Meeting people in Scots Gaelic
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. Play the ten Scots Gaelic words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Scots Gaelic phrases in this lesson
- Ciamar a tha sibh?KIM-er uh ha SHIV
- How are you?
- Tha mi gu math, taingha mee guh MAH, tang
- I'm fine, thanks
- Agus sibh fhèin?AH-gus shiv HAYN
- And you?
- Dè an t-ainm a th' ort?jeh un TAN-im uh horsht
- What's your name?
- Is mise...iss MISH-uh
- My name is...
- Cò às a tha thu?kaw as uh ha OO
- Where are you from?
- Is ann à ... a tha miiss own AH ... uh ha mee
- I'm from...
- Is toil leam eiss TOL lyum eh
- I like it
- Tha e brèaghaha eh BRAY-uh
- It's beautiful
- FàilteFAHL-tchuh
- Welcome
Use sibh when speaking to an older person, a stranger, or a group. The formal register is important in Gaelic communities where elders are highly respected.
The standard positive reply. Gu math means "well" and is also used in Slàinte mhath (good health). Locals may follow up with "agus tu fhèin?" meaning "and yourself?"
Literally "and yourself?", polite form.
A friendly opener when meeting someone new. The reply is "'S mise..." (shuh MEESH-uh) followed by your name, meaning "I am..."
Literally "I am ...".
Islanders are genuinely curious about visitors. If you are from outside Scotland, say "Tha mi à..." and name your country. Foreigners learning Gaelic are treated as a delightful curiosity.
Literally "it pleases me".
On road signs into the Highlands: "Fàilte gu ...".