. cruidh). There are several other Gaelic words for this, but this seems to be the main one.
Bonus 3: mart (f.; gen. & pl. mairt) = another word for “cow”, especially a meat not dairy cow.
Bonus 4: “beef” = mairtfheoil (f.; gen. mairtfheola) or feòil mairt.
caora
f.; gen. caorach, pl. caoraich
sheep
In older material, may appear as caor or caoir (f.; pl. caoran or caoiran), but they have other meanings, most often “berry”.
sheep
caora
f.; gen. caorach, pl. caoraich
In older material, may appear as caor or caoir (f.; pl. caoran or caoiran), but they have other meanings, most often “berry”.
uan
m.; gen. & pl. uain
lamb
Easily confused with ean, “bird”, so practice them.
lamb
uan
m.; gen. & pl. uain
Easily confused with ean, “bird”, so practice them.
piseag
f.; gen. piseige, pl. piseagan
kitten
Mnemonic: cognate with English “puss[y]”, and similar words in many languages.
And, yes, it has the same slang meaning in Gaelic.
Not to be confused with accented version pìseag (f.; gen. pìseige, pl. pìseagan), “patch; rag”.
Alternative term is isean cait, lit. “cat cub”.
kitten
piseag
f.; gen. piseige, pl. piseagan
Mnemonic: cognate with English “puss[y]”, and similar words in many languages.
And, yes, it has the same slang meaning in Gaelic.
Not to be confused with accented version pìseag (f.; gen. pìseige, pl. pìseagan), “patch; rag”.
Alternative term is isean cait, lit. “cat cub”.
cuilean
m.; gen. cuilein, pl. cuileanan
puppy;
young larger animal
(cub, whelp, etc.)
Note the lack of the accented ù from cù.
The generic usage is often prefixed (causes genitive shift); e.g. cuilean mathain = “bear cub” (mathan = “bear”).
For smaller species, it’s more often isean.
puppy;
young larger animal
(cub, whelp, etc.)
cuilean
m.; gen. cuilein, pl. cuileanan
Note the lack of the accented ù from cù.
The generic usage is often prefixed (causes genitive shift); e.g. cuilean mathain = “bear cub” (mathan = “bear”).
For smaller species, it’s more often isean.
luch
f.; gen. lucha, pl. luchan
Diminutive: luchag (f.; gen. luchaige, pl. luchagan)
mouse
mouse
Bonus: What’s the diminutive (“little/tiny mouse”) version?
luch
f.; gen. lucha, pl. luchan
Diminutive: luchag (f.; gen. luchaige, pl. luchagan), “little/tiny mouse”.
coineanach
m.; gen. & pl. coineanaich
rabbit
Mnemonic: cognate with English “coney”. It’s unclear why this noun looks like an adj.
Can actually be an obscure adj., “pertaining to rabbits; rabbit-like”.
rabbit
coineanach
m.; gen. & pl. coineanaich
Mnemonic: cognate with English “coney”. It’s unclear why this noun looks like an adj.
Can actually be an obscure adj., “pertaining to rabbits; rabbit-like”.
pailt
comp. pailte
Nouns: pailteas (m.; gen. pailteis) or pailteachd (f.)
abundant, plentiful;
numerous; rife;
copious, profuse;
flush (with money)
False friend: Looks like it’s related to “paltry” but is opposite.
Nouns: either form means “plenty, abundance, profusion”.
Trivia: thought to be a Pictish word, and generally unknown in Irish Gaelic.
abundant, plentiful;
numerous; rife;
copious, profuse;
flush (with money)
Bonus test: what are the noun forms?
pailt
comp. pailte
False friend: Looks like it’s related to “paltry” but is opposite.
Nouns: pailteas (m.; gen. pailteis) or pailteachd (f.) = “plenty, abundance, profusion”.
