3 Essential Words & a Giant Cat (1) - Learn Scottish Gaelic

Let's keep building your foundation. This lesson will give you 3 essential words that will help you express yourself in more detail as well as understand A LOT more Gaelic.
Enjoyed this video? You'll get many more (as well as reading passages, writing practice, and quizzes) in my online self-paced Gaelic Foundations course. Sign up for a free trial at
gaelicwithjason.thinkific.com...
Thank you for your support!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want early access to new videos before they're made public? Join my mailing list here: www.subscribepage.com/gwj-ear...
Want more free resources for deeper fluency? Click here: gaelicwithjason.thinkific.com...
Thanks for stopping by!
-Jason
#gaidhlig #learngaelic #scottishgaelic #scotland #gaelic

[@thesnuggler9606]

This dude is the Bob Ross of language instructors and I love it.

[@levitaylor3781]

Best thing i have ever found is your channel... thank you so much. Im 17 & extremely determined to learn this language. You are making it so accessible

[@FrozenMermaid666]

I’ve been thinking that the words jà and nè could be used as the actual words that mean yes and no in Gaelic, and I highly recommend using them as well! By the way, to permanently and automatically learn and remember the words, each word must be actively seen / revised / heard at least 30 times over a longer period of time, and inactively seen / heard many times by reading subs / text or listening to songs etc - learning languages takes a lot of revising! I highly recommend learning Gaelic & Irish 2gether with Icelandic / Norse / Dutch / Norwegian / Gothic / Faroese / Danish / Welsh / Breton / Cornish / Manx as they are all gorgeous and one of the prettiest languages ever, as pretty as English, as learning many pretty languages 2gether is a lot more fun and it saves many years, and, I highly recommend focusing mostly on actively learning and revising many hundreds and thousands of new words daily or regularly, to see a lot of progress fast, and watching the vocab videos 2 or 3 times per session the first 3 sessions!

[@FrozenMermaid666]

From what I can hear, it seems like se is pronounced like a soft sh sound in Gaelic, so I hear sho when the word seo is pronounced, with a soft SH sound, kinda like the si letter combination in Welsh - also, I hear K instead of G most of the times, for example, I hear bik when the word beag is pronounced!

[@NoaLeighMaxwell]

I know a lot of commenters say this, but it's incredible how much more I remember from your videos than most other sources. Thank you for these!

[@samiicameron]

You're my new favorite person. I've been trying to teach myself Scots Gaelic for a few years now on Duolingo and another service but it's just not clicking for me. I stumbled on your posts after seeing another youtuber (Scotland History Tours) link you in their video and I've already learned so much. Your teaching style is very approachable and hearing the way you add life to words makes them so much more "real". Thank you for doing these!!

[@claudiom.gongoralastra2365]

JUST LOVING THE LESSONS!!

[@melissamoyano6335]

I love the way you teach, tapadh leibh!!

[@cynthiajotim8223]

Me too Melody Jason is the best teacher I learn so much from him. I miss the classes we had.

[@franziskalahne984]

Feasgar math. I am German and are learning Gaelic with duolingo. But unfortunatly it is not Gaelic to German but gaelic to English. I was searching for someone Gaelic speaking und found your Videos. They are fantastic. And i realize that i have learnt quite a lot during the last 5 months. Your lessons bring the words in new sentences. That is what i miss at duolingo. Tapadh leat.

[@melodyoneill1732]

I love your stories, they make remembering the words so much better!!

[@FrozenMermaid666]

To permanently and automatically learn and remember the words, each word must be actively seen / revised / heard at least 30 times over a longer period of time, and inactively seen / heard many times by reading subs / text or listening to songs etc - learning languages takes a lot of revising!

[@plainsimple442]

I have heard that story thing before from your friend Bruce. Looking forward to your lessons Jason from a real Maineiac..........

[@emmafrankland2602]

I wish every language was taught like you teach us Gaelic 😭😍 does anybody know if someone teaches german in such an efficient way ?

[@FrozenMermaid666]

To permanently and automatically learn and remember the words, each word must be actively seen / revised / heard at least 30 times over a longer period of time, and inactively seen / heard many times by reading subs / text or listening to songs etc - learning languages takes a lot of revising! There are many videos teaching German and many vocab videos, as German is a very known language, but I highly recommend learning German on the side, like, maybe once a week, and learning and focusing the most on the prettiest languages ever Icelandic / Norse / Dutch / Norwegian / Gothic / Faroese / Danish / Welsh / Breton / Cornish / Manx / Irish / Scottish Gaelic which are as pretty as English, and I highly recommend learning them 2gether as it’s a lot more fun and it saves many years, and, focusing mostly on actively learning and revising many hundreds and thousands of new words daily or regularly, to see a lot of progress fast, and watching the vocab videos 2 or 3 times per session the first 3 sessions!

[@delorita6487]

Tapadh leat for another very useful basics lesson. I love that we can hear the roster and chickens in the background. Shows that you're very close to nature.

[@GaelicwithJason]

Glad that you enjoy them!🙂I am very close to nature in the yurt; about 1/2 inch away! 😁

[@PWG979]

Hi, just discovered the channel. The way you teach reminds me of my first Spanish teacher. Glè mhath! Thanks for the lesson.

