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English is an adjective-noun language, which means that the adjective (describing word) comes before the noun (described word), and the noun comes before the verb (action).
For instance:
| The |
big |
ship |
went |
to Brittany.
|
| (article) |
adjective |
noun |
verb |
(complement)
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Breton on the other hand is a noun-adjective language, which means that the noun comes before the adjective.
| Al |
lestr |
bras |
a yeas |
da Vreizh.
|
| (article) |
noun |
adjective |
verb |
(complement)
|
| (Literally: "The ship big went to Brittany").
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- Definite articles
- al [al] before words beginning with "l": al labour "the work", al levr "the book", al liamm "the link", al louarn "the fox", al lur "the pound".
- an [ãn] before "n", "d", "t", "h" and vowels: an nadoz "the needle", an dervenn "the oak", an tevenn "the cliff", an heol "the sun", an oabl "the sky".
- ar [ar] before other letters: ar bara "the bread", ar c'harr "the car", ar mor "the sea", ar sae "the dress", ar yar "the hen".
- Indefinite articles
The indefinite articles follow the same rule as the definite ones.
- ul ['œl] before "l": ul lenn "a lake".
- un ['œn] before "n", "d", "t", "h" and vowels: un daol "a table", un erer "un eagle".
- ur ['œr] before other letters: ur falc'h "a scythe".
- Combination
The Breton preposition e "in" is contracted with the definite article (al, an, ar) to give:
- el before "l": el liorzh "in the garden".
- en before "n", "d", "t", "h" and vowels: en ti "in the house".
- er before other letters: er straed "in the street".
Write the following sentences with the correct grammar.
- The mayor is big. [Words : a? ("the"), zo ("is"), maer ("mayor") , bras ("big")]
- The new town hall is beautiful. [Words : a? ("the"), zo ("is"), ti-kêr ("town hall") , brav ("beautiful") , nevez ("new")]
- The big mayor went into the town hall, and thereafter to the old market. [Words : a? ("the"), da ("to"), tre e_ ("into") , goude-se ("after that, thereafter"), kozh ("old"), maer ("mayor"), bras ("big"), ti-kêr (town hall), a yeas ("went"), marc'had ("market"), ha ("and")]
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