Cuidichibh leam! Cuiribh fios gu carbad-eiridinn!
Help! Call an ambulance!
Usage
To call for help and an ambulance in an emergency
Grammar Note
"Cuidichibh leam" is the plural or polite "help me". "Cuir fios gu" means "send word to". "Carbad-eiridinn" is literally a "vehicle of nursing", an ambulance
Cuiribh fios dhan phoileas, mas e ur toil e
Please call the police
Usage
To ask someone to call the police
Grammar Note
"Dhan" is do + an, "to the"; it lenites the next noun (dhan phoileas)
Feumaidh mi a dhol dhan ospadal
I need to go to the hospital
Usage
When you need to get to a hospital
Grammar Note
"Feumaidh mi" means "I must". "A dhol" is the lenited verbal noun "dol" (going)
Tha mi air chall. An urrainn dhuibh mo chuideachadh?
I am lost. Can you help me?
Usage
To ask a passer-by for help when lost
Grammar Note
"Air chall" means "lost". "Dhuibh" is do + sibh, "to you". "Mo" lenites the next word
Chaidh mo bhaga a ghoid
My bag was stolen
Usage
To report that your bag was stolen
Grammar Note
"Chaidh" is the past of "rach" (go), used to form the passive. "Mo" and "a" lenite the next word (mo bhaga, a ghoid)
Tha teine ann! Rachaibh a-mach!
There is a fire! Get out!
Usage
To warn of a fire and tell people to get out
Grammar Note
"Teine" means "fire". "Rachaibh" is the plural or polite imperative of "rach" (go)
Chan eil Beurla agam. A bheil eadar-theangair ann?
I don't speak English. Is an interpreter available?
Usage
For a traveller who does not speak English and needs an interpreter
Grammar Note
"Eadar-theangair" means "translator, interpreter". "Have" is expressed with "agam" (at me)
Tha ceann goirt orm
I have a headache
Usage
To say you have a headache
Grammar Note
Ailments are expressed with "air" (on); "orm" is air + mi. "Goirt" means "sore"
Càit am faigh mi cungaidh-leighis?
Where can I get medicine?
Usage
To ask where to find medicine
Grammar Note
"Faigh" means "get". "Càit am faigh mi" asks "where will I get"
Stad!
Stop it!
Usage
To make someone stop harassing or doing something dangerous
Grammar Note
"Stad" is the imperative "stop". Use "Stadaibh" for several people or someone you address formally
Na bean rium!
Don't touch me!
Usage
To tell someone not to touch you
Grammar Note
"Na" forms a negative imperative, and "bean ri" means "touch". "Rium" is ri + mi
Cuidich leam!
Help!
Usage
A cry for help. Use "Cuidichibh leam" for several people or politely
Grammar Note
"Cuidich leam" is the imperative "help me". "Leam" is le + mi
Mèirleach!
Thief!
Usage
To alert people to a thief
Grammar Note
"Mèirleach" is a masculine noun meaning "thief"
Spùinneadh!
Robbery!
Usage
To shout when being robbed
Grammar Note
"Spùinneadh" means "plundering, robbing"; it is the verbal noun of "spùinn" (rob)
Murt!
Murder!
Usage
To report or cry out about a killing
Grammar Note
"Murt" is the noun "murder". It is also used as an exclamation of shock
Aimhreit
Riot
Usage
A single word for reporting a riot or disturbance
Grammar Note
A feminine noun meaning "commotion, riot, unrest"
Boma!
Bomb!
Usage
To warn people of a bomb
Grammar Note
"Boma" is a masculine noun borrowed from English "bomb"
Mèirleach! Glacaibh e!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
To ask bystanders to catch a fleeing thief
Grammar Note
"Glac" means "catch", and "glacaibh" is the plural or polite imperative
Cuiribh fios dhan einnsean-smàlaidh, mas e ur toil e
Please call a fire engine
Usage
To ask someone to call the fire brigade
Grammar Note
"Einnsean-smàlaidh" is literally an "engine of extinguishing", a fire engine. Built from dictionary words
Càit a bheil a' phoileas-oifis?
Where is the police station?