[@davycurrie7457]

Another Bruce fan finds his way here! (History Tour Bruce rather than thee Bruce). I have tried 'Speaking our language', the BBC series and different books over the years, but this is way better. Top man, keep them coming, I want more... please!

[@GaelicwithJason]

Hi Davy! Thanks for your kind words. 🙂 I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. I have ideas for MANY more.

[@lutherhaynes8422]

Jason make these videos fun and it easier to learn when they are fun.

[@MaximeBardot]

Your videos are so usefull ! I'm a french guy who is trying (painfully 😂) to learn the basics of scottish gaelic. I have to say that your videos are awesome ! Tapadh leit 😉

[@81XS11]

Jason, would it be possible to get a phonics lesson, or series, so we neophytes can learn the sounds on the letters, vowel combinations, and consonant combinations used in Gaelic?

[@FrozenMermaid666]

I recommend learning those one by one, as I tried learning them all 2gether, but I couldn’t remember most of them, because there are many different letter combinations and tons of vowel clusters in both Gaelic and Irish, and they are very complicated, so it’s better to learn them little by little - I think I know most or at least half of the sounds now, after revising them several times, but in other languages that I’m learning such as Icelandic and Dutch and Norse and Faroese and Welsh and Breton and Cornish and Slovene etc that are some of the easiest languages I always remember all the sounds and diphthongs after watching the videos once or twice, but with these two languages it’s a bit harder, so it takes more revising and paying more attention to each vowel cluster, because Irish and Scottish Gaelic are both category 3 languages, so they are a bit harder than all my other target languages, and the spelling isn’t easy to get used to and learn, so it takes a bit more revising to memorize the exact spelling and to memorize the exact pronunciation of each word as well, plus some words have two or three different pronunciations, so one should be aware of these things and not expect reaching a fluent level fast, as it’s probably going to take at least five to eight years to become truly fluent in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and it also takes at least two or three to five years to get fluent even in easy languages, so it’s better to start learning them all 2gether, as it saves a lot of years, like, I am learning over 20 languages at the moment, and focusing mostly on the Norse languages and the Celtic languages!

[@happytraveller8953]

Catching up with your lessons, mo charaid. It's blowing a true hoolie today (Jan 1, 2022). Tucking in to an cuppa ti cucheachd and watching the trees move sideways here on Leodhais. WIshing you a very Bhliadhna Mhath Ur...

[@GaelicwithJason]

And to you, Traveller! Those are some winds you've had over there. Over 100mph! Phew! Stay warm, a charaid. 🙂

[@happytraveller8953]

@@GaelicwithJason Winds that high were farther south than on Lewis, but I don't get too worked up about winds here until they hit Hurricane 1 level (74mph) which they rarely seem to do here. Still, ya need another clothespin for days like that...ha ha.

[@titus2quilter]

Great lessons! The rooster crowing is a nice added touch!

[@GaelicwithJason]

There's always some form am ambience here on the farm. 🙂

[@MuseDisorder]

Jason, do you have a Patreon site? I would so join as a member to your teaching site

[@shaeweir9882]

These videos are such a good addition to Duolingo. It's like coming at it all from a different angle. So, I have a question. "Tha mi air bhioran", what does that literally translate to? Because I'm meant to be on something right?

[@GaelicwithJason]

Aye, I've heard some other folk say that too. They seem to go well together. 🙂 'Air bhioran' literally translates to 'on something sharp' (like a needle). It could be compared to being 'on pins and needles' with excitement.

[@sabrinas3431]

Yesss! And there’s not as much content for Gaelic as the others

[@ja3zex]

Yeah duolingo is good for memorizing words/phrases but not so much understanding how the sentence breaks down and why you say one thing and not the other

[@nataspeaks]

I had no intention to learn Gaelic before I bumped into this video today 😅 I've always considered Gaelic beautiful, but also very difficult... Somehow this video has boosted my confidence, so I might learn a little 😊 I'm generally interested in different languages, but speak only 3... Would Gaelic become my 4th? 😅

[@FrozenMermaid666]

Gaelic & Irish are definitely the harðest languages that I am learning, both being category 3 languages, so they are slightly harder in spelling than Hungarian and Latvian and Finnish and Estonian which are category 2 languages, but they are still on the easy side, especially when compared to category 4 languages such as Polish and Czech and Russian and other similar languages using the Cyrillic alphabet etc which are category 5 languages and when compared to the hardest languages ever such as Chinese languages and Japanese etc which are category 10 languages with impossible characters and tones, so Gaelic and Irish are still quite easy to learn fluently, as they use the Latin alphabet which is the easiest alphabet ever, plus most of the words are highly memorable, as they have mostly pretty words, which are naturally easier to learn, and despite the complicated spelling with lots of vowel clusters and diphthongs and letter combinations that have completely different pronunciation, the pronunciation itself is very easy, but I still think it takes at least 5 years to get really fluent in Gaelic and Irish and to truly get used to the spelling! By the way, to permanently and automatically learn and remember the words, each word must be actively seen / revised / heard at least 30 times over a longer period of time, and inactively seen / heard many times by reading subs / text or listening to songs etc - learning languages takes a lot of revising! I highly recommend learning Gaelic & Irish 2gether with Icelandic / Norse / Dutch / Norwegian / Gothic / Faroese / Danish / Welsh / Breton / Cornish / Manx as they are all gorgeous and one of the prettiest languages ever, as pretty as English, as learning many pretty languages 2gether is a lot more fun and it saves many years, and, I highly recommend focusing mostly on actively learning and revising many hundreds and thousands of new words daily or regularly, to see a lot of progress fast, and watching the vocab videos 2 or 3 times per session the first 3 sessions!

