Gàidhlig
Scottish Gaelic
Celtic
Also known as: Scottish Gaelic, Gàidhlig, Gaidhlig
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a Goidelic Celtic language with ~57K speakers (2011 census; ~87K with some ability) — primarily in the Outer Hebrides (the Western Isles), Skye, parts of mainland Highland, and the Glasgow/Edinburgh diaspora. It is sister to Irish (ga) and Manx (gv); brought to Scotland from Ireland by the Dál Riata kingdom around the 4th-6th c. CE, and remained the dominant Highland language until the post-Culloden (1746) Highland Clearances broke up Gaelic-speaking communities. Phonologically distinctive for its lenition system, broad/slender consonant pairs, and preaspiration; grammatically VSO with initial mutations and inflected prepositions. Recognized as an official UK language by the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, with BBC Alba television (2008) and Gaelic-medium education (Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu and others) supporting revitalization. Rich oral tradition including waulking songs (òrain luaidh), psalm precenting, and bardic poetry.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Scottish Gaelic
sushi
dopamain
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Celtic
| Meaning | Scottish Gaelic | Irish | Manx | Middle Irish | Old Irish | Welsh | West Frisian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | uisge /ɯʃkʲə/ | uisce /ɪʃcə/ | ushtey /ˈuʃtʲə/ | usce /uske/ | uisce /ˈusʲkʲe/ | dŵr /duːr/ | wetter /vɛtər/ |
| Fire | teine /ˈtʲɛɲə/ | tine /tʲɪnʲə/ | aile /ailʲ/ | tene /tene/ | tene /ˈtʲene/ | tân /tɑːn/ | fjoer /fjuːr/ |
| Sun | grian /kɾʲiən/ | grian /ɟɾʲiən̪ˠ/ | grian /ɡriən/ | grían /ɡrian/ | grían /ɡrian/ | haul /haɨl/ | sinne /sɪnə/ |
| Moon | gealach /kʲaɫəx/ | gealach /ɟalˠax/ | eayst /eːst/ | ésca /eːska/ | éscae /eːskai/ | lleuad /ɬɛɨ̯ad/ | moanne /mwɑnə/ |
| Star | reul /rˠeːl̪ˠ/ | réalta /ˈɾˠeːl̪ˠt̪ˠə/ | rollage /ˈrolaːɡ/ | rétla /ˈreːtla/ | rétla /ˈrʲeːdla/ | seren /ˈsɛrɛn/ | stjer /stjɛr/ |
| Night | oidhche /ˈɤçə/ | oíche /ˈiːçə/ | oie /ei/ | adaig /aðəɣʲ/ | adaig /aðəɣʲ/ | nos /noːs/ | nacht /nɔxt/ |
| Rain | uisge /ɯʃkʲə/ | báisteach /ˈbˠaːʃtʲəx/ | fliaghey /ˈfljaːə/ | báitsech /ˈbaːtʲʃəx/ | fras /fras/ | glaw /ɡlau̯/ | rein /rɛin/ |
