"The woman wears a dress."

Translation: Caitheann an bhean gúna.

[Ghostii420]

Why bhean and not mbean?

[19O492554]

Eclipsis (a consonant added before the first letter of a word) and lenition (h added after the first letter of a word) have to be caused by something.

There is nothing in this sentence that would cause ecipsis of bean, but there is something that causes lenition - feminine nouns (like bean) are lenited after the singular definite article an in the nominative case.

[Margaret314195]

Why is "woman" lenited but "girl" is not lenited in the similar sentence?
(Caitheann an bhean guna --but-- Caitheann an cailin guna)

[19O492554]

bean is a feminine noun, cailín is a masculine noun.

Grammatical gender does not always match with natural gender.

[PaulCaron5]

Which just makes learning Irish that much harder. Oh well.

[Margaret314195]

Thank you very much. It never occurred to me that cailín could be masculine. I shall watch for this in future.

[liamMGall]

How very Irish is this. Keeps the English on their toes . lol

[daniel.esparza.]

Why is "bean" lenited?

[galaxyrocker]

Feminine nouns following the singular, nominative definite article are lenited.

[daniel.esparza.]

Thanks!

[Iska_Hinssa]

Could you also say "Tá gúna ar an bhean"?

[MaryMcGonagle123]

I was almost correct. If i get many more wrong i will up completly