Scottish Gaelic phrasebook

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is spoken by around 1.2% of the Scottish population and in parts of Nova Scotia, Canada, and in Australia. It belongs to the Goidelic branch in the Celtic language family, alongside Irish and Manx.

Gaelic speakers are usually very happy to speak English to visitors, and all essential business can readily be done in English. Studying Gaelic may increase your enjoyment of a visit to the Scottish Highlands and Hebrides, but is not necessary to get around. There are no monolingual Gaelic speakers.

Pronunciation guide

Stress the first syllable on every word. Scottish Gaelic has a number of sounds which can be difficult for English speakers to pick up including CH (as in Scots 'loch' or the composer 'Bach') and the three Rs (rolled, slender and tapped) none of which resembles the English 'pirate R'. A helpful guide to Gaelic pronunciation can be found here.

An important feature of the language is lenition, whereby initial consonants change their sound depending on its grammatical situation. This is represented by an H being added after the initial letter. E.g. An cù (the dog) > a' chù/Am meur (the finger) > a' mheur.

Phrase list

Slashes generally indicate the difference between the informal and formal/polite form in that order (e.g. leat/leibh - leat is informal, leibh is formal)

Basics

Hello.: Halò. (ha-LAW)
How are you?: Ciamar a tha thu/sibh? (KEM-mer uh HA oo?)
Fine, thank you.: Tha mi gu math, tapadh leat/leibh. (HA mI goo MA, TAH-puh let/leave)
What is your name?: Dè an t-ainm a th' ort/oirbh? (JAY un TEN-um a HORSHT/HOR-riv?)
My name is ______ .: Is mise ______ . ( is SMish-shuh _____ .)
Nice to meet you.: 'S toil leam gur coinneachadh. (STOL lum gur KEN-yukh-ugh): 's math gad fhaicinn (mah gad echkeen)
Please.: Led thoil. / Ler toil. (led HOL / ler TOL)
Thank you.: Tapadh leat/leibh. (TAH-puh let/leave)
You're welcome.: 'S e do bheatha / ur beatha. (SHAY do VEH-huh / oor BEH-huh)
Yes.: (Gaelic has no words for "yes" and "no", and replies are made with the relevant verbs. For questions beginning with "a bheil?", the appropriate word for "yes" is "tha". An alternative is "seadh", pronounced shugh, which means "yeah" or "uh-huh")
No.: (Gaelic has no words for "yes" and "no", and replies are made with the relevant verbs. For questions beginning with "a bheil?", the appropriate word for "no" is "chan eil")
Excuse me. (getting attention): Gabh/Gabhaibh mo leisgeul. (GAV/GAV-iv mo LESH-keel)
I'm sorry.: Tha mi duilich. (HA mee DOO-lich)
Goodbye.: Tioraidh! (CHEE-ree)
I can't speak Gaelic well.: Chan eil Gàidhlig mhath agam. (khu-NYAIL GAH-lick VAH ACK-um)
Do you speak Gaelic?: A bheil Gàidhlig agad? (informal) / A bheil Gàidhlig agaibh? (formal/plural)
Help!: Cuidich! (cu-Jeech!)Cuideaichaibh! (KWIDGE-ich-iv!)
Look out!: thor an aire (horr an arer)
Good morning.: Madainn mhath. (MAT-een vah)
Good evening.: Feasgar math. (FES-ker mah)
Good night.: Oidhche mhath. (EYE-chuh vah)
Sleep well: Cadail/Cadailibh gu math. (KAT-ul/KAT-uh-liv goo mah)
I don't understand.: Chan eil mi a' tuigsinn. (khu-NYAIL mee uh TooK-sheen)
Where is the toilet?: Càit a bheil an taigh beag? (KAATSH uh VAIL un TIE BECK?)