| Snow | sneachda /ʃɲɛxkə/ | sneachta /ʃnʲaxt̪ˠə/ | sniaghtey /ˈsnʲaxðə/ | snechta /sʲnʲextə/ | snechtae /sʲnʲexte/ | eira /əɨra/ | snie /sniə/ |
| Wind | gaoth /kɯː/ | gaoth /ɡeː/ | geay /ɡjeː/ | gáeth /ɡaːiθ/ | gáeth /ɡaːiθ/ | gwynt /ɡwɪnt/ | wyn /vin/ |
| Earth | talamh /ˈtal̪ˠəv/ | cré /cɾʲeː/ | thalloo /ˈtalu/ | talam /ˈtalav/ | talam /ˈtalav/ | pridd /priːð/ | ierde /ˈiədə/ |
| Stone | clach /kʰl̪ˠax/ | cloch /klˠɔx/ | clagh /klaːx/ | cloch /klox/ | cloch /klox/ | carreg /ˈkarɛɡ/ | stien /stiən/ |
| Mountain | beinn /peiɲː/ | sliabh /ʃlʲiəvˠ/ | slieau /slʲuː/ | slíab /sʲlʲiaβ/ | slíab /sʲlʲiaβ/ | mynydd /ˈmənɨð/ | berch /bɛrx/ |
| Sea | muir /muɾʲ/ | farraige /ˈfˠaɾˠɪɟə/ | faarkey /ˈfaːrkʲə/ | muir /murʲ/ | muir /murʲ/ | môr /moːr/ | see /seː/ |
| Mother | màthair /maːhəɾʲ/ | máthair /mˠɑːhəɾʲ/ | moir /mɔːɾ/ | máthair /maːθirʲ/ | máthair /maːθirʲ/ | mam /mam/ | mem /mɛm/ |
| Father | athair /ahəɾʲ/ | athair /ahəɾʲ/ | ayr /ɛːr/ | athair /aθirʲ/ | athair /aθirʲ/ | tad /tɑːd/ | heit /hɛit/ |
| Daughter | nighean /ˈɲiːən/ | iníon /ɪˈnʲiːn̪ˠ/ | inneen /iˈneːn/ | ingen /ˈinʲɣʲen/ | ingen /ˈinʲɣʲen/ | merch /mɛrx/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | mé /mʲeː/ | mee /miː/ | mé /mʲeː/ | mé /mʲeː/ | fi /viː/ | ik /ɪk/ |
| You | thu /u/ | tú /t̪ˠuː/ | oo /uː/ | tú /tuː/ | tú /tuː/ | ti /tiː/ | do /do/ |
| We | sinn /ʃiɲ/ | muid /mˠidʲ/ | shin /ʃin/ | sinn /sʲinʲ/ | sní /snʲiː/ | ni /niː/ | wy /vi/ |
| Name | ainm /ˈɛnɛm/ | ainm /anʲəmʲ/ | ennym /ˈenəm/ | ainm /anʲmʲ/ | ainm /anʲmʲ/ | enw /ˈɛnu/ | namme /ˈnamə/ |
| Person | duine /ˈt̪ɯɲə/ | duine /ˈd̪ˠɪnʲə/ | peiagh /pʲaːx/ | duine /dunʲe/ | duine /ˈdunʲe/ | person /ˈpɛrsɔn/ | minske /ˈmɪnskə/ |
| Head | ceann /kʲaun̪ˠ/ | ceann /cɑːn̪ˠ/ | kione /kʲoːn/ | cenn /kʲen/ | cenn /kʲen/ | pen /pɛn/ | holle /ˈhɔlə/ |
| Eye | sùil /suːl/ | súil /sˠuːlʲ/ | sooill /suːlʲ/ | súil /suːlʲ/ | súil /suːlʲ/ | llygad /ɬəɡad/ | each /ɪəx/ |
| Ear | cluas /kl̪ˠuəs/ | cluas /kl̪ˠuəsˠ/ | cleaysh /klʲaːʒ/ | ó /oː/ | clúas /kluəs/ | clust /klɪst/ | ear /iər/ |
| Nose | sròn /s̪t̪ɾɔːn/ | srón /sˠɾˠoːnˠ/ | stroin /strɔinʲ/ | srón /sroːn/ | srón /sroːn/ | trwyn /truːɨ̯n/ | noas /noːs/ |
| Mouth | beul /pial̪ˠ/ | béal /bʲeːl̪ˠ/ | beeal /biːl/ | bél /bʲeːl/ | gin /ɡʲin/ | ceg /keːɡ/ | mûle /ˈmuːlə/ |
| Tooth | fiacail /ˈfiəxkil/ | fiacail /ˈfʲiəkəlʲ/ | feeackle /fiaxəl/ | dét /deːd/ | dét /dʲeːd/ | dant /dant/ | tosk /tosk/ |
