Basic Nouns

1. Uisge

   Water

   Usage

   For asking for water; the single word works in shops and cafés

   Grammar Note

   "uisge" is masculine; with the article, "an t-uisge" can also mean "the rain"

2. Biadh

   Food

   Usage

   A general word for food, used when asking for or talking about meals

   Grammar Note

   "biadh" is a masculine noun and a basic everyday word

3. Airgead

   Money

   Usage

   Used for talking about money; it also means "silver"

   Grammar Note

   "airgead" is masculine and means "money, cash" and also "silver"

4. An taigh-beag

   Toilet

   Usage

   For asking about or pointing out the toilet

   Grammar Note

   "taigh-beag" literally means "small house" and is masculine

5. Cungaidh-leighis

   Medicine

   Usage

   For talking about medicine at a pharmacy or clinic

   Grammar Note

   "cungaidh" means "means, material" and "leighis" means "healing"; together they mean "medicine"

6. Iuchair

   Key

   Usage

   For asking for a room key or reporting a lost one

   Grammar Note

   "iuchair" is feminine; there is also an identical word meaning "roe"

7. Tiocaid

   Ticket

   Usage

   For buying a train, ferry, or entry ticket

   Grammar Note

   "tiocaid" is a feminine noun borrowed from English "ticket"

8. Cead-siubhail

   Passport

   Usage

   When asked to show it at immigration or hotel check-in

   Grammar Note

   "cead" means "permit" and "siubhail" means "travel": literally a "travel permit"

9. Fòn

   Phone

   Usage

   For borrowing a phone or making a call

   Grammar Note

   "fòn" is a masculine noun from English "phone" and is also used as a verb

10. Stèisean

    Station

    Usage

    For asking about the station

    Grammar Note

    "stèisean" is a masculine noun borrowed from English "station"

11. Ospadal

    Hospital

    Usage

    For asking the way to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    "ospadal" is a masculine noun of Latin origin

12. Poileas

    Police

    Usage

    For calling the police after a theft or loss

    Grammar Note

    "poileas" is a masculine noun borrowed from English "police"

13. Bùth

    Shop

    Usage

    For asking where a shop is

    Grammar Note

    "bùth" is masculine and also appears in compounds

14. Seòmar

    Room

    Usage

    For asking for a room at an inn or hotel

    Grammar Note

    "seòmar" is masculine and its plural is "seòmraichean"

15. Rathad

    Road

    Usage

    For asking directions

    Grammar Note

    "rathad" is masculine and forms compounds such as "rathad-iarainn" (railway)

16. Teaghlach

    Family

    Usage

    For talking about one's family

    Grammar Note

    "teaghlach" is masculine and can also mean "household"

17. Ainm

    Name

    Usage

    For giving or asking a name

    Grammar Note

    "ainm" is masculine; with the article it becomes "an t-ainm"

18. Ceann

    Head

    Usage

    For describing a headache or other problem with the head

    Grammar Note

    "ceann" is masculine; it also means "end, headland" and appears in many place names

19. Sùil

    Eye

    Usage

    For describing eye pain or something in the eye

    Grammar Note

    "sùil" is feminine and its plural is "sùilean"

20. Fiacail

    Tooth

    Usage

    For describing a toothache

    Grammar Note

    "fiacail" is feminine and its plural is "fiaclan"

21. Sgòrnan

    Throat

    Usage

    For describing a sore throat

    Grammar Note

    "sgòrnan" is masculine; "amhaich" is the word for "neck"

22. Stamag

    Stomach

    Usage

    For describing stomach pain or an upset stomach

    Grammar Note

    "stamag" is feminine and its plural is "stamagan"

23. Druim

    Back

    Usage

    For describing back pain

    Grammar Note

    "druim" is masculine; its genitive is "droma"

24. Cas

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    For describing an injury or pain in the leg or foot

    Grammar Note

    "cas" is feminine and covers both "foot" and "leg"; an identical adjective means "steep"

25. Làmh

    Hand

    Usage

    For describing an injury or pain in the hand

    Grammar Note

    "làmh" is feminine and its plural is "làmhan"

26. Cliabh

    Chest

    Usage

    For describing chest pain or difficulty breathing

    Grammar Note

    "cliabh" is masculine; it originally means "basket" and also refers to the ribcage

27. Taigh-òsta

    Hotel

    Usage

    For asking about accommodation

    Grammar Note

    "taigh" means "house" and "òsta" means "inn"; together they mean "hotel"

28. Port-adhair

    Airport

    Usage

    For asking the way to the airport

    Grammar Note

    "port" means "port" and "adhair" means "air"; together they mean "airport"

29. Stad-bhus

    Bus stop

    Usage

    For asking where the bus stop is

    Grammar Note

    "stad" means "stop" and "bus" is "bus"; in the compound "bus" is lenited to "bhus"

30. Ambasaid

    Embassy

    Usage

    For when you need your embassy, for example after losing a passport

    Grammar Note

    "Ambasaid" is the word for "embassy"; "taigh-consalachd" is the word for "consulate"

31. Inneal-airgid

    ATM / cash machine

    Usage

    For asking where a cash machine is

    Grammar Note

    "inneal" means "machine" and "airgid" is the genitive of "airgead" (money): a "money machine"

32. Iomlaid airgid

    Money exchange

    Usage

    For changing foreign money

    Grammar Note

    "iomlaid" means "exchange" and "airgid" is the genitive of "airgead" (money)

33. Taigh-nigheachain

    Launderette / laundry

    Usage

    For asking where to do laundry

    Grammar Note

    "taigh" means "house" and "nigheachain" is the genitive of "nigheachan" (washing)

34. Carbad-smàlaidh

    Fire engine

    Usage

    For reporting a fire or pointing out a fire engine

    Grammar Note

    "Carbad" means "vehicle" and "smàlaidh" means "extinguishing"

35. Taigh-consalachd

    Consulate

    Usage

    For when you need to visit a consulate

    Grammar Note

    "Taigh-consalachd" is the dictionary word for a consulate (literally a "house of consulship"); "ambasaid" is the word for "embassy"

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