idioms Flashcards
Tha lòn air gach slighe.
ge be an slighe ann am beatha, bidh duilgheadasan ann
Is fheàrr an saoghal ionnsachadh na sheachnadh.
It is better to learn the world than to avoid it.
Bheireadh e a chreidsinn ort gum b’ e an sgadan an rionnach.
He would have you believe that the herring was the mackerel.
Amhairc romhad mun toir thu do leum.
Look ahead before you jump.
Na trèig cinnt airson dòchas.
Don’t abandon certainty for hope.
Mar chat gu poit èisg.
Like a cat to a fish pot.
Cha sheas poca falamh leis fhèin.
An empty bag will not stand alone.
Tha barrach air aon slighe dhan mhòintich.
There is a eaves on one way to the moor.
Tha a h-uile duine na mharaiche ri taobh ne teine air latha ciùin.
Everyone is a sailor by the fire on a calm day.
Chan eil mathanas fo ghlais.
Forgiveness is not locked.
Chan eil prìs air tròcair.
There is no price for mercy.
Cha dèan brògan tioram iasgach.
Dry shoes will not fish.
Tha a cheò fhèin às gach fàd.
His smoke is from each peat
Chan eil abhainn ann air nach fhaighear ceann.
There is no river that cannot be found.
Tha ceann air gach rud, ach a dhà air gach maraig.
Everything has a head, but there are two in every black pudding.
Cha do rinn Dia fhèin an saoghal ann an aon latha.
God himself did not make the world in one day.
Dè math dhut mòine fhliuch a chur dhan stòbh. Chan fhaigh thu blàths no bonnach às
How good is it for you to put wet peat in the stove. You won’t get warmth or sweetness from it
Tùs is èis gnothaich
The beginning and end of business
Cha mhair iongnadh ach feasgar ann an Steòrnabhagh.
Surprise will only last an afternoon in Stornoway.
Linn nan con.
The age of dogs.
Eadar Hiort is Peairt.
Between St Kilda and Perth.
Is math am buachaille an oidhche; bheir i dhachaigh gach beathach is duine.
The shepherd is good at night; she brings home all animals and people.
Na gabh ort a thighinn
don’t dare come
Tha dol a-mach mì-nàdarrach air
He has a strange conduct
Tha a’ bhuil ort nach ……
it shows that..
Cha tug mi cluas dha
I didn’t listen to him
Bha anail na uchd
He was out of breath
Chan eil aige ach cas a’ falbh is cas a’ tighinn
in two minds
Cha do bhuail mo shùil air bho bha e na bhalach
didn’t see for a long time
Chan eil ann dheth ach beul gun phutan
blabbermounth
Aig beul an latha
dawn
Chaidh e air a cheann dìreach
fell on his face
An rud a chuireas esan na cheann cuiridh e na chasan e
he walks the walk
Bha e air ceann a stocainnean
no shoes on
Thog Alasdair an taigh às a phòcaid fhèin
with his own money
Chuir e drèin air
sulky expression
Chuir e a’ bhuidheach orm
gives me the boke
Mur a seall thu a-mach thèid do ghlacadh
watch out or you’ll be caught
Is miosa am fear a chleitheas am mèirleach na am mèirleach fhèin.
The one who hidesthe thief is worse than the thief himself.
Na cur do chaora air teadhar làmh ri taigh a’ mhèirlich.
don’t tempt fate
Saoilidh am mèirleach gur mèirleach a h-uile duine.
Theifs are suspicious of everyone else
Nuair a tha a h-uile duine bruidhinn chan eil duine ag èisteachd.
When everyone is talking, no one is listening.
A’ cumail cluas ri claisneachd.
listening
Is ann air a’ bheagan a dh’aithnichear am mòran.
the small things people do inform their character
A h-uile rud a thèid san lìon is iasg e.
any info is valuable
Chan òr a h-uile rud buidhe, ’s chan uighean a h-uile rud bàn.
alll that glitters is not gold
Chan e coltas rud rud.
alll that glitters is not gold
Chuireadh e na h-eòin air chrannaibh.
he has a good singing voice
Feumaidh fear nam breug cuimhne mhath a bhith aige.
A liar must have a good memory.
Nì tròcair gàirdeachas an aghaidh breitheanas.
mercy costs nothing
An t-ionnsachadh òg an t-ionnsachadh bòidheach.
The young learning the beautiful learning.
Is minig a dh’ èirich muir gharbh à plumanaich.
just because something looks safe doesn’t mean it is
Cho gòrach ris na h-uiseagan.
stupid
Cha tàinig tràigh gun mhuir-làn na dèidh.
things change / circle of life
Chan eil ceò gun teine.
no smoke without fire
Am fitheach a’ cur a-mach a theanga leis an teas.
very hot
Cha robh e aig baile nuair a chaidh toinisg a roinn a-mach.
He wasn’t at town when intelligence was distributed.
Chan urrainn an cupa a lìonadh a bharrachd na ghabhas e.
when something is full its full
Cha ghabh an soitheach Gàidhealach ach a làn.
when something is full its full ?
