Na hInscí (Genders)
There are two genders in Irish, masculine and feminine. Grammatical gender and the gender of the noun do not necessarily match up, e.g.
cailín means "girl" but is a masculine noun
stail meaning "stallion" is a feminine noun
The best way to establish gender is to check a dictionary, but there are some rules-of-thumb.
Guide to Gender of Nouns in Irish
The names of most continents, countries and rivers are feminine:
| Gaeilge | Béarla |
|---|---|
| chun na hAfraice | to Africa |
| chun na Fraince | to France |
| trasna na Sionainne | across the Shannon |
| muintir na Rúise | the people of Russia |
| i lár na Spáinne | in the middle of Spain |
The names of languages are mostly feminine:
| Gaeilge | Béarla |
|---|---|
| an Ghaeilge | Irish |
| an Fhraincis | French |
| an Rúisis | Russian |
| an Spáinnis | Spanish |
Exception: an Béarla (English)
The noun endings often give a good indication of the gender.
The nouns with the following endings are usually masculine:
| Ending | Examples |
|---|---|
| -(e)adh | cuireadh, geimhreadh, samhradh |
| -(a)í | ceannaí, leabharlannaí, sclábhaí, rúnaí |
| -án | arán, bradán, meascán, cnapán |
| -ch | cléireach, coileach, fathach, oifigeach, coimhthíoch |
| -éad | buicéad, céad, lipéad, paicéad |
| -éal | buidéal, ospidéal, scéal |
| -éan | éan, fíréan |
| -eál | seál, muineál |
| -éar | coiléar, féar, móinéar, péipéar |
| -éir | báicéir, siúinéir, tincéir |
| -eoir/óir | bádóir, cladóir, feirmeoir, múinteoir |
| -ín | báisín, cailín, cillín, púirín |
| -(i)úir | saighdiúir, táilliúir |
| -s (broad) | bus, cleas, costas, fios |
| -ún | botún, colún, oinniún, príosún |
| -úr | casúr, colúr, pictiúr, rásúr |
The nouns with the following endings are usually feminine:
| Ending | Examples |
|---|---|
| -(a)íl | béicíl, feadaíl, osnaíl |
| -(e)áil | sábháil, tarrtháil |
| -(a)ilt | meilt, oscailt |
| -(a)int | caint, seachaint |
| -áint | tiomáint |
| -(a)íocht | filíocht, eagraíocht, litríocht, siamsaíocht |
| -aois/is | calaois, gaois, mailís, coicís |
| -chan | athbheochan |
| -(a)irt | bagairt, imirt |
| -(e)ach | báisteach, gríosach |
| -(e)acht | Gaeltacht, gluiseacht, mallacht |
| -úil | barúil |
| -úint | canúint |
| -lann | amharclann, bialann, leabharlann |
| -eog/óg | bábóg, bróg, cuinneog, fuinneog |