Usage
To ask where the police station is
Grammar Note
"Poileas-oifis" is a feminine noun meaning police station, so it lenites after the article (a' phoileas-oifis)
Bu mhath leam goid aithris
I want to report a theft
Usage
To report a theft at a police station. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Goid" is "theft" and "aithris" is "report". The object "goid" comes before the verbal noun "aithris"
A bheil duine an seo aig a bheil Seapanais?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
To look for someone who speaks Japanese. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Aig a bheil" means "who has"; knowing a language is expressed as "having" it
Tha an duine seo gun mhothachadh
This person is unconscious
Usage
To describe a person who has collapsed. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Gun" means "without" and lenites the next word (gun mhothachadh). "Mothachadh" is "consciousness, awareness"
Tha cuideigin a' bàthadh!
Someone is drowning!
Usage
To call for help when someone is drowning
Grammar Note
"Cuideigin" means "someone". "A' bàthadh" is the progressive of "bàth" (drown). Built from dictionary words
Chaidh mo bhualadh
I was beaten
Usage
To say you were hit or attacked
Grammar Note
"Chaidh" plus a possessive and a verbal noun forms the passive. "Bualadh" is the verbal noun of "buail" (hit), lenited after "mo"
Chaidh mo shàthadh
I was stabbed
Usage
To say you were stabbed
Grammar Note
"Sàth" means "thrust, stab". "Chaidh" plus "mo" and a verbal noun forms the passive
Chaidh briseadh a-steach dhan t-seòmar agam
My room was broken into
Usage
To report a break-in at your lodging. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Briseadh a-steach" means "breaking in". "Dhan t-seòmar agam" means "into my room"
Is e an duine sin a rinn e
That person is the culprit
Usage
To point out the culprit. Literally "it is that person who did it"
Grammar Note
"Is e ... a" is a cleft pattern, "it is ... who". "Rinn" is the past of "dèan" (do)
Chaidh mo mhealladh
I was deceived
Usage
To say you were cheated or deceived
Grammar Note
"Meall" means "deceive". "Chaidh" plus "mo" and a verbal noun forms the passive
Chaidh mo sporan a ghoid
My wallet was stolen
Usage
To report that your wallet was stolen
Grammar Note
"Sporan" means "purse, wallet"; it is also the pouch worn with a kilt
Dh'fhàg mi e an sin
I left it behind
Usage
To say you left something behind. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Dh'fhàg" is the past of "fàg" (leave)
Bhuail càr mi
I was hit by a car
Usage
To say you were hit by a car. Literally "a car hit me"
Grammar Note
"Bhuail" is the past of "buail" (hit). The word order is verb, subject, object
Fàgaibh tron doras-èiginn, mas e ur toil e
Please escape through the emergency exit
Usage
Used when guiding people out in an emergency. Built from dictionary words
Grammar Note
"Doras-èiginn" is literally an "emergency door". "Tron" is the short form of tro + an
Thoir an aire!
Watch out!
Usage
To warn someone of danger
Grammar Note
"Thoir an aire" is a set phrase for "look out". Use "Thoiribh an aire" for several people or politely
Dèanaibh cabhag, mas e ur toil e
Please hurry
Usage
A polite way to ask someone to hurry
Grammar Note
"Dèan cabhag" is the set phrase for "hurry". "Dèanaibh" is the plural or polite imperative
Thigibh sa bhad, mas e ur toil e
Please come right away
Usage
A polite request for someone to come immediately
Grammar Note
"Thigibh" is the plural or polite imperative of "thig" (come). "Sa bhad" is a set phrase for "at once"
'S e èiginn a th' ann
It's an emergency
Usage
To stress that the situation is urgent
Grammar Note
"'S e ... a th' ann" is a set pattern for "it is ...". "Èiginn" means "crisis, emergency"
Thoiribh dhan ospadal mi, mas e ur toil e
Please take me to a hospital
Usage
A polite request to be taken to a hospital
Grammar Note
"Thoiribh" is the plural or polite imperative of "thoir" (bring, give). Built from dictionary words
Bha tubaist-rathaid ann
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
To report a road accident you have seen
Grammar Note
"Tubaist-rathaid" is a "road accident". "Bha ... ann" means "there was"
More Scottish Gaelic phrases
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