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A hunner key Scots wirds

 These Scots words, phrases, and grammatical features can be enlarged, printed, and placed in
windows or other locations round the school. Learners can work in threes to find and record as
many as possible.
 Learners can use the Concise Scots Dictionary, the online Dictionary of the Scots Language
(http://www.dsl.ac.uk/) or the following vocabulary sheets to find definitions. (Words generally
need to be heard or said at least seven times before they will enter the learners’ vocabulary.)

Verbs (action words) in Scots Verbs (action words) in English


bide stay, live
birl spin around
blaw blow
big build
cannae can’t
chap knock
chant sing
clap pet
courie cuddle
dae do
doot believe/ doubt
dreep to do something slowly, without interest, to
descend a wall by stretching full length before
dropping
dunt strike or knock
fleg frighten, startle
footer fiddle with, fidget
gaun going
girn whine or complain
greet weep, cry
haud hold
hiv have
howk dig
keenie cry, mourn, weep
mak make
mind remember
skelp strike, hit, smack, work with great energy,
move quickly
shoogle shake
tak take
targe scold, beat, push through a
crowd forcefully

Prepositions in Scots Prepositions in English


afore before
ahint behind
atween between
eftir after
frae from

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oot out
ower over
tae to
overby a short distance away

Adjectives (describing words) in Scots Adjectives (describing words) in English


auld old
clatty dirty, muddy, slimy, disagreeable
crabbit bad tempered
daft foolish, stupid
drookit drenched
fantoosh fancy, elaborate
feart afraid
gallus cheeky
glaikit stupid
haiverin chatty
hackit ugly
haunless clumsy
mad angry
muckle big
peelie-wally sickly, not well
scunnered fed up
shilpit feeble
sleekit sly
stoorie dusty
tapsalteerie upside down
thrawn stubborn, determined, headstrong
towtie subject to recurrent minor illness/ailments
unca/unco strange, unfamiliar
wee small

Nouns (naming words) in Scots Nouns (naming words) in English


ba ball
wean child
byre cowshed
cloot cloth
claes clothes
craitur creature/person
the day today
freen friend
gloamin dusk
guff smell
glaur mud
hoose house
heid head
lassie girl
laddie boy
the morra tomorrow
tatties potatoes
kye cattle

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toon town; farmstead
watter water
wife, wifie woman
(married or not)
yowe ewe

Pronouns (short words that replace Pronouns (short words that replace
nouns) in Scots nouns) in English
it it
ma my
yon that
wha who
whit what, which
oor, wir our
ye, youse (pl) you

Numbers in Scots Numbers in English


yin one
twa two
fower four
hunner hundred

Adverbs in Scots Adverbs in English


doon down
gey very,
somewhat,
rather
noo now
canny-like carefully,
cautiously

Exclamations/ Greetings
Ach away! exclamation of surprise
Hoo’s it gaun? How are you?
No sae bad! Not bad at all!

Some features of Scots grammar and speech


Negative forms of verbs are created by adding ‘na’ at end – ‘canna’, ‘mustna’ etc.
Present participles end in ‘in’ – never ‘ing’ (greetin, haiverin, slaiverin), so there is no need
for an apostrophe.
Scots uses older, short vowel sounds in words like ‘hoose’, ‘moose’ and ‘coo’ (like
Norwegian) instead of ‘house’, ‘mouse’ and ‘cow’ (like English).
In Scots, the plural of ‘year’ is ‘year’, not ‘years’. E.g. ‘siven year ago’.

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1. Scottish
of or relating to or characteristic of Scotland or its
people or culture or its English dialect or Gaelic
language

2. Scots
of or relating to or characteristic of Scotland or its
people or culture or its English dialect or Gaelic
language

3. Scotland
one of the four countries that make up the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
located on the northern part of the island of Great
Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts

4. haggis
made of sheep's or calf's viscera minced with oatmeal
and suet and onions and boiled in the animal's
stomach

5. glen
a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)

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6. yearn
desire strongly or persistently

7. hame
stable gear consisting of either of two curved supports
that are attached to the collar of a draft horse and
that hold the traces

8. Loch Ness
a lake in the Scottish highlands

9. highland
elevated (e.g., mountainous) land

10. beer
an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting a cereal
with hops

11. whiskey
a liquor made from fermented mash of grain

12. sheep

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woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to
the goat

13. staunch
firm and dependable especially in loyalty

14. hark
listen; used mostly in the imperative

15. Glasgow
largest city in Scotland

16. Celtic
relating to or characteristic of the Celts

17. maiden
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

18. gallant
having or displaying great dignity or nobility

19. endeavour

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a purposeful or industrious undertaking

20. endurance
a state of surviving; remaining alive

21. thistle
any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and
especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and
Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