| Tongue | teanga /ˈtʃʰɛŋɡə/ | teanga /ˈtʲaŋɡə/ | çhengey /tʃeŋə/ | tengae /ˈtʲeŋɡe/ | tengae /ˈtʲeŋɡe/ | tafod /ˈtavɔd/ | tonge /ˈtɔŋə/ |
| Hand | làmh /ɫ̪aːv/ | lámh /l̪ˠɑːvˠ/ | laue /lɛːu/ | lám /laːv/ | lám /laːv/ | llaw /ɬaʊ/ | hân /hɔːn/ |
| Foot | cas /kʰas/ | cos /kɔsˠ/ | cass /kaːs/ | cos /kos/ | cos /kos/ | troed /troːɨ̯d/ | foet /fuə̯t/ |
| Heart | cridhe /kɾʲiə/ | croí /kɾˠiː/ | cree /kɾiː/ | cride /krʲiðʲe/ | cride /krʲiðʲe/ | calon /kalɔn/ | hert /hɛrt/ |
| Bone | cnàimh /kʰɾãːiv/ | cnámh /kn̪ˠaːw/ | craue /kreu/ | cnáim /knaːmʲ/ | cnáim /knaːmʲ/ | asgwrn /ˈasɡʊrn/ | bonke /ˈbɔŋkə/ |
| Blood | fuil /ful/ | fuil /fˠɪlʲ/ | fuill /fuːl/ | fuil /fulʲ/ | fuil /fulʲ/ | gwaed /ɡwaɨd/ | bloed /blut/ |
| Poop | cac /kʰaxk/ | cac /kak/ | keck /kek/ | cac /kak/ | cac /kak/ | cach /kaːx/ | kak /kɑk/ |
| Love | gaol /kɯːl̪ˠ/ | grá /ɡɾˠɑː/ | graih /ɡraːx/ | serc /serk/ | serc /serk/ | cariad /karjad/ | leafde /lɪəfdə/ |
| Tree | craobh /kɾɯːv/ | crann /kɾˠɑːn̪ˠ/ | billey /ˈbilʲə/ | crann /kran/ | crann /kran/ | coeden /kɔɨdɛn/ | beam /bɪəm/ |
| Dog | cù /kuː/ | madra /mˠɑd̪ˠɾˠə/ | moddey /ˈmɔðə/ | madra /madra/ | cú /kuː/ | ci /kiː/ | hûn /huːn/ |
| Cat | cat /kʰaht̪/ | cat /kɑt̪ˠ/ | kayt /kat/ | cat /kat/ | cat /kat/ | cath /kɑːθ/ | kat /kɑt/ |
| Fish | iasg /iəsk/ | iasc /iəsˠk/ | eeast /iːst/ | íasc /iːask/ | íasc /iːask/ | pysgodyn /pəsˈɡɔdɨn/ | fisk /fɪsk/ |
| Bird | eun /ian/ | éan /eːnˠ/ | ushag /ˈuʒaɡ/ | én /eːn/ | én /eːn/ | aderyn /aˈdɛrɨn/ | fûgel /ˈfuːɡəl/ |
| Butterfly | dealan-dè /tʲal̪ˠan tʲeː/ | féileacán /fʲeːlʲəkaːn̪ˠ/ | foillycan /ˈfolʲəkan/ | — | — | glöyn byw /ˈɡlɔɨn ˈbɪu/ | flinter /ˈflɪntər/ |
| Egg | ugh /u/ | ubh /ʊvˠ/ | ooh /uː/ | og /oɣ/ | og /oɣ/ | wy /uːɨ/ | aai /aːi/ |
| Bear | mathan /ˈmahan/ | béar /bʲeːɾˠ/ | maghouin /maˈɣuːnʲ/ | mathgamain /maθɣəvənʲ/ | art /art/ | arth /arθ/ | bear /bɪər/ |
| Horse | each /ɛx/ | capall /ˈkapˠəl̪ˠ/ | cabbyl /ˈkaːbəl/ | ech /ex/ | ech /ex/ | ceffyl /ˈkɛfɨl/ | hynder /ˈhindər/ |
| House | taigh /tʰɤj/ | teach /tʲax/ | thie /tai/ | tech /tex/ | tech /tʲex/ | tŷ /tɨː/ | hûs /huːs/ |
| Milk | bainne /ˈpaɲə/ | bainne /ˈbˠanʲə/ | bainney /ˈbanʲə/ | as /as/ | as /as/ | llaeth /ɬaːɨθ/ | molke /ˈmolkə/ |
| Honey | mil /mil/ | mil /mʲɪlʲ/ | mill /mil/ | mil /mʲilʲ/ | mil /mʲilʲ/ | mêl /meːl/ | huning /ˈhynɪŋ/ |
