Pronominals include personal pronominals, possessive adjectives (which act as both adjectives and pronominals), prepositional pronominals, interrogative pronominals and demonstrative pronominals.
The following are the forms of the personal pronominals.
| Basic Forms | Emphatic Forms | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
| First Person | mé | sinn, muid | mise | sinne, muidne |
| Second Person | tú, thú | sibh | tusa, thusa | sibhse |
| Third Person (masc.) | sé, é | siad, iad | seisean, eisean | siadsan, iadsan |
| Third Person (fem.) | sí, í | sise, ise | ||
thú (thusa) is used as the object of a verb, e.g., aithním thú; molaim thú; and when it is a subject following a predicate in a copular sentence, e.g., Mo náire thú (EN: Shame on you); Is oibrí díograiseach thú (EN: You are a diligent worker).
Níor dhearmad sé thú riamh. |
He never forgot you. |
An é sin an áit ar rugadh thú? |
Is that where you were born? |
Thréig sí thú ar fhear eile. |
She abandoned you for another man. |
Ní aithnímse thusa. |
I don’t know you. |
Chugam aniar thú! |
You come from the west! (idiom meaning Bravo!) |
Is fearrde thú an sos. |
You better take a break. |
tú (tusa) is used elsewhere.
An bhfaca tú clár na dtorthaí aréir? |
Did you see the results board last night? |
Ní bheadh an bua againn gan tú. |
We wouldn’t have won without you. |
Is tusa an captaen. |
You are the captain. |
Tá tusa níos láidre ná eisean. |
You are stronger than him. |
Nach tusa an maor dóiteáin? |
Aren’t you the fire marshal? |
In the third person singular and plural, the forms sé (seisean), sí (sise) and siad (siadsan) are used as subjects (other than the copula).
Tháinig sé (sí, siad) isteach. |
He (she, they) came in. |
Bíonn seisean (sise, siadsan) déanach go minic. |
He (she, they) is/are often late. |
An ndearna sé (sí, siad) an dinnéar? |
Did he (she, they) make the dinner? |
é (eisean), í (ise) and iad (iadsan) are used elsewhere.
Leag an ghaoth é. |
The wind knocked it down. |
Is mar sin is fearr é. |
It is better that way. |
An é Micheál a chaill an t‑airgead? |
Is it Micheál who lost the money? |
Níl san oifig inniu ach eisean. |
There is only him in the office today. |
Chuaigh Tomás agus í ar saoire inné. |
Tomás and her went on holiday yesterday. |
Í a phógadh is ea a rinne sé. |
He did kiss her. |
Cé hí féin? |
Who is she? |
Bhí buaite agam murach ise. |
I would have won if not for her. |
An ndeachaigh sé amach chun iad a cheannach? |
Did he go out to buy them? |
Ar deireadh thiar thall, fuair sé iad. |
Ultimately, he found them. |
Is cuimhin liom iadsan ag caint air. |
I remember them talking about it. |
Iadsan a rinne é. |
They did it. |
The singular masculine pronominal é is used in sentences like the following despite containing a feminine noun: is é mo thuairim (EN: It is my opinion); is é an aidhm (EN: It is the aim); is é an bhrí (EN: It is the meaning); is é mo bharúil (EN: It is my opinion). The pronominal refers to the opinion, the aim, the meaning, etc. rather than the noun itself.
Is é mo thuairimse gur fiú imeacht anois. |
It is my opinion that it is worth leaving now. |
Is é an aidhm atá leis líon na mac léinn a mhéadú. |
It is the aim to increase the number of students. |
Is é an bhrí atá le “Coimisiún” an Coimisiún Eorpach. |
It, the "Commission," means the European Commission. |
Is é mo bharúilse nár chóir dó éirí as. |
It is my opinion that he should not quit. |
Is é an fhadhb go bhfuil sé ró-leisciúil. |
It is the problem that he is too lazy. |
The pronominals of the third person are not lenited after a preposition where lenition follows.
