Scottish Gaelic/Phrases

Scottish Gaelic Phrase Book

• tiugainn!

come on!

• tiugainn leam

come with me

• tiugainn comhla rium

come along with me

• de tha Beurla air "làmh?"

what is the English for "lamh"?

• siuthad!

on you go!, proceed!

• bidh modhail!

behave!

bidh! /bi:/ be!; modhail /mo:l/ good;

• bidh sàmhach

be quiet!

bidh! /bi:/ be!; sàmhach /savax/ quiet, peaceful;

• na bidh gorach!

don't be silly!

• trobhad an seo!

come here!

trobhad! /trot/ come!; an seo, here;

• càite bheil Catrìona?

where is Catherine?

(càite - where; bheil - is; Catrìona - Catherine)

• càite bheil Iain?

where is Iain?

(càite - where; bheil - is; Iain - John)

• cum mo lamh!

hold my hand!

(cum! - hold!; mo - my; lamh - hand)

• cum an lamh aig Iain!

hold John's hand!

(cum! - hold!; an - the; lamh - hand; aig - belonging to; Iain - John)

• cum an lamh aig Catrìona!

hold Catherine's hand

• tha acras air Seumas

James is hungry (literally 'hunger is on James')

• tha Seumas ag iarraidh bainne

James is wanting milk

• tha sin cunnartach

that is dangerous

• tha e cunnartach

it is dangerous

• bidh curramach!

be careful!

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh bainne?

are you wanting milk?

• tha mi ag iarraidh bainne

I am wanting milk

• tha Iain ag iarraidh bainne

John is wanting milk

• caite bheil am bainne?

where is the milk?

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh sùgh?

are you wanting juice?

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh sùgh ubhail?

are you wanting apple juice?

• tha Mairi ag iarraidh sùgh ubhail

Mary is wanting apple juice

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh sùgh orainds?

are you wanting orange juice?

• caite bheil an sùgh?

where is the juice?

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh bùrn?

are you wanting water?

• am bheil thu ag iarraidh aran agus ìm?

are you wanting bread and butter?

• tha Seumas a' dol a laighe

James is going to bed

• a bheil a' Ghàidhlig agad?

do you speak Gaelic? (literally: Do you have Gaelic?)

• cuir do chota ort

put your coat on (Literally: put your coat on you)

• tha an taigh againn mor

our house is big (Literally: The house at us is big)

• chan eil an taigh againn mor

our house is not big (Literally: The house at us is not big)

• tha am fear ag ionnsachadh

the man is learning

• bha a' chaileag a' seinn

the girl was singing

• tha an taigh beag

the house is small

• tha an taigh mor

the house is large

• tha an taigh alainn

the house is lovely

• their Seumas sin

James will say that

• an abair Seumas sin?

will James say that?

• dé chì thu?

what do you see?

• cluinnidh tu na h-eòin

you will hear the birds

• tha am 'playpark' mor

the playpark is big

• chan eil am 'playpark' mor

the playpark is not big

• chì sinn thu nuair a thig thu

we will see you when you come

• tha Seumas ann an itealan

James is in an aeroplane

• chunnaic Màiri an itealan

Mary saw the aeroplane

• bha Màiri a' cluich leis an ainealar

Mary was playing with the computer

• ní iad an dìcheall

they will do their best

• ní Màiri sin

Mary will make that

• an dean Mairi sin?

will Mary make that?

• nach abair Seumas riut?

will James not tell you?

• an doir thu airgead do'n carthannais sin?

will you give money to that charity?

• dh'fhaodadh tu a dhol rud beag nas luaithe

you could go a little faster

• bidh fiughar agam ri sin

I look forward to that (fiughar = hope or expectation)

• an dig thu a chéilidh orm a-nochd?

will you come to visit me tonight?

• seas air mo bheulaibh!

stand in front of me!

• bha i na seasamh air mo chùlaibh

she was standing behind me

• tha na solais sràide os cionn an taigh-òsda

the street lights are above the hotel/restaurant

• théid sinn a Phartaig

we will go to Partick (Partick is a place-name)

• chan eil anns an taigh ach Dòmhnall agust Màiri

there is no-one in the house except Donald and Mary

• Gaelic: Gàidhlig (GAH-lick)
• welcome: fàilte (FAL-tyuh)
• good-bye: mar sin leibh (mar SHIN laif)
• please: mas e do thoil e (mah SHEH daw HOL eh)
• thank you: tapadh leibh (TAH-pah ley)
• sorry: tha mi duilich (hah mee DOO-leekh)
• that one: am fear sin (am fer SHIN)
• how much?: cia mheud (kah VIUT)
• English: Beurla (BYER-luh)
• yes: ²tha (hah)
• no: ³chan eil (chan YIL)
• I don’t understand: chan eil mi a' tuigsinn (khan YIL mee uh TOOK-shin)
• Where’s the bathroom?: càit a bheil an taigh beag? (KATCH-uh vil an TUH-eeh bik)
• generic toast: slàinte (SLAN-tyuh)