Identifying Feminine Nouns – Rule Overview

Feminine Noun – Rule – Identifying a feminine noun’s gender by its ending.

In this section, we will explore feminine noun endings which follow certain conditions.

We will list the conditions and give an example of most noun endings that fall into the category of feminine noun endings. 

Each noun example will include a foclóir.ie link for confirmation purposes.

Our goal is to help learners achieve a clear understanding of Identifying a feminine noun’s gender by its ending.

Feminine Nouns

Identifying Feminine Nouns:

1. Living things that are female (except cailín).

Any declension

2. Countries (except Sasana, Ceanada, Meiriceá & others).

Mostly fem2

3. Most languages (except Béarla & others).

Mostly fem2

4. Most rivers.

Mostly fem

5. Most nouns ending in a slender consonant.

Mostly fem2, fem3

Some fem4, fem5

6. The following endings -eog, -óg, -lann,

Mostly fem2

7. Polly-syllable nouns ending in -cht [-eacht, -acht, -aíocht, -íocht]

Mostly fem3

Note: There are always exceptions.

Feminine Declensions are in the following groups:

fem2 = Feminine Group 2

fem3 = Feminine Group 3

fem4 = Feminine Group 4

fem5 = Feminine Group 5 (not very common)

Note: We will discuss declensions in more detail at a later stage.

1. Living things that are female (except cailín).

These nouns can be found in any declension group.

fem2

Iníon

daughter

fem3 

Banríon

Queen

fem4

Mamó

granny 

fem5

Máthair

mother 

2. Countries (except Sasana, Ceanada, Meiriceá).

These nouns are mostly found in fem2 = Feminine Group 2.

These nouns have a genitive from but not a plural form.

fem2

An Ghearmáin

Germany

fem2

An tSín

China

fem5

Éire

Ireland

3. Languages (except Béarla).

These nouns are mostly found in fem2 = Feminine Group 2

These nouns have a genitive from but not a plural form.

fem2

Gearmáinis

German

fem2

Sínis

Chinese 

fem4

Gaeilge

Irish

4. Rivers. (No declensions necessary as there is no plural)

These nouns are mostly feminine (no group listed) 

These nouns have a genitive from but not a plural form.

The following are fem

an Life

Liffey

an tSionainn

Shannon

an Bhóinn

Boyne

5. Most nouns ending in a slender vowel

These nouns are mostly found in: 

fem2 = Feminine Group 2

fem3 = Feminine Group 3

And some in:

fem4 = Feminine Group 4

fem5 = Feminine Group 5

slender vowels include: i/í and e/é

In the cases below all endings are the slender “i/í”.

These are some of the most common slender endings.

These noun endings are listed in terms of most common to least common.

(Endings 1-13)

-áil

-int

-is

-irt

-id

-il

-in

-ir

-ailt

-ís

-úil

-aint

-áint

Note: We will show an example of each noun ending using the following format:

-ending

declension group

Noun

Translation

Declensions

Note: The following is more common for feminine nouns. 

It is important to identify the declension of a noun.

Even if two nouns share the same ending, their plural forms can differ if they belong to different declensions.

It is important to be aware these grammar differences exist.

Don’t worry too much about it for now as we will discuss declensions in more detail at later stage.

-áil

Singular -> Léarscáil fem2

map

Plural -> léarscáileanna

maps

Singular -> tástáil fem3

test

Plural -> tástálacha

tests

You will note in the following examples we have listed nouns with the same endings but different declensions.

(Ending 1) -áil

-áil

fem2

Léarscáil

map

-áil

Fem3

Tástáil

test

(Ending 2) -int

-int

fem2

Argóint

Argument

-int

fem3

Tairiscint

Offer 

(Ending 3) -is

-is

fem2

Gluais

Glossary

(Ending 4) -irt

-irt

fem2

Cúirt

Court

-irt

fem3

Fógairt

Proclamation

(Ending 5) -id

-id

fem2

Staid

Stadium

-id

fem3

Troid

Fight

(Ending 6) -il

-il

fem2

Peil

Football

-il

fem3

Feoil

Meat

-il

fem5

Riail

rule

(Ending 7) -in

-in

fem2

Seachtain

Week

-in

fem3

Bliain

Year 

-in

fem5

Cáin

Tax

(Ending 8) -ir

-ir

fem2

Scair

Share

-ir

fem5

Cathair

city

(Ending 9) -ailt

-ailt

fem2

diomailt

waste

(Ending 10) -ís

-ís

fem2

Anailís

Analysis

(Ending 11) -úil

-úil

fem2

Súil

Eye

(Ending 12) -aint

-aint

fem2

Caint

Talk

-aint

fem3

Cosaint

Protection

(Ending 13) -áint

-áint

fem3

Tiomáint

Drive

6. The following endings -eog, -óg, -lann,

These nouns are mostly found in fem2 = Feminine Group 2

-ending

declension group

Noun

Translation

-eog

fem2

Fuinneog

Window

-óg

fem2

Bábóg

doll

-lann

fem2

Leabharlann

Library 

7. Polly-syllable (more than one-syllable) nouns ending in -cht [-eacht, -acht, -aíocht, -íocht]

These nouns are mostly found in fem3 = Feminine Group 3

-ending

declension group

Noun

Translation

-eacht

fem3

Aireacht

Ministry  

-acht

fem3

Cumhacht

Power 

-aíocht

fem3

Luaíocht

Reward

-íocht

fem3

Oibríocht f3

operation

Learners will find a detailed breakdown of identifying a feminine noun’s gender by its ending on the TYM – Learn Irish Apps.