Ar imigh sé gan sinn? |
Did he leave without us? |
Níor bhuail mé riamh le daoine mar sibh. |
I’ve never met people like you. |
In the table below, the possessive adjectives and their initial mutations are listed. These are the emphatic forms, and they are followed by nouns. A hyphen is placed between two s's, e.g., mo phas-sa, and between two n's, e.g., ár n‑arán-na. If there is no lenition, the possessive endings -sa (-se), -san (-sean), -na (-ne) are left in the middle.
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| First Person |
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| Second Person |
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| Third Person (masc.) |
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| Third Person (fem.) |
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An bhfaca tú mo mhálasa? |
Have you seen my bag? |
Cad a tharla dár mbronntanaisne? |
What happened to our gift? |
Chaill siad a gcluichesean. |
They lost their game. |
The emphatic forms of the third person pronominal (seisean, sise, siadsan) can also be used to express emphasis, e.g., a gheansaí seisean (EN: his sweater); a cóta sise (EN: her coat); a dteach siadsan (EN: their house).
Ní raibh mórán i gceist lena mhodúil seisean. |
There wasn’t much to his module. |
An bhfaca tú a carr sise? |
Did you see her car? |
Tá neart le déanamh ar a bhfeirm siadsan. |
There is plenty to do on their farm. |
When the number dhá (EN: two) appears between a possessive adjective and a noun, it is the noun that undergoes the initial mutation, not the possessive adjective.
|
Singular (following dhá) |
Plural (following dhá) |
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|---|---|---|
| First Person |
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| Second Person |
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| Third Person (masc.) |
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| Third Person (fem.) |
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Buail do dhá bhos ar a chéile. |
Clap your two palms together. |
Thit sí ar a dhá glúin. (bain.) |
She fell on her two knees. (fem.) |
Ar dhíol siad a dhá n‑árasán? (iol.) |
Did they sell their two flats? (pl.) |
To complete the function of possessive pronominal —
a possessive adjective plus ceann (EN: one) or cuid (EN: part) reinforced with a suffix is used, e.g., mo cheannsa (EN: mine); a gcuidsean (EN: theirs); or
a possessive adjective plus cuid reinforced with a suffix is used, e.g., ár gcuidne airgid (EN: our money); bhur gcuidse iarrachtaí (EN: your efforts).
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Person | mo cheannsa | ár gceann-na | mo chuidse | ár gcuidne |
| Second Person | do cheannsa | bhur gceannsa | do chuidse | bhur gcuidse |
| Third Person (masc.) | a cheannsan | a gceannsan | a chuidsean | a gcuidsean |
| Third Person (fem.) | a cheannsa | a cuidse |
Is é sin mo cheannsa. |
That is mine. |
Cé acu ceann a ceannsa? |
Which one is hers? |
Cá bhfuil bhur gcuidse? |
Where is yours? |
Ní bhfuair siad a gcuidsean. |
They didn’t get theirs. |
Déan do chuidse oibre. |
Do your work. |
Mhill sé a chuidsean gruaige. |
He spoiled his hair. |
Is é ár gcuidne airgid é. |
It’s our money. |
An bhfaca tú mo chinnse? |
Have you seen mine? |
To use a possessive adjective as a possessive verbal noun, the preposition do is placed before the possessive adjective in the first and second person singular and plural, and á is placed before the third person singular and plural, as follows:
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Person | do m’ainmniú | dár n‑ainmniú | do mo thástáil | dár dtástáil |
| Second Person | do d’ainmniú | do bhur n‑ainmniú | do do thástáil | do bhur dtástáil |
| Third Person (masc.) | á ainmniú | á n‑ainmniú | á thástáil | á dtástáil |
| Third Person (fem.) | á hainmniú | á tástáil |
Ná bí do mo chéasadh! |
Don’t torture me! |
An bhfuil an obair á déanamh agaibh? |
Are you doing the work? |
Bhí sé dár gcuardach. |
It was our search. |
When a possessive adjective is following a preposition, no compound is formed between the preposition and the possessive adjective in such contexts.