22. Hogmanay
New Year's Eve in Scotland

23. golf
a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18
holes

24. bagpipe
a tubular wind instrument

25. wee
a short time

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26. woollen
of or related to or made of wool

27. bairn
a child: son or daughter

28. bonnie
very pleasing to the eye

29. dour
showing a brooding ill humor

30. galoot
a foolish or clumsy person

Get tae

Get tae translates as ‘get to [insert f-word here]’ but some may just simply utter ‘get
tae’ and the point will still be quite clear. This is a popular Scots saying that can be
used when a person is irritated and would like the other person to leave. Additionally,
it can also be used in a sarcastic manner if the person in question can hardly believe
their eyes.

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Dreich

It is no lie that Scotland can experience all four weather seasons in one day. For the
days that are drab and grey, dreich is a braw word.

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Heavy rain in Scotland | © NotarYES/Shutterstock

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Blether

Blether is a grand Scottish word that simply means to chat away. The act of talking,
speaking, and gossiping would all be considered blethering.

Shan

Shan means unfair. If someone were to cut in front of the queue or a bacon roll only
had half a piece of bacon inside, then it would be fair to describe the scenario as
being ‘well shan.’

Radge

The word radge is used appropriately when referring to someone who is a tad
rambunctious or loopy. For instance, ‘he’s a radge’ would suggest that he is as mad
as a hatter. Similarly, ‘that’s well radge’ is used if something is utterly crazy or even
unfair.

Haud yer wheesht

‘Haud yer wheesht’ means to ‘be quiet’ or ‘shut up’. It is good to haud yer wheesht
when seeing a play, in court, or in any other scenario that calls for the sweet sound of
silence.

Braw

Braw is a classic Scottish slang word. Oor Wullie, in the iconic Scots comic strip,
frequently uses this word. It means brilliant, great, fantastic, and all things nice.
Someone may have braw banter or the view may be braw.

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Tidy

Ah, tidy. The Scots love this word. Tidy means beautiful, stunning, delicious, fantastic,
outstanding, lovely, pretty, bonnie – the list goes on and on. This word can be used
when referring to good food: ‘that’s well tidy scran’ or a beautiful woman: ‘that lass is
pure tidy’.

Scran

Scran is a popular Scottish word for food. If food taste delicious, then some may
describe it as ‘well tidy scran’.

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Full Scottish Breakfast | © Tana888/Shutterstock

Balloon

If someone is testing your patience with words that hold no meaning, then that
person may be a balloon. This implies that the person in question is ‘full of air’ and
has thoughts of no real substance.

Peely-wally

If someone is looking a wee bit peely-wally, then it may be a good plan to visit the
doctor. The word peely-wally means pale and can be used if someone doesn’t have
much of a tan or if they look as white as a sheet and are not feeling 100%.

Chore

If a person were to chore your stuff, then this would be bad news. To chore
something means to steal, nick, or nab anything that belongs to someone else.

Chum

Typically, a chum is a friend or close acquaintance. To the Scots, it also means to


accompany someone somewhere. For instance, if you would like a friend to go with
you to get some good food, the phrase ‘will you chum me to get some well tidy
scran?’ would be appropriate.

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Typically, a chum is a friend or close acquaintance | © Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

Messages

Messages in Scotland are not necessarily cryptic words of wisdom hidden in a bottle.
Instead, messages are supermarket or grocery items. ‘Will you chum me to get the
messages?’ means ‘will you accompany me to the supermarket to grab some food?’.

Bucket

In England, the word rubbish or bin is used to describe the device where you dispose
of unwanted waste and recyclable items. The Scots favour the word bucket for such
a contraption.

Fizzy juice

A fizzy drink or fizzy juice is a carbonated drink that Americans refer to as a soda.

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Irn Bru is a Scottish fizzy drink | © Mary Hutchison/Flickr

Aye right

‘Aye right’ is a great phrase and is used when expressing feelings of sheer disbelief.
It suggests that the person or matter in question may not be entirely accurate or
believable.

Yer heid’s full o’ mince

It is not ideal to have a heid full o’ mince, as it implies that the words that come out of
a person’s mouth are, quite frankly, nonsensical.

Reeking

If a person is totally reeking, then they are generally in a state of extreme intoxication
due to an excessive amount of alcohol.

Skite

To go ‘out on the skite’ means to go on a night out filled with fun festivities at clubs,
pubs, bars, or parties. Many people are reeking after a night oot on the skite.

Wur tearin’ the tartan

Those who can be seen ‘tearin’ the tartan’ are engrossed in riveting conversation. In
other words, they are having a right old blether.