Cha tig às a’ phoit ach an toit a bhios innte.
you get what you put in
Cha chaochail dubh a dhath.
leopard cant change its spots
Chan eil a h-uile Stiùbhartach càirdeach dhan rìgh.
not everything is connected
Ge beag an t-ugh thig eun às.
good things come in small packages
Cha d’ fhiach i/ e am poll.
worthless
Chan e neamhnaid a h-uile rud tha deàrrsadh.
all that glitters is not gold
Is ann a dh’fhàsas an sìol mar a chuirear
The seed grows as it is sown
A’ cur sìos air
putting down on someone
A’ coimhead fon t-sùil
Looking under the eye
A’ cur umhail air
notice
Chan eil cùl innte
he has no backbone
Air a cheann fhèin
independantly
A’ tarraing às
pulling the mikey
A’ tuiteam air a bheul fodha
headfirst
Bho mhoch gu dubh
all day
Aig peilear a bheatha
very fast
A’ tilgeil orm
?
Tha a’ bhuil ort
the result is evident
Bu mhòr am beud
its a shame
Bu mhath an airidh
it’s what he deserved
Is mairg dhut
its a pity
Thachair an saoghal ris
many difficulties
Cò a chuala a-riamh a (dhà) leithid
never heard before
Chan eil àgh gun ealain
no happyness without art
Sgadan dearg a thilgeil am measg nan sgadan lainnireach.
a red herring
O chionn fhad an t-saoghail.
for a very long time
Bheireadh e deòir gu sùil nan damh.
tear to a glass eye
A’ sgaoileadh nan sguab ’s a’ trusadh nan siobhag.
wild goose chase
Cho neochiontach ris na h-eòin.
very innocent
Cìrean a’ choilich air a’ chirc.
The cock’s combs on the chicken.
Gach coileach a’ gairm air a shitig fhèin.
Every cock calls his own shit.
Am fear a bhios na thàmh cuiridh e ’n cat san teine.
The one who is silent will put the cat in the fire.
Duine nach goideadh boinne uisge anns an fhàsach.
A man who would not steal a drop of water in the desert.
Aigne thairis acainn.
mind over matter
Dall ort!
go on
Cha bhi iolairean a’ glacadh chuileagan.
Eagles don’t catch flies.
Feumaidh e a dhileag fhèin a leigeil às ro dhuine sam bith eile.
he has to let his pee out before everyone esle
Chan eil ceithir chasan a’ fàgail rud na bheathach.
Four legs does not make a thing an animal.
Am buachaille na ghadaiche.
wolf in sheeps clthing
Ruithinn air bàrr an uisge dhaibh nam b’ urrainn dhomh.
I would run on top of the water for them if I could.
Is fheàrr a’ chlach gharbh air am faighear rudeigin na chlach mhìn air nach
A rough stone on which something is found is better than a smooth stone on which it is not
faighear dad idir.
?
Chan ionann buidhe is òr.
all that glitters is not gold
Cluinnidh am bodhar fuaim an airgid.
The deaf will hear the sound of money.
Chan e fianais a nì fìrinn.
Evidence does not make truth.
Mus do sheall mi rium fhèin
before you could say jack robins
An do thog e ceann?
did he/it appear?
Tha e fada na cheann
stubborn
A’ gabhail fadachd
yearn / looking forward to
’S iomadh turas a bha an fhìrinn dubh agus a’ bhreug geal.
Many times the truth was black and the lie was white.
Ged a chual’ iad an ceòl, cha do thuig iad am port.
Although they heard the music, they did not understand the tune.
Cochall a chinn
head / skull
Ma-thà, tha mi ’n dùil.
but of course
A’ togail ort
moving
Mura b’ e dòchas, bhriseadh an cridhe
If it wasn’t for hope, the heart would break
Stoirm na h-oidhche, sìth na maidne
the clam after the storm
’S e am beul a labhras ach an gnìomh a dhearbhas
actions speak louder than words
Na toir comhairle, no salainn, gus am faighnichear air an son.
Don’t give advice or salt until asked for.
Is fheudar gabhail ri each mall nuair nach fhaighear nas fheàrr.
beggars can’t be chosers
Aon lagh ’son nan daoine bochda agus lagh eile ’son nan daoine beairteach
One law for the poor and another law for the rich
Nach ann ort a bha an aghaidh
you have a cheek
Feumaidh tu leigeil leis an t-sruth ruith
you need to let things work out
Ged a tha e beag, chan eil e bog
Although it is small, it is not soft
Cha toir seo a’ mhòine dhachaigh [Cha toir cainnt a’ mhòine dhachaigh].
all talk and no action
Each à Eirisgeigh agus boireannach à Leòdhas
if you want to do something difficult, this is the best
Cuiridh iad gach cron air druim an duine bhochd
they will blame him
Far nach eil fios bidh fathann
no info breeds rumours
Cha dèan mi bun no bàrr dheth
didn’t make heads of tails of it
Caithidh domhan duine
The world will wear a man
Chan eil càil a tha na annas nach bi na àbhaist
one day, unusual thing will be usual
Cho mear ri ceann sìomain air latha gaoithe
very happy
Thig fasan is falbhaidh gnàth
Fashions come and go
Cha dèan aon doras an gnothaich dhan deamhan
small crime leads to big crime
Nuair a dh’iarras caraid cobhair chan eil a-màireach ann
help immediately
Eadar a’ chlach ’s an sgrath
between a rock and a hard place
Tha e nas fhasa dealachadh ri do chuid na ri do chleachdaidhean
It is easier to part with your things than with your habits
An rud a tha na bhuachar do dh’aon duine tha e na aol dhan duine eile
one mans trash is another’s treasure
