Note: I originally published this article on E2.

Fiche Ceist (Twenty Questions)

Playing Fiche Ceist is an excellent way to become familiar with:

• the difference between "tá" and "níl",
• how nouns change when predeeded by a preposition + definite article, and
• masculine vs. feminine nouns

Follow the examples below.

Is it...? Describing the object

An bhfuil sé	fuar? (cold) te? (hot) fliuch? (wet) tirim? (dry) dorcha? (dark) geal? (bright) bán? (white) dubh? (black) dearg? (red) gorm? (blue) buí? (yellow) beo? (alive) bog? (soft) crua? (hard) glan? (clean) salach? (dirty) milis? (sweet) mór? (big) beag? (small) ard (tall) sean (old) nua (nua) óg (young)		Tá. (yes) Níl. (no) Is deacair a rá. (It's difficult to say). Uaireannta. (sometimes) Beagnach (almost) Tá sé reasunta fuar, etc. (It's reasonably cold, etc.)
	chomh mór le (as big as) níos mó ná (bigger than) chomh beag le (as small as) níos lú ná (smaller than)	bosca aran? (a bread box)
	déanta as adhmad? (made of wood) sa seomra ranga? (in the classroom)
	sa (in the)	bosca, cupán, mála
	ar an (on the) faoin (in the) in aice leis an (near the)	mbord mbosca mbuidéal gcathaoir gclog gcupán ndeoch bhfáinne bhfuinneoig bpáipéar bpeann bpictiúr leabhar mála scáthán scian spúnóg

Is it...? Identifying or classifying the object

An	cóta (a coat) clog (a clock) leabhar (a book) pictiúr (a picture) páipéar (a paper, newspaper) bord (a table) buidéal (a bottle) forc (a fork) cupán (a cup) bía (food) mála (a bag) peann (a pen) fón (a phone) bosca (a box) scáthán(a mirror) fáinne (a ring)	é?	Is ea. Ní hea.
	scian (a knife) spúnóg (a spoon) deoch (a drink) cathaoir (a chair) fuinneoig (a window) bróg (a shoe) bó (a cow)	í?