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Gaelic has 18 letters. It lacks J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y and Z. So consonants are often combined to make sounds for which there is no single letter. This can make many place-names seem impenetrable to English speakers. The letter combinations Bh and Mh are features of written Gaelic alien to learners. They always sound at the beginning of words like V in English. A’ Bheinn Mhòr (uh vyn vore) - the big mountain, is common. It can be found anglicised to Ben More, near Crianlarich (NN433244). Anglicisation loses the resonance given by the final letters NN. Doubling of the consonant makes a ringing sound like vyn. In this example of a feminine noun, the definite article lenites the letter B to Bh. Its accompanying adjective, mòr agrees with its noun and changes to mhòr. There is no indefinite article in Gaelic.

Unlike their English counterparts, definite articles in Gaelic change. They vary for masculine and feminine nouns in their genitive, singular and plural forms. Where nouns begin with a vowel or the letter S, the article also changes according to the gender of the noun. So it is better to learn nouns along with their articles, in both their nominative and genitive forms. Usually, but not always, nouns ending in -ach, -an, -as, -ir and -iche are masculine, whilst those ending with -ag, -achd or -eachd and -id or -aid are feminine. Memorising simple place-names with their articles can help. An t-Allt Mòr (Un towlt more) - The Big Stream (masculine), in contrast to An Abhainn Mhòr (Un AHving vore) -The Big River (feminine) is a useful mnemonic.