"Nine judges are listening."

Translation: Tá naonúr breithiúna ag éisteacht.

[sheshesh]

I thought that you generally use the singular noun... Why do you use the plural in this case?

[galaxyrocker]

It's the genitive plural - it's used with the special people numbers.

[sheshesh]

Thanks! I went back and re-read the notes (AGAIN!) and now I see that rule. I have a mental block when it comes to numbers!!!

[teresa599811]

Why doesn't verb come first please ?

[MicheleTreCaffe]

...the 'are listening' means this is the present progressive. Thus, as per Satharn above, 'tá (siad) ag éisteacht' rather than 'éisteann siad'

[SatharnPHL]

The first word is Tá, which is a verb.