Useful foreign phrases |
Individual languages |
Colours |
Numbers |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Proverbs
Useful foreign phrases |
Individual languages |
Colours |
Numbers |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Proverbs
A collection of useful phrases in Scots. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages. There are a number of dialects of Scots and no standard spelling, so expressions have more than one spelling or version.
| English | Scots |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Welcome |
| Hello | Hello, Awrite! Aye, aye, min (to a man) Aye, aye wifie (to a woman) |
| How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you? |
Hou ar ye? Hou's aw wi ye? Hou's it gaun? Fit Like? Foo ur ye aye daein'? |
| A'm fine, an ye? A'm daein fine, an ye? Nae bad ava, min. Yersel'? |
|
| Long time no see | Lang time nae see, Far hiv ye been, min? |
| What's your name? My name is ... |
Whit's yer name? Fit's yer name? |
| Ma name is ... | |
| Where are you from? I'm from ... |
Whaur ar ye frae? Whaur ar ye fae? |
| A'm frae ... | |
| Nice to meet you | Nice tae meit ye! |
| Good morning | Guid mornin |
| Good afternoon | Guid efternuin, Guid efterneen |
| Good evening | Guid eenin |
| Good night | Guid nicht |
| Goodbye | Cheerio, Cheerio the nou, See ye efter |
| Good luck | Guid Luck! |
| Cheers/Good health! | Guid Health! Cheers! Slainte! Here's tae us, wha's like us? Damned few an' they're a' deid (classic Scottish toast) |
| Bon voyage | Ha a guid journay, Hae a guid rin |
| I don't understand | A dinna unnerstan, A dinna ken! Eh? |
| Please speak more slowly | Can ye spaek slowly? |
| Please write it down | Write it doun please! Screive it doun please! (archaic) |
| Do you speak Scots? Yes, a little |
D'ye spaek Scots? Div ye spik Scots? |
| Aye, juist a wee, Aye, a bittie | |
| How do you say ... in Scots? | Hou d'ye say ... in Scots? Foo d'ye say ... in Scots? |
| Excuse me | Ho ye! Hey min! |
| How much is this? | Hau much is this? Hou muckle is this? Foo muckle 's this? |
| Sorry | Sairy! A'm sairy! Sorry! |
| Thank you Response |
Thenk ye |
| Ye're welcome! Think naethin! | |
| Where's the toilet? | Whaur's the toilet / lavvy / cludgie? |
| This gentleman/lady will pay for everything |
This chiel/dame will pay for aa |
| Would you like to dance with me? |
Will ye dance wi me? |
| I love you | A love ye! A loue ye! (rare) |
| Get well soon | Get weel soon! |
| Leave me alone! | Lae me aloyn! Leave me alane! |
| Help! Fire! Stop! |
Help! Fire! Stop! |
| Call the police! | Caw on the polis! Sen' furra polis! Ca' the Bobbies! |
| Merry Christmas and Happy New Year |
A Blythe Yule an a Guid Hogmanay Merry Christmas an a Guid Hogmanay |
| Happy Birthday | Happy Birthday! |
| One language is never enough | Ane leid is ne'er enough |
| My hovercraft is full of eels |
Ma hoovercraft's full o eyls Goad a'michty! Ma dampt hoovercraft's breemin' ower wi bluiddy eyls! Ma wee hovirkreftie afornent lippert owt per wip pimperneels |
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.
Information about written and spoken Scots
Language learning materials for Scots
Collections of Scots phrases
http://www.linguanaut.com/english_scots.htm
http://www.scots-online.org/grammar/goamins.htm
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