[@terriehamtak2512]

What I find amazing is the Gaelic pronunciation is easier for me than French or English i. Maybe the Scottish ancestry is coming out??

[@GaelicwithJason]

Hmmm, it could be. 🙂 I think there is something to be said for language to be in one's blood - whether they are aware of it or not.

[@leemcgann6470]

I am going there try to learn Garlic properly since the first thing I learned in Gaelic was Pòg mo thòin! 😁

[@jamie8620]

I don’t know if you’ve seen Jason, but Luath Press over here in Scotland recently published Orwell’s Animal Farm in Gaelic : ‘Tuathanas nan creutairean’ I’m considering using that book alongside your videos and DuoLingo to develop my learning of Gaelic, do you reckon that’d be a good idea ?

[@GaelicwithJason]

Madainn mhath! Ah, that's interesting. A Gaelic translation of Animal Farm. Well, it depends what level you're at. If you're just starting out, that translation will likely be less-than-useful to you right now. Most Gaelic translations of English books tend to be more complex than the original. The text isn't adapted for learners, it's just put straight into native speaker caliber Gaelic. If you're looking to boost your reading skills, I'd recommend my Gaelic Foundations course. It's full of videos (just like this one) and readings that will grow your abilities steadily to the point where you'll be able to read more independently. Plus, the final chapter of the course is reading a learner's novel called Ròna agus MacCodruim. If this sounds useful to you, there's a free preview of the course on my website: gaelicwithjason.thinkific.com/courses/gaelic-foundations 🙂 If you just want the book, Ròna and MacCodruim is available on Amazon and through the Gaelic Bookshop in Glasgow.

[@jamie8620]

@@GaelicwithJason thank you for your response Jason, I’ll certainly need to look into your course and hold back on Animal Farm as it is too advanced for me at the moment... i will also pick up that book and nip into the bookshop when I’m in Glasgow in a couple weeks

[@GaelicwithJason]

My pleasure! That sounds like a solid plan. Let me know how things go. I'm here if you have any questions. 🙂

[@dequidaqwadoa1553]

Hai Jason ! Love your videos !! Quick question....have you made a video on illnesses ? There just has to be a shorter word for "sneezing". 😳 Tapadh leat , Deb

[@GaelicwithJason]

Heya Deb! Thank you for your kind words. 🙂Hmmm, that would make a good video - there's an important part of the Gaelic mindset that comes up when dealing with illnesses. I'll add it to the list! Tapadh leat!

[@dequidaqwadoa1553]

@@GaelicwithJason Tapadh leat , Jason ❤️

[@windyloweryking1826]

Ugh is so want to be a butthead and ask you to learn ASL so you can use the signs with your words but that's a lot of work and could/would probably disrupt your teaching flow. I know the basics for watching Signing Time with my kids and I'm trying to use those signs to help me remember the words you are teaching. I've never learned a language other than English so this is a new experience for me. I really enjoy these lessons. Thank you.

[@katstiehm3932]

Actually his sign for ‘in’ is accurate. If he makes a closed fist ‘on’ and ‘under’would also be.

[@skeletorama1916]

So if it is sort of beautiful, would you lenite breagha to caran bhreagha, or does it stay caran breagha? Off to watch the next part now :)

[@GaelicwithJason]

Hey Skeletorama! Madainn mhath! Caran is a great word to use, partially because it's so straightforward. No lenition, no grammar changes. Just caran brèagha, caran blasta, caran mòr, caran beag, etc.

[@racheljones2729]

I love this series but are there any recommendations on an order to watch?

[@GaelicwithJason]

I'm happy that you're enjoying it! 🙂 Are you looking where to go next in this channel or within this specific playlist?

[@racheljones2729]

I would like to stick with the Gaelic lessons but wondering if there is a preferred order.

[@GaelicwithJason]

@@racheljones2729 Ok, great. 🙂 Once you finish this playlist, perhaps you'd enjoy some of my Foundational stories. Try that playlist next.

[@racheljones2729]

Thank you!

[@ahmadsidiq5352]

Could you please give me tenses introduction?

[@GaelicwithJason]

Hey there Ahmad. Thanks for the suggestion. I plan on making a video about tenses this year. Stay tuned! 🙂

[@lutherhaynes8422]

Tha an coileach àrd! Chan eil beag.

[@GaelicwithJason]

O, tha. Tha e fuaimneil! 🙂

[@PhunkyPharmacologist]

"Taigh-beag" is a toilet but "taigh beag" is a small house.