ceithre

Irish

Irish numbers (edit)
4
    Cardinal: ceathair
    Ordinal: ceathrú
    Personal: ceathrar
    Attributive: ceithre

Pronunciation

Numeral

ceithre

  1. four

Usage notes

  • The noun that follows can take either the singular or plural form. Though the use of the singular form of the noun is more common in general, the plural form must be used with units of measurement and the like. Triggers lenition of nouns in the singular and h-prothesis of nouns in the plural.
  • ceithre chat ― four cats
  • ceithre troithe ― four feet
  • ceithre héin ― four birds
  • When used with the definite article, the definite article is always in the plural. When used with adjectives, the adjective is also in the plural and is always lenited after nouns in the singular; after nouns in the plural, the adjective only lenites after slender consonants:
  • ceithre chapall bhána ― four white horses
  • na ceithre eaglais mhóra ― the four big churches
But:
  • ceithre capaill bhána ― four white horses
  • na ceithre heaglaisí móra ― the four big churches
  • When referring to human beings, the personal form ceathrar is used.

Derived terms

Mutation

Mutated forms of ceithre
radical lenition eclipsis
ceithre cheithre gceithre

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

  1. ^ Breatnach, Risteard B. (1947), The Irish of Ring, Co. Waterford: A Phonetic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 516, page 138
  2. ^ de Búrca, Seán (1958), The Irish of Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 472, page 129
  3. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 186, page 71

Further reading

  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “ceiṫre”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 186; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
  • “ceithre”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2025, retrieved 24 May 2024
  • de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “four”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, retrieved 24 May 2024
  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “ceithre”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN, retrieved 24 May 2024
  • Ó Dónaill, Niall; Ua Maoileoin, Pádraig (1991), “ceithre”, in An Foclóir Beag (in Irish), Dublin: An Gúm, retrieved 24 May 2024
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