| Salt | salann /ˈsaɫən/ | salann /ˈsˠalˠən̪ˠ/ | sollan /ˈsolan/ | salann /ˈsalan/ | salann /ˈsalan/ | halen /ˈhalɛn/ | sâlt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | fìon /fiən/ | fíon /ˈfʲiːn̪ˠ/ | feeyn /fiːn/ | fín /fiːn/ | fín /fʲiːn/ | gwin /ɡwiːn/ | wyn /viːn/ |
| Rice | rìs /rˠiːʃ/ | rís /ɾʲiːʃ/ | — | — | — | reis /reis/ | rys /ris/ |
| Chocolate | teòclaid /ˈtʲʰɔːxkl̪ˠɪtʲ/ | seacláid /ˈʃakl̪ˠaːdʲ/ | shocklaid /ˈʃoklaːdʲ/ | — | — | siocled /ˈʃɔklɛd/ | sûkelade /suːkəˈlaːdə/ |
| Iron | iarann /ˈiəɾən̪ˠ/ | iarann /ˈiəɾˠən/ | yiarn /jaːrn/ | íarn /iːarn/ | íarn /iːarn/ | haearn /ˈheɨarn/ | izer /ˈiːzər/ |
| Wheel | roth /rˠɔh/ | roth /ɾˠɔh/ | queeyl /kwiːl/ | roth /roθ/ | roth /roθ/ | olwyn /ˈɔlʊɨn/ | tsjil /tsjɪl/ |
| Silk | sìoda /ˈʃiət̪ə/ | síoda /ˈʃiːd̪ˠə/ | sheeidey /ˈʃiːðə/ | síta /ˈsʲiːdə/ | síta /ˈsʲiːda/ | sidan /ˈsɪdan/ | side /ˈsidə/ |
| Book | leabhar /ˈʎɔəɾ/ | leabhar /ˈlʲauəɾˠ/ | lioar /lʲoːr/ | lebor /ˈlʲeβər/ | lebor /ˈlʲeβor/ | llyfr /ɬɪvr/ | boek /buk/ |
| Eat | ith /iç/ | ith /ɪ/ | gee /ɡʲiː/ | ithid /iθʲiðʲ/ | ithid /iθʲiðʲ/ | bwyta /bʊɨta/ | ite /iːtə/ |
| Drink | òl /ɔːl/ | ól /oːlˠ/ | iu /juː/ | ól /oːl/ | ibid /iβʲiðʲ/ | yfed /əvɛd/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ |
| Sleep | caidil /ˈkʰatʲɪl/ | codail /ˈkɔd̪ˠəlʲ/ | cadley /ˈkaðlə/ | cotlaid /ˈkodləðʲ/ | con·tuili /konˈtulʲi/ | cysgu /ˈkəsɡɨ/ | sliepe /ˈsliəpə/ |
| One | aon /ɯːn/ | aon /eːn̪ˠ/ | nane /nɛːn/ | óen /oin/ | oín /oːin/ | un /ɨːn/ | ien /iːn/ |
| Two | dà /t̪aː/ | dó /d̪ˠoː/ | jees /dʒiːs/ | dá /daː/ | dá /daː/ | dau /daɨ/ | twa /twa/ |
| Three | trì /tʰɾiː/ | trí /tʲɾʲiː/ | tree /triː/ | trí /tʲrʲiː/ | trí /tʲrʲiː/ | tri /triː/ | trije /ˈtrijə/ |
| Four | ceithir /ˈkʲehɪɾʲ/ | ceathair /ˈcahəɾʲ/ | kiare /kʲeːr/ | cethair /ˈkʲeθərʲ/ | cethair /ˈkʲeθərʲ/ | pedwar /ˈpɛdwar/ | fjouwer /ˈfjɔuər/ |
| Five | còig /kʰoːkʲ/ | cúig /kuːɟ/ | queig /kweɡ/ | cóic /koːɡʲ/ | cóic /koːɡʲ/ | pump /pɨmp/ | fiif /fiːf/ |
| Hundred | ceud /kʰʲiət/ | céad /ceːd̪ˠ/ | keead /kʲiːd/ | cét /kʲeːd/ | cét /kʲeːd/ | cant /kant/ | hûndert /ˈhuːndərt/ |
| Hello | halò /haloː/ | dia duit /dʲiə d̪ˠɪtʲ/ | moghrey mie /ˈmɔɣrə maɪ/ | fochen /foxʲen/ | fochen /foxʲen/ | helô /hɛˈloː/ | hoi /hɔi/ |