Problems

Leave me alone.: Fàg mi leam fhèin. (ghag me laom hayn)
Don't touch me!: Cum do laimhan leat fhèinsa! ( koom do lavin laht hein-sa!)
I'll call the police.: Fònaidh mi air poileas. ( .)
Police!: Poileas! ( !)
Stop! Thief!: ! ! ( ! !)
I need your help.: Am faodidh tu dhuim cudicheadh?. ( .)
It's an emergency.: 'se h-eiginn a th'ann. ( .)
I'm lost.: tha mi air chail. ( .)
I lost my bag.: chail mi an rucksack agam. ( .)
I lost my wallet.: chail mi an sporan agam. ( .)
I'm sick.: Tha mi tinn. ( .)
I've been injured.: tha mi sàraichte. ( .)
I need a doctor.: feumidh mi doctair. ( .)
Can I use your phone?: Am faodidh mi cleachd an fòn agad (mas e do thoil e)?

Numbers (àireamhan)

0: Neoini
1: A h-aon ( )
2: A dhà ( )
3: A trì ( )
4: A ceithir ( )
5: A cóig ( )
6: A sia ( )
7: A seachd ( )
8: A h-ochd ( )
9: A naoi ( )
10: A deich ( )
11: A h-Aon dheug ( )
12: A dà dheug ( )
13: A trì deug ( )
14: A ceithir deug ( )
15: A cóig deug ( )
16: A sia deug ( )
17: A seachd deug ( )
18: A h-ochd deug ( )
19: A naoi deug ( )
20: Fichead ( )
21: Aon air fhichead ( )
22: Dà air fhichead ( )
23: Trì air fhichead ( )
30: Deich air fhichead ( )
40: Dà fhichead ( )
50: Dà fhichead is a deich ( )
60: Trì fhichead ( )
70: Trì fhichead is a deich ( )
80: Ceithir fhichead ( )
90: Ceithir fhichead is a deich ( )
100: Ceud ( )
200: Dà ceud ( )
300: Trì ceud ( )
1,000: Mille ( )
2,000: Dà ( )
1,000,000: ( )
1,000,000,000: ( )
1,000,000,000,000: ( )
number _____ (train, bus, etc.): ( )
half: ( )
less: ( )
more: ( )

Time

now: a-nis OR an-drasda ( )
later: as deidh
before: roimhe
morning: madainn (MAT-een)
afternoon: feasgar (FES-ker)
evening: oidhche ( OY-chuh)
night: nochd ( nahchk (the ch is pronounced like in 'loch'))

Clock time

one o'clock AM: aon uair madainn (oon ooayd madane )
two o'clock AM: dha uair madainn ( )
three o'clock AM: trì uairean madainn ()
noon: meadhan-latha ( )
one o'clock PM: aon uair feasgar ( )
two o'clock PM: dha uair feasgar ( )
midnight: meadhan-oidhche ( )

Duration

_____ minute(s): _____ mionaid(ean) ( )
_____ hour(s): _____ uair(ean) ( )
_____ day(s): _____ latha (laithean) ( )
_____ week(s): _____ seachdain(ean) ( )
_____ month(s): _____ mios(an) ( )
_____ year(s): _____ bliadhna (bliadhnaichean) ( )

Days

today: an-diugh (an-JOO)
yesterday: an-de (an-JEH)
tomorrow: a-maireach (a-MAH-roch)
this week: (an) seachdain (seo) ( )
last week: an seachgainn seach chaidh
next week: an ath sheachdain ( )

Monday: Diluain (JEE loo-een)
Tuesday: Dimàirt (JEE mar-sht)
Wednesday: Diciadaoin ( )
Thursday: Diardaoin ( )
Friday: Dihaoine (JIH höh-nyeh)
Saturday: Disathairne (JEE saa-har-nyeh)
Sunday: Didòmhnaich (General) or Latha na sàbaid (Presbyterian) (LAA na-SAH-betch)

Months

January: am Faoileach ( )
February: am Gearran ( )
March: am Màrt (am MAAR-sht)
April: an Giblean ( )
May: an Cèitean ( )
June: an t-Ògmhìos ( )
July: an t-luchar ( )
August: an Lùnastal ( )
September: an t-Sultain ( )
October: an Dàmhair ( )
November: an t-Samhain ( an tuh- SAvine)
December: an Dùbhlachd ( )

