d'O / n'A

Contractions with Titles

Level 6

When a title begins with O, A, Os or As, you can write d' or n' before it so the title stays intact: o autor d'O lapis do carpinteiro.

How It Works

The problem

Galician normally contracts de and en with the article: do, da, no, na (see de + o = do and en + o = no). But when the article is the first word of a title, such as A Esmorga or O lapis do carpinteiro, contracting it hides the start of the title.

The solution: an apostrophe

The official norms allow an apostrophe in this case. The preposition loses its vowel, the apostrophe marks the join, and the title keeps its capital letter:

  • o argumento d'A Esmorga (the plot of A Esmorga)
  • iso está n'Os Eoas (that is in Os Eoas)
  • o autor d'O lapis do carpinteiro (the author of O lapis do carpinteiro)

The apostrophe is an option, not a requirement. You will also see the ordinary contraction, as in da Esmorga. Choose one way and use it consistently.

Where not to use it

  • Place names. Even though the article is part of the name, place names contract normally: Son da Coruña, Vivo no Porriño. See place names with the article.
  • Ordinary words. Everyday contractions never take an apostrophe: dun, nun, do, not d'un.
  • Other prepositions. The rule is for de and en.

The norms also allow an apostrophe to show everyday pronunciation in dialogue (n'é verdade), but that is a literary effect, not part of standard spelling.

Examples (5)

  1. Manuel Rivas é o autor d'O lapis do carpinteiro.

    Manuel Rivas is the author of O lapis do carpinteiro.

    D' + the title's first word O: the title keeps its capital letter.

  2. Lin o primeiro capítulo d'A Esmorga.

    I read the first chapter of A Esmorga.

    The apostrophe shows that A is the start of the title.

  3. Iso está n'Os Eoas, de Pondal.

    That is in Os Eoas, by Pondal.

    En + Os becomes n'Os before a title.

  4. Publicou un artigo n'A Nosa Terra.

    She published an article in A Nosa Terra.

    The same rule applies to newspapers and magazines.

  5. Son da Coruña, pero vivo no Porriño.

    I am from A Coruña, but I live in O Porriño.

    Place names contract normally, without an apostrophe.

Common Mistakes

  • Using an apostrophe with a place name.

    Chegou onte d'A Coruña.
    Chegou onte da Coruña.

    Place names contract in the ordinary way. The apostrophe is only for titles of works and publications.

  • Writing the title in lower case after the apostrophe.

    o autor d'o lapis do carpinteiro
    o autor d'O lapis do carpinteiro

    The apostrophe keeps the title whole, including its capital letter.

  • Using an apostrophe in ordinary contractions.

    Vivo nunha casa preto d'un río.
    Vivo nunha casa preto dun río.

    Everyday contractions such as dun, nun and do are written as one word.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

d'O / n'ALevel 6Contractions with Titles

Learn This First

De and en can be written with an apostrophe before article-initial titles, distinct from ordinary place-name contractions.