| Thank you | tapadh leat /tʰapə lɛt/ | go raibh maith agat /ɡɔ ɾˠɛv mˠah aɡət̪ˠ/ | gura mie ayd /ˈɡura miː eːd/ | atlochur /atloxur/ | atlochur /atloxur/ | diolch /diːɔlx/ | tankewol /tɑŋkəvɔl/ |
| Good | math /ma/ | maith /mˠah/ | mie /maɪ/ | maith /maθʲ/ | maith /maθʲ/ | da /dɑː/ | goed /ɡuət/ |
| New | ùr /uːɾ/ | nua /n̪ˠuə/ | noa /noː/ | núa /ˈnuːa/ | núae /ˈnuːe/ | newydd /ˈnɛwɨð/ | nij /nɛi/ |
| Red | dearg /ˈtʲɛɾɛk/ | dearg /ˈdʲaɾˠəɡ/ | jiarg /dʒarɡ/ | derg /dʲerɡ/ | derg /dʲerɡ/ | coch /koːx/ | read /rɪət/ |
| White | geal /kʲaɫ/ | bán /bˠaːnˠ/ | bane /beːn/ | bán /baːn/ | bán /baːn/ | gwyn /ɡwɪn/ | wyt /viːt/ |
| Black | dubh /t̪uh/ | dubh /d̪ˠʊvˠ/ | doo /duː/ | dub /duβ/ | dub /duβ/ | du /dɨː/ | swart /svart/ |
| Green | uaine /ˈuəɲə/ | glas /ɡlˠasˠ/ | glass /ɡlaːs/ | úaine /ˈuːənʲe/ | glas /ɡlas/ | gwyrdd /ɡwɪrð/ | grien /ɡriən/ |
| Blue | gorm /ˈkɔɾɔm/ | gorm /ˈɡɔɾˠəmˠ/ | gorrym /ˈɡɔrəm/ | — | glas /ɡlas/ | glas /ɡlaːs/ | blau /blau/ |
| Cuckoo | cuthag /ˈkʰuhak/ | cuach /kuəx/ | cooag /ˈkuːaɡ/ | cúach /ˈkuːax/ | caí /kaːi/ | cog /koːɡ/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ |
| Woof | af af /af af/ | bhuf bhuf /wʊf wʊf/ | — | — | — | wff wff /ʊf ʊf/ | — |
| Computer | coimpiutair /ˈkʰɔimpjutɪɾʲ/ | ríomhaire /ˈɾˠiːwəɾʲə/ | co-earrooder /koˈjaːrudər/ | — | — | cyfrifiadur /kəvrɪvˈjaːdɨr/ | kompjûter /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ |
| Sushi | sushi | sushi /ˈsʊʃiː/ | — | — | — | swshi /ˈsʊʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tì /tʲiː/ | tae /t̪ˠeː/ | tey /teː/ | — | — | te /teː/ | tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | cofaidh /ˈkʰɔfɪ/ | caife /ˈkafʲə/ | caffee /ˈkafiː/ | — | — | coffi /ˈkɔfi/ | kofje /ˈkɔfjə/ |
| Sugar | siùcar /ˈʃuːxkəɾ/ | siúcra /ˈʃuːkɾˠə/ | shugyr /ˈʃuɡər/ | — | — | siwgr /ˈʃʊɡʊr/ | sûker /ˈsuːkər/ |
| Orange | orainds /ˈɔɾɛntʃ/ | oráiste /ˈɔɾˠaːʃtʲə/ | oarn /ɔːrn/ | — | — | oren /ˈɔrɛn/ | sinesappel /ˈsinəsɑpəl/ |
| Ninety-nine | naoi-deug agus ceithir-fichead /n̪ˠɯːi tʲiək akəs kʲehɪɾʲ fiçət/ | nócha a naoi /ˈn̪ˠoːxə ə ˈn̪ˠiː/ | kiare feed as nuy-jeig /kʲeːr fiːdʲ as nei dʒeɡ/ | — | — | naw deg naw /nau dɛɡ nau/ | — |
| Dopamine | dopamain | dopaimín /ˈd̪ˠɔpˠɪˌmʲiːnʲ/ | — | — | — | dopamin /dɔˈpamɪn/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ |
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