Seasons

Spring: an t-Earrach
Summer: an Samhradh
Autumn: am Foghar
Winter: an Geamhradh

Writing time and date

Colours

black: dubh (doo)
white: geal (geh-al)
grey: liath (LEE-ah)
red: dearg ("ruadh" for hair) ( JEER-k)
blue: gorm ( Gor-um)
yellow: buidhe ( BOO-yuh)
green: uaine ( ooAIN-yuh)
orange: orains ( oRAHNs)
purple: purpie
brown: donn (DÖ-un - rounded lips like German Ö)

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?: De a' phris airson tiocaid gu ____? ( )
One ticket to _____, please.: Aon tiocaid gu ______, mar 'se do thoil e. ( )
Where does this train/bus go?: Cait' an dol an treana / am bus seo? ( )
Where is the train/bus to _____?: Cait' a bheil an treana / am bus do ____? ( )
Does this train/bus stop in _____?: ( )
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?: Cuin' a falbh an trana / am bus do ____?( )
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?: ( )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?: Ciamar a tha mi a' dol dhan ____ ? ( Cihamad a ha me a' jole yan)
...the train station?: ... steisean treana? ( )
...the bus station?: ... steisean bus? ( )
...the airport?: ... phort-adhair? ( )
...downtown?: ... bhaile? ( )
...the youth hostel?: ... ostail? ( )
...the _____ hotel?: ... taigh-osda ____ ? ( )
Where are there a lot of...: Cait' a bheil moran .... ann? ( )
...hotels?: ... taighean-osda? ( )
...restaurants?: ... taighean-bidh? (tie-yin bee )
...bars?: ... taighean-seinnse? ( )
...sites to see?: ( )
Can you show me on the map?: ( )
street: rathad (rahd )
Turn left.: (tionndaidh chun làimh chlì )
Turn right.: (tionndaidh gu do làimh cheart )
left: (clì )
right: (deas )
straight ahead: ( )
towards the _____: ( )
past the _____: ( )
before the _____: ( )
Watch for the _____.: ( )
intersection: ( )
north: tuath (too-aye)
south: deas ( jays)
east: ear ( )
west: iar ( )
uphill: suas ( )
downhill: sios ( )

Taxi

Taxi!: Tacsaidh! ( tak-say)
Take me to _____, please.: ( )
How much does it cost to get to _____?: De a' phris airson dol dhan ____? ( )
Take me there, please.: ( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?: ( )
How much is a room for one person/two people?: De a' phris airson seomar na aon/ dha? ( )
Does the room come with...: ( )
...bedsheets?: ( )
...a bathroom?: ... taigh-beag? ( taych-bake)
...a telephone?: ... fon? ( )
...a TV?: ... taidhsearan? ( )
May I see the room first?: ( )
Do you have anything quieter?: A bheil seomar sam bith agaibh nas ciuine? ( )
...bigger?: ... nas motha? ( )
...cleaner?: ... nas glinne? ( )
...cheaper?: ... nas saora? ( )
OK, I'll take it.: ( )
I will stay for _____ night(s).: Fuirichidh mi ____ oidhche(an) ( )
Can you suggest another hotel?: ( )
Do you have a safe?: ( )
...lockers?: ( )
Is breakfast/supper included?: ( )
What time is breakfast/supper?: Cuin' am bi breacaist/suipear? ( )
Please clean my room.: ( )
Can you wake me at _____?: ( )
I want to check out.: ( )

