"Tá a pasta ar an bpláta."

Translation: Her pasta is on the plate.

[altearius]

Why is this "Her pasta is on the plate" and not "His pasta is on the plate"?

[galaxyrocker]

So there's three possessive a (meaning his, her, their). The way you determine which one is which is from the mutation on the following word (or context depending).

• a meaning 'his' lenites the following consonant, and does nothing to a vowel, so you get things like a phasta and a úll.

• a meaning 'her' does nothing to the following consonant, but prefixes 'h' to a vowel, so you get a pasta and a húll.

• a meaning 'their' eclipses the following consonant, and adds 'n-' to a vowel, leaving you with a bpasta and a n-úll

Hope that helps clear things up!

[Rachel966199]

I screenshot this - thank you!!!

[Ningauble7i]

Thanks, galaxyrocker!

[sjt70]

At the risk of sounding like a complete rock, I still don't understand.

[AndrBallon]

Gosh I need a long way to go !

[Joan175733]

Little things like that wreck one's head

[AndrBallon]

that makes irish language unique !

[ShaneTheFrench]

Holy mother of god this is soooo confusing

[Chalazon]

Yes .it most certainly is...

[Enid270607]

How on earth do you remember this especially when you don't really understand the grammar in the first place? I thought lenition was something to do with a car.

[TheManlyWaffle15]

omg that was actually funny. have a lingot, I have too many.