Prepositions

For a definition of preposition see the page Preposition (definition)

Gaelic has both simple prepositions and complex ones. In this article you'll find first a list of all the prepositions, then at the bottom you'll find some useful charts about how prepositions inflect for person and number.

List of Gaelic Simple Prepositions

• aig 'at' (does not lenite, takes dative case)
• air 'on' (does **not** lenite, takes dative case)
• ann an/ anns/ ann 'in' (ann an does not lenite and takes dative case)
• à/às 'out of'/'from' (as in place of national origin) (does **not** lenite, takes dative case)
• bho 'from' (as in source of movement) (lenite, takes dative case)
• chun 'to the' (in the sense of "as far as" but not "into" (can only be used with a definite noun, does not lenite, and takes genitive case)
• de (dhe^L/de^L) 'of/off' (lenite, takes dative case)
• do (do^L) 'to/for' (lenite, takes dative case)
• fo (fo^L) 'under' (lenite, takes dative case)
• eadar 'between' (does **not** lenite, takes accusative case)
• far 'off' (does not lenite, takes genitive case)
• gu (thun/chun) 'to' (gu does not lenite, takes dative case, gus lenite and takes XXX case)
• gun 'without' (lenite (except the dental sounds <d,t,n,l,r,s>). Depending upon the dialect it takes either dative or accusative case)
• le 'with' (does not [[[Lenition|lenite]], takes dative case)
• mar 'like'/'as'
• Mu (preposition) 'about' (lenite, takes dative case)
• o 'from' (lenite, takes dative case)
• rè 'during' (does not lenite (except when the object is a definite plural), and takes genitive case)
• ri 'to' (does not lenite, takes dative case)
• ro (roimh) 'before' (lenite, takes dative case)
• thar 'over'/'beyond' (does not [[[Lenition|lenite]], and takes genitive case)
• tharsainn 'across' (does not lenite, and takes genitive case)
• trìd 'through, on account of' (does not lenite, and takes genitive case)
• tro (troimh) 'through' (lenite, takes dative case)

Preposition	Lenites?	'CASE taken by following	aig 'at'	NO
air 'on'
ann an/ anns/ ann 'in'
à/às 'out of'/'from' (as in place of national origin)
bho 'from' (as in source of movement)
chun 'to the' (in the sense of "as far as" but not "into"
de (dheL/deL) 'of/off'
do (doL) 'to/for'
fo (foL) 'under'
eadar 'between'
far 'off'
gu (thun/chun) 'to'
gun 'without'
le 'with'
mar 'like'/'as'
Mu 'about'
o 'from'

rè 'during' ri 'to' ro (roimh) 'before' thar 'over'/'beyond' tharsainn 'across' trìd 'through, on account of' tro (troimh) 'through'

List of Gaelic Complex and Compound Prepositions

(List taken from Mark 2004:686 and Lamb 2003:49)

CASE take by following noun	Preposition
ACCUSATIVE	ceangailte ri 'tied to'
	coltach ri 'similar to'
	gu ruige 'as far as, up to'
DATIVE	an coimeas ri 'compared to'
	an taca ri 'next to'
	barrachd air 'in addition to'
	còmhla ri 'along with'
	cuide ri 'along with'
	faisg air 'close to'
	goirid air 'close to'
	làmh ri 'next to', 'compared to'
	maille ri 'along with'
	mun cuairt air 'around"
	seachad air 'past'
	suas ri 'up to'
	thairis air 'across'
GENITIVE	a chum 'for the purpose of'
	a dh'ionnsaigh 'towards'
	a rèir 'according to'
	a thaobh 'regarding'
	air cùlaibh 'behind'
	air feadh 'amongst'
	air muin 'on top of'
	air sgàth 'for the sake of'
	air son 'for'/'because'
	air tòir ' in pursuit of
	am fianais 'in the presence of'
	am measg 'among'
	an aghaidh 'against'
	an àite 'in place of'
	an ceann 'within'
	an coinneamh 'met with'
	an dèidh 'after'
	an làthair 'in the presence of'
	às aonais 'without'
	às eugmhais 'without'
	às leth 'on behalf of'
	às dèidh 'after'
	fa chomhair 'opposite'
	mu chomhair 'opposite'
	mu dheidhinn 'concerning'
	mu thimcheall 'regarding'
	mun cuairt 'around'
	os cionn 'above'
	ri taobh 'beside'

Practice tables

Preposition	CASE take by following noun
ceangailte ri 'tied to'
coltach ri 'similar to'
gu ruige 'as far as, up to'	ACCUSATIVE

List of Gaelic Adverbial Particles (intransitive prepositions)

• a-bhàn 'down', 'downwards'
• a-nìos 'up', 'upwards'

The Inflection of Gaelic Prepositions

Gaelic Prepositions inflect for person, number and gender when they take a pronoun as an object. For example if we were to say "at me", we use the inflected form "agam".

• A complete set of inflected form of the prepositions can be found at Prepositional Inflection

External Links

• An Coitcheann page on Prepositions: http://wikademy.wikispaces.com/Prepositions

References

• Mark, Colin (2004) The Gaelic-English Dictionary/Am faclair Gàidhlig-Beurla. London: Routledge
• Lamb, William (2003) Scottish Gaelic. 2nd edition. Munich: Lingcom Europa
• Deiseal Earranta tta (2006) Reference Cards: Sealbhairean Roimhearach/Riochdairean Roimhearach.