De

Overview

Forms

Mutations

• General Rule — de thír — of a country — de causes lenition on nouns without the article.
• With the article (General) — den Ghearmáin — of Germany — de combines with an to form den, causing lenition.
• The “S” Rule — den tsagart — of the priest — If the noun begins with s, den causes a t-prefix instead of lenition.
• Vowel Start — d’Úna — of Úna — Before a vowel or fh, de becomes d'.

Interrogatives

Physical World

Spatial Separation & Motion

• Separation (Off) — titim den chathaoir — fall off the chair — Motion away from a surface.
• Removal — bain dhíot an cóta — take off your coat — Lit. “take the coat off you.”
• Breaking Away — bhriseadh den chrann — to break off the tree — Separation from a main body.
• Relative Position — laistiar den teach — behind the house — Used with spatial adverbs to define location relative to an object.

Material & Content

• Material — déanta d’adhmad — made of wood — Defining the substance something is created from.
• Transformation — rinne fíon den uisce — wine was made from the water — One substance becoming another.
• Contents — lán d’uisce — full of water — Used to describe what fills a container.
• Depiction — pictiúr de Sheán — a picture of Seán — Representation or image of a subject.

Abstract & Causal Domain

Cause & Reason

• Cause — fuair sé bás den ocras — he died of hunger — The physical cause of a state.
• Result — tagann sin de — that comes of it / that is the result — Consequence.
• Reason — de bhrí — because / by virtue of — Establishing logical cause.
• Gratitude — tá mé buíoch díot — I am grateful to you — Note: Irish uses de (of/off) you for gratitude sources.

Action & Means

• Instrument — buille de bhata — a blow of a stick — Using an object to perform an action.
• Manner/Mode — de léim — with a jump / suddenly — A sudden or specific manner of movement.
• Transport — de traein — by train — Means of travel.
• Time/Duration — ag obair de ló is d’oíche — working by day and by night.

Social & Identity Domain

Origin & Partitive Logic

• Origin/Lineage — duine den seanreacht — a person of the old regime — Belonging to a group or era.
• Family — fear de Bhrianach — a man of the O’Briens — Surname/Clan affiliation.
• Partitive (Selection) — cuid de na daoine — some of the people — A portion of a larger group.
• Possessive Partitive — cara dá chuid — a friend of his — Lit. “a friend of his share/portion.”

Description & Apposition

• Description — amadán de mhac — a fool of a son — categorisation of a person (quality + de + noun).
• Comparison — chomh mór d’fhear leat — as big a man as you — Equating qualities.
• Difference — níos troime de dhá únsa — heavier by two ounces — The extent of a difference.
• Role/Function — tá sé de speal agam — I have it as a scythe — Using an object in a specific capacity.

State & Connection

Adherence & Continuity

• Attachment — greamaíonn sé den bhalla — it sticks to the wall — Fastening or adhering to a surface.
• Continuity — lean de sin — stick to that / keep doing that — Persisting in an action.
• Interest — glacaim spéis de — I take an interest in it — Adhering one’s attention to something.

Limitation & Scope

• Limitation (Only) — Ní raibh de chairde aige ach… — He had no friends but… — Lit. “He did not have of friends but…”.
• Capacity — má tá sé de mhuisneach agat — if you have the courage — Lit. “if you have of courage”.
• Total Scope — a bhfuil d’fhir ann — all the men that are there — Lit. “all that is of men there.”