Bhí carr ag mo mháthair nuair a bhí sí óg. |
My mother had a car when she was young. |
Ar thug tú bronntanas do do mháthair? |
Did you give to your mother a present? |
Cad a thug tú do d'athair? |
What did you give to your father? |
Bhí hata ar a cheann. (fir.) |
He had a hat on his head. (masc.) |
Bhí caipín ar a ceann. (bain.) |
There was a cap on her head. (fem.) |
Tugadh an t‑uisce as ár dtobarna. |
The water was brought from our well. |
An grianghraf de bhur dteach é? |
Is it a photo of your house? |
Tá siad géar as a mbarr. |
They are sharp off their top. |
When a possessive adjective follows the prepositions de and do, compound is made between the preposition and the possessive adjective in the third person singular and plural, and in the first person plural as follows:
de + a |
→ |
dá |
do + a |
→ |
dá |
de + ár |
→ |
dár |
do + ár |
→ |
dár |
Bhain sé an hata dá cheann. (fir.) |
He removed the hat from his head. (masc.) |
Bhain sí an hata dá ceann. (bain.) |
She removed the hat from her head. (fem.) |
Bhain siad na hataí dá gceann. (iol.) |
They removed the hats from their heads. (pl.) |
Thug sé dá athair é. (fir.) |
He gave it to his father. (masc.) |
Thug sí dá hathair é. (bain.) |
She gave it to her father. (fem.) |
Thug siad dá n‑athair é. (iol.) |
They gave it to their father. (pl.) |
Scaoileamar dár ngreim. |
We released our grip. |
Thugamar dár n‑aintíní iad. |
We gave them to our aunts. |
n is placed between the prepositions faoi, i, le, ó and trí and the possessive adjective or the particle a in the following contexts:
the possessive adjective;
Fuair sé inár gcarr é. |
He found it in our car. |
Labhair sé faoina mhac. |
He talked about his son. |
the numerical particle a;
Beidh mé ann faoina sé a chlog. |
I’ll be there about six o’clock. |
Beidh an scannán ar siúl óna ceathair a chlog. |
The film will be held from four o’clock. |
the abstract particle a;
Fuair sé ardmholadh trína fheabhas a rinne sé an obair. |
He received high praise by how well he did the work. |
Ní raibh mé sásta lena fhad a thóg sé. |
I wasn’t happy with how long it took. |
in phrases such as a lán (EN: a lot); a leithéid (EN: such); a thuilleadh (EN: more);
Ceadófar post lánaimseartha ina leithéid de chás. |
A full-time position will be allowed in such an instance. |
Fuair sí billí óna lán siopadóirí. |
She got bills from a lot of shoppers. |
the relative particle a;
Sin an t‑áras ina seolfar an leabhar. |
That’s the building where the book will be sent. |
Cuir ríomhphost chugam faoina bhfuil socraithe agat. |
Email me about what you have set up. |
Note: n is never placed between go dtí and the possessive adjective or the particle a.
Chuaigh sí go dtí a teach tar éis na hoibre. |
She went to her house after work. |
Ní dheachamar go dtí ár gcóisir féin. |
We didn’t go to our own party. |
Níor thosaigh an léacht go dtí a cúig a chlog. |
The lecture didn’t start until five o’clock. |
Bhíomar ann go dtí a dó dhéag. |
We were there until twelve. |
n is placed between the preposition ar and the possessive adjective a to form arna. The verbal noun agrees with the gender and number of the noun that precedes it, e.g., leabhar arna eisiúint (EN: book issued); tuarascáil arna seoladh (EN: report sent); doiciméid arna bhfoilsiú (EN: documents published).