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?: An toil leibh dolair Ameirigeach/Astrailianach/Canadach? ( )
Do you accept British pounds?: An toil leibh notaichean? ( )
Do you accept euros?: An toil leibh airgead eorpach? ( )
Do you accept credit cards?: ( )
Can you change money for me?: ( )
Where can I get money changed?: ( )
Can you change a traveller's check for me?: ( )
Where can I get a traveller's check changed?: ( )
What is the exchange rate?: ( )
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?: ( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.: Bord airson aon/dha, mar 's e bhur toil e. ( )
Can I look at the menu, please?: Faodaidh mi seall air a' mhenu? ( )
Can I look in the kitchen?: ( )
Is there a house speciality?: ( )
Is there a local speciality?: ( )
I'm a vegetarian.: Cha bi mi ag ithe mi feoil. ( )
I don't eat pork.: Cha bi mi ag ithe feoil-mhuic. ( )
I don't eat beef.: Cha bi mi ag ithe feoil-mhairt. ( )
I only eat kosher food.: Cha bi mi ag ithe biadh ach kosher. ( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard): ( )
fixed-price meal: ( )
a la carte: ( )
breakfast: bracaist ( )
lunch: dinnear ( )
tea (meal): suipear ( )
supper: caicean ( )
I want _____.: Bu toil leam ____. ( ) OR Tha mi ag iarraidh ____.
I want a dish containing _____.: ( )
chicken: cearc ( )
beef: feòil-mhairt ( )
fish: iasg ( )
ham: feoil-mhuic ( )
sausage: isbean ( )
cheese: caise (cai-shuh )
eggs: uighean ( )
salad: ( )
(fresh) vegetables: glasraich ( )
(fresh) fruit: measan ( )
bread: aran ( )
toast: tost ( )
noodles: ( )
rice: ( )
beans: pònairean ( )
May I have a glass of _____?: Bu toil leam glainne _____. ( )
May I have a cup of _____?: ( )
May I have a bottle of _____?: Bu toil leam botal _____. ( )
coffee: cofaidh (coh-fee )
tea (drink): tì ( )
juice: sugh ( )
(bubbly) water: ( )
(still) water: uisge (oosh-guh )
beer: leann ( )
red/white wine: fìon dearg/geal ( )
May I have some _____?: ( )
salt: salann ( )
black pepper: piopair ( )
butter: ìm (eem)
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): gabhaibh mo leisgeul ( )
I'm finished.: Tha mi deiseil ( )
It was delicious.: Tha e glè blasta ( )
Please clear the plates.: ( )
The check, please.: ( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol?: ( )
Is there table service?: ( )
A beer/two beers, please.: ( )
A glass of red/white wine, please.: ( )
A pint, please.: ( )
A bottle, please.: Botal, led thoil. ( )
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.: ( )
whisky: uisge-beatha ( )
vodka: ( Bhodka)
rum: ( )
water: uisge ( )
club soda: ( )
tonic water: ( )
orange juice: sugh oraindsear ( )
Coke (soda): ( )
Do you have any bar snacks?: ( )
One more, please.: (Aon eile, )
Another round, please.: ( )
When is closing time?: ( )
Cheers!: (“ Slàinte “)
Good health!: (“ Slàinte mhath“)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?: ( )
How much is this?: ( )
That's too expensive.
(tha e ro dhaor.)
Would you take _____?: ( )
expensive: daor. ( )
cheap: saor. ( )
I can't afford it.: ( )
I don't want it.: ( )
You're cheating me.: ( )
I'm not interested.: (..)
OK, I'll take it.: ( )
Can I have a bag?: ( )
Do you ship (overseas)?: ( )
I need...: Feumaidh mi... ( )
...toothpaste.: ( )
...a toothbrush.: ( )
...tampons.: . ( )
...soap.: ( )
...shampoo.: ( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen): ( )
...cold medicine.: ( )
...stomach medicine.: ( )
...a razor.: ( )
...an umbrella.: ( )
...sunblock lotion.: ( )
...a postcard.: ... cart-puist. ( )
...postage stamps.: ( )
...batteries.: ( )
...writing paper.: ... paipear airson sgriobh. ( )
...a pen.: ... peann. ( )
...a Gaelic-English dictionary.: ... faclair Gàidhlig-Beurla. ( )

Driving

I want to rent a car.: ( )
Can I get insurance?: ( )
stop (on a street sign): ( )
one way: ( )
yield: ( )
no parking: ( )
speed limit: ( )
petrol station: ( )
petrol: ( )
diesel: ( )

Countries

Scotland

Alba (A-la-puh)

England

Sasainn (Sa-sayn)

Wales

A' chuimrigh (A- kum-ree)

Ireland

Èirinn (ee-rin)

France

()

America

Aimearaga (am-ee-ri-ga)

Australia

Astràilia

I am from...

Tha mi à... (Ha mee a...)

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