Trivia: thought to be a Pictish word, and generally unknown in Irish Gaelic.
cho X ri Y
as X as [a] Y
comparative construction
E.g.: Tha e cho luath ri each. (“He’s as fast as a horse.”)
as X as [a] Y
Hint: two different short words!
cho X ri Y
comparative construction
E.g.: Tha e cho luath ri each. (“He’s as fast as a horse.”)
pàipear
f.; gen. pàipeir, pl. pàipearan
paper
Sometimes written without the diacritic: paipear (f.; gen. paipeir, pl. paipearan).
paper
pàipear
f.; gen. pàipeir, pl. pàipearan
Sometimes written without the diacritic: paipear (f.; gen. paipeir, pl. paipearan).
pàirc
f.; gen. pàirce, pl. pàircean
park (noun)
park (noun)
pàirc
f.; gen. pàirce, pl. pàircean
pàirt
f.; gen. pàirte, pl. pàirtean
part, portion, share
Rarely can have other meanings like “confederacy” or even “kindred, relation”.
part, portion, share
pàirt
f.; gen. pàirte, pl. pàirtean
Rarely can have other meanings like “confederacy” or even “kindred, relation”.
turcaire
m.; pl. turcairean
Bonus: alternative name pulaidh (f.; pl. pulaidhnean)
turkey (bird)
turkey (bird)
Hint: there are two common names.
m.; pl. turcairean. Or pulaidh (f.; pl. pulaidhnean)
There are some other names (eun/cearc/coileach-Frangach and coileach-Turcach) but these should be avoided as misnomers – they incorrectly describe the birds as French or Turkish, when they are actually from the Americas.
radan
m.; gen. radain, pl. radanan
Also: rodan (m.; gen. rodain, pl. rodanan).
Or gall-luch (m.; gen. gall-lucha, pl. gall-luchan)
rat
The rodan instead of radan version may be dialectal.
The gall-luch alternative literally means “foreign mouse”, and is probably disused today.
rat
radan
m.; gen. radain, pl. radanan
Also: rodan (m.; gen. rodain, pl. rodanan); may be dialectal.
Alternative: gall-luch (m.; gen. gall-lucha, pl. gall-luchan). Literally means “foreign mouse”, and is probably disused today.
sùgh
m.; gen. sùgha, pl. sùghan
juice, sap
Can also mean “stock” in combining form, e.g. sùgh circe, “chicken stock”.
Sùgh is unrelatedly also a verb with multiple meanings (“to drain, dry up, soak up, absorb” or “to sniff”), but it’s something to learn later.
juice, sap
Can also mean “stock” in combining form, e.g. sùgh circe, “chicken stock”.
Sùgh is unrelatedly also a verb with multiple meanings (“to drain, dry up, soak up, absorb” or “to sniff”), but it’s something to learn later.
sùgh
m.; gen. sùgha, pl. sùghan
glasrach
m.; gen. glasraich; comp. glasaiche
Bonus: what about lus, plannt, planntrais?
vegetable, plant
Glasrach can be confusing since it sometimes means “uncultivated land” and can also mean “woad”. Context matters!
Bonus: lus (m.; gen. lusa, pl. lusan) can also mean “plant, vegetable” but seems not so often used for food.
Plannt (m.; gen. plannta, pl. planntaichean = “plant” more generally.
Planntrais (f.; pl. planntraisean) also, but may more imply “vegetation”.
vegetable, plant
Bonus: what are some alternative/related terms?
glasrach
m.; gen. glasraich; comp. glasaiche
Glasrach can be confusing since it sometimes means “uncultivated land” and can also mean “woad”. Context matters!
Bonus: lus (m.; gen. lusa, pl. lusan) can also mean “plant, vegetable” but seems not so often used for food.
Plannt (m.; gen. plannta, pl. planntaichean = “plant” more generally.
Planntrais (f.; pl. planntraisean) also, but may more imply “vegetation”.
meas
m.; gen. measa, pl. measan
Bonus: what is sùbh (m. gen. sùibh, pl. sùbhan)?
fruit
Sùbh = “berry” more specifically.
fruit
Bonus: what is “berry”?
meas
m.; gen. measa, pl. measan
Bonus: “berry” more specifically is sùbh (m. gen. sùibh, pl. sùbhan).
cnò
f.; gen. cnòtha, pl. cnòthan
Also cnù (f.; gen. cnùtha, pl. cnùthan)
nut
In hardware sense (nut for bolt), it’s always cnò not dialectal cnò.
nut
cnò
f.; gen. cnòtha, pl. cnòthan
Also cnù (f.; gen. cnùtha, pl. cnùthan). In the hardware sense, it is always cnò.