Measfar é a bheith arna thoghadh faoin Acht seo. (fir.) |
He shall be deemed to have been elected under this Act. (masc.) |
Ciallaíonn "Cúirt Chuarda" an Chúirt Chuarda arna bunú le dlí. (bain.) |
"Circuit Court" means the Circuit Court established by law. (fem.) |
Déanfar é faoi réir rialacháin arna ndéanamh faoi fho-alt 7. (iol.) |
It will be subject to regulations made under subsection 7. (pl.) |
| Singular | Plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Person | Second Person | Third Person (masc.) | Third Person (fem.) | First Person | Second Person | Third Person | |
| ag (EN: at) | agam | agat | aige | aici | againn | agaibh | acu |
| ar (EN: on) | orm | ort | air | uirthi | orainn | oraibh | orthu |
| as (EN: from) | asam | asat | as | aisti | asainn | asaibh | astu |
| chuig (EN: toward) | chugam | chugat | chuige | chuici | chugainn | chugaibh | chucu |
| de (EN: of) | díom | díot | de | di | dínn | díbh | díobh |
| do (EN: to) | dom | duit | dó | di | dúinn | daoibh | dóibh |
| faoi (EN: under) | fúm | fút | faoi | fúithi | fúinn | fúibh | fúthu |
| fara (EN: besides) | faram | farat | fairis | farae | farainn | faraibh | faru |
| i (EN: in) | ionam | ionat | ann | inti | ionainn | ionaibh | iontu |
| idir (EN: between) | - | - | - | - | eadrainn | eadraibh | eatarthu |
| ionsar (EN: towards) | ionsorm | ionsort | ionsair | ionsuirthi | ionsorainn | ionsoraibh | ionsorthu |
| le (EN: with) | liom | leat | leis | léi | linn | libh | leo |
| ó (EN: from) | uaim | uait | uaidh | uaithi | uainn | uaibh | uathu |
| roimh (EN: before) | romham | romhat | roimhe | roimpi | romhainn | romhaibh | rompu |
| thar (EN: over) | tharam | tharat | thairis | thairsti | tharainn | tharaibh | tharstu |
| trí (EN: through) | tríom | tríot | tríd | tríthi | trínn | tríbh | tríothu |
| um (EN: around) | umam | umat | uime | uimpi | umainn | umaibh | umpu |
Note that:
To express emphasis with the prepositional pronominals, a compound is made between the prepositional pronominals and the endings -sa (-se), -san (-sean), -ne, e.g., agamsa, agatsa, aigesean, aicise, againne, agaibhse, acusan.
-nne is formed from -nn + -ne, e.g., againne, orainne, etc., and a hyphen is placed between the two s, e.g., as-san, leis-sean, thairis-sean.
The interrogative pronominals are cá, cad, cé and céard.
Cá bhfuil tú ag dul? |
Where are you going? |
Cá ndeachaigh sé ar maidin? |
Where did he go this morning? |
Cad as duit? |
Where are you from? |
Cad mar gheall ar an gceann seo? |
What about this one? |
Cé atá ag teacht? |
Who is coming? |
Cé na ceisteanna atá agat? |
What questions do you have? |
Céard a tharla aréir? |
What happened last night? |
Céard a rinne siad tar éis na hoibre? |
What did they do after the work? |
h is placed before a word at the beginning of a sentence when cá is used (see 10.11.4).
Cá háit a ndeachaigh siad? |
Where did they go? |
Cá huair a bheidh tú ag filleadh? |
What time will you be returning? |
Cá hiontas? |
What a surprise. |
Cá haois é? |
What age is he? |
h is placed before the pronominals é (eisean), í (ise) and iad (iadsan) when used with cé (see 10.13.1)).
Cé hé an fear sin? |
Who is that man? |
Cé hí féin? |
Who is she? |
Cé hiad na saineolaithe? |
Who are the experts? |
Cé hiadsan? |
Who are they? |
The interrogative pronominals are not lenited (see 10.5.2), but compounds are made between cá, cé and the copula to make the forms cár, cárb, cárbh, cér, cérb and cérbh (see 7.3.1). A compound is made between cé and the singular article to form cén.
