Language/Irish/Grammar/Prepositional-Pronouns
Irish prepositions are essential in the language and are mostly used to indicate the position or direction of an object. They also form an essential part of Irish prepositional pronouns.
In this lesson, we will be discussing prepositional pronouns in Irish, how they are formed, and how they are used. Prepositional pronouns are a combination of a preposition and a pronoun, used to show the relationship between the object and the subject in a sentence.
Forming Prepositional Pronouns
To form prepositional pronouns in Irish, we combine a preposition with a pronoun. For example, the preposition "le" meaning "with" and the pronoun "mé" meaning "me" combine to form the prepositional pronoun "liom," meaning "with me."
Here is a table of some prepositions alongside the pronouns they combine with to form prepositional pronouns:
| Preposition | Pronoun | Prepositional Pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| ag | mé | agam |
| ag | tú | agat |
| ag | sé | aige |
| ag | sí | aici |
| ag | muid | againn |
| ag | sibh | agaibh |
| ag | said | acu |
| ar | mé | orm |
| ar | tú | ort |
| ar | sé | air |
| ar | sí | uirthi |
| ar | muid | orainn |
| ar | sibh | oraibh |
| ar | said | orthu |
| le | mé | liom |
| le | tú | leat |
| le | sé | leis |
| le | sí | léi |
| le | muid | linn |
| le | sibh | libh |
| le | said | leo |
Note that the prepositional pronouns in Irish are similar to the personal pronouns, with slight differences in spelling and pronunciation.
Using Prepositional Pronouns
Prepositional pronouns are commonly used in Irish to indicate possession, location, and direction. Here are some examples:
- Possession: Tá carr agam. (I have a car.)
In this example, "agam" is a prepositional pronoun indicating possession. It is formed by combining the preposition "ag" meaning "at" with the pronoun "mé" meaning "me."
- Location: Tá mé sa chistin. (I am in the kitchen.)
In this example, "sa" is a prepositional pronoun indicating location. It is formed by combining the preposition "i" meaning "in" with the article "an" meaning "the," and the pronoun "mé" meaning "me."
- Direction: Téim leat. (I go with you.)
In this example, "leat" is a prepositional pronoun indicating direction. It is formed by combining the preposition "le" meaning "with" with the pronoun "tú" meaning "you."
Prepositional pronouns can also be used in compound prepositions, such as "i dtreo," meaning "toward," and "ar fud," meaning "across."
Summary
Prepositional pronouns are a combination of a preposition and a pronoun, used to show the relationship between the object and the subject in a sentence. They are essential in Irish to indicate possession, location, and direction. Prepositional pronouns in Irish are formed by combining a preposition with a pronoun, and they are similar to personal pronouns, with slight differences in spelling and pronunciation.
In the next lesson, we will discuss the use of reflexive pronouns in Irish.