Cár chuir tú é? |
Where did you put it? |
Cárb as thú? |
Where are you from? |
Cárbh ard é? |
How tall is it? |
Cér de/díobh é? |
Which of them is it? |
Cérb é sin? |
What is that? |
Cérbh iad na cuairteoirí? |
Who are the visitors? |
Cén t-achar anseo tú? |
How far from here are you? |
Cén dochar é? |
What harm is it? |
The masculine singular form of the prepositional pronominal or possessive adjective a is used in interrogative sentences, regardless of the number or gender of the thing or things being referred to, e.g., Cé leis a raibh tú ag caint? (EN: Who were you talking to?) (referring to a man or a woman or a group with leis); Cé ina aghaidh a raibh siad ag imirt? (EN: Who were they playing against?) (referring to a man or a woman or a group with the possessive adjective a).
Cad é a chuir tú ann? |
What did you put there? |
Cé aige a bhfuil na ticéid? |
Who has the tickets? |
Céard faoi a bhfuil sibh ag caint? |
What are you talking about? |
These are demonstrative pronominals seo, sin and siúd. The demonstrative pronominals are used in four ways:
in combination with a preceding pronominal, e.g., Is bronntanas é sin (EN: That is a gift); Tabhair cabhair dóibh seo (EN: Give them this help); Cá bhfuil a cóipleabhar siúd? (EN: Where is that copybook?); dá rachaidís siúd (EN: If they went there);
in combination before a personal pronominal, e.g., Sin é an bronntanas (EN: That is the gift); Seo é an cóipleabhar (EN: This is the copybook); Siúd iad na múinteoirí (EN: Those are the teachers); Siúd í an traein chugainn (EN: That is the train coming towards us);
in combination with a personal pronominal, e.g., Tá sin álainn (EN: That is beautiful); Ith seo (EN: Eat this); An bhfuil siúd amhlaidh? (EN: Is that so?); D’imigh siúd leis an mbus (EN: They left with the bus); Sin madra (EN: That is a dog); Seo an mála (EN: This is the bag); Siúd an fhírinne (EN: That is the truth); Cad seo? (EN: What is this?); Cé sin? (EN: Who is that?); Sin sin (EN: That is that); mar seo (EN: Like this); go dtí sin (EN: Until then); gan siúd a ól (EN: Without drinking that);
with an adverbial function, e.g., chomh híseal seo (sin, siúd) (EN: this low); chomh mór seo (sin, siúd) (EN: this big).
The forms eo, in and iúd are often used instead of seo, sin and siúd in the copula. Note that the forms eo, in and iúd are not used after is. (TL Note: eo, in, and iúd are secondary forms in dialectical Irish according to Graiméar na Gaedhilge, Part II Chapter IV. These entries are not found in FGB.)
B'eo an áit. |
This was the place. |
Ní heo é an leabhar. |
This is not the book. |
Nach eo é mo chótasa? |
Isn’t this my coat? |
B'in é é. |
That was him. |
Ní hin mar a bheadh an cás. |
That is not how it would be. |
Dúirt sí gurb in é an fear. |
She said that that was the man. |
B'iúd iad ag imeacht ar cosa in airde. |
They were leaving on a gallop. |
Is dócha gurbh iúd é é. |
It was probably you. |
An iúd iad na comharsana? |
Are those the neighbours? |
The demonstrative pronominal éard used in the copula is a compound of é and rud.
Is éard is cúram dúinne airgead a thabhairt on loan. |
Lending money is what concerns us. |
Ba éard a bhí mé a rá go mbeidh sé críochnaithe go luath. |
It was what I was saying that it will be finished soon. |
Shílfeadh duine gurb éard atá á chur i gcéill agat ná go ndearnadh d’aon ghnó é. |
People would think that what you are pretending is that it was done on purpose. |
An éard atá beartaithe foirgneamh nua a thógáil ann? |
Is it what is intended to build a new building there? |