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Tartan kilt | © Deyan Denchev/Shutterstock

Munter

The word munter does not have the most endearing of meanings. It is used to refer
to a person who may not exude the socially constructed definition of beauty.

Skedaddle aff

To skedaddle somewhere means to scurry away or venture to another place.


Skedaddle aff can be used as a way to say ‘on you go’ or ‘leave me alone’.

Yon’s a right chancer

A chancer is a person who takes risks and is typically a wee bit cheeky; they may not
be too trustworthy. For instance, ‘watch out for that one, yon’s a right chancer’.

Bampot

The word bampot can be applied to someone who doesn’t necessarily make the
wisest of choices in life. Bampots tend to be unstable in nature and are not always
the most likable of folk. However, it should be noted that some bampots can be rather
amusing.

Mony a mickle maks a muckle

There is a lot of truth in the saying ‘mony a mickle maks a muckle’, which means that,
at the end of the day, small amounts of money add up and eventually lead to a pretty
penny.

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Pound coins | © pixabay.com/Pexels

Rank

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If something is rank, then it is absolutely disgusting and vile. It is probably best to
steer clear from anything that is rank.

Spraff

Ah, beware of those who like to spraff. If someone is spraffing across town, then they
are gossiping a load of rubbish to people left, right, and centre.

Pie

In Scotland, the word pie does not necessarily mean a delicious type of food. If a
person ‘pies you’, they ignore you and your chat. Pie-ing someone is pretty shan.

Pure barry

If something is pure barry, then it is generally utterly wonderful and fantastic.

 Auld - Old
 Aye - Yes
 Bahoochie - Bottom/Backside/Butt
 Backgreen - garden or back yard
 Bairn - Baby or Young Child
 Blether - Chatter-box
 Boke - Gag or Vomit
 Bonnie - Beautiful
 Braw - Good or Nice
 Burn - Stream or Creek
 Canny - Careful, or sometimes Clever
 Chancer - Con-man, Trickster
 Clarty - Dirty or Unkempt
 Clatty - another word for dirty
 Clipe - This means to 'tell on' someone, or 'snitch'
 Chitter - Shiver
 Crabbit - Bad-tempered or Grumpy
 Dae - (pronounced 'day') Do

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 Dauner - (pronounced 'donna') Stroll or Saunter
 Dinnae - Don't
 Drookit - Soaking Wet
 Eejit - Idiot
 Girn - Complain or Whine
 Glaekit - Stupid
 Glen - Valley
 Greet - Cry
 Guy - Very
 Haud - Hold
 Haver - Talk Nonsense
 Keek - Peek
 Ken - Know
 Laldie - Scold/Reprimand
 Loch - Lake
 Lum - Chimney
 Noo - Now
 Wee Nyaff - Little nuisance (as in a person)
 Och! - Oh!
 Oxters - Armpits
 Peely-walley - Pale or Wan
 Pettet-lip - pouty lip
 Piece - Snack or Sandwich
 Pinkie - Little Finger
 Scunner - Nuisance
 Scunnered - Bored or Fed-Up
 Siangabbit - with an underbite
 Skelp - Slap
 Skyte - To slip or slide across a hard surface
 A Skelping - A Thrashing
 Slitter - Messy Eater
 Tattie - Potato
 Tumshie (aka 'Neeps') - Turnip (or Rutabaga in the US)
 Wain - (pronounced Wayne) Child
 Yin - One
 Yon – That

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1. I've collected 100 common phrases in English that I hear all the time in America.
2. Check your level of English -https://goo.gl/JGA5cW
3. Comment below with your current level!
4. 1. Stay out of trouble. = don’t do anything bad
5. 2. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
6. 3. You’re pushing your luck. = taking too many risks
7. 4. You have your head in the clouds. = not being realistic
8. 5. Let me know… = please tell me
9. 6. Get back to me. = respond to me
10. 7. Get over yourself. = stop being so conceited
11. 8. Get real. = be realistic
12. 9. Let’s get down to business.
13. 10. It was like pulling teeth.
14. 11. Good to know.
15. 12. Who knows?
16. 13. Who cares? = no one cares
17. 14. Who do you think you are?
18. 15. Who asked you?
19. 16. I’d like to pick your brain.
20. 17. Keep me posted. = update me when things change
21. 18. I don’t know off the top of my head. = I need to check
22. 19. I spoke too soon.
23. 20. Keep them on their toes. =
24. 21. I’m sorry for the mix up.
25. 22. Wait, don’t tell me.
26. 23. I’d be happy to help.
27. 24. You get what you pay for. = cheap price = bad quality product
28. 25. Right this way. = come with me, guiding
29. 26. I can’t keep up. = too much work, falling behind
30. 27. Put yourself in my shoes. = imagine it from my point of view
31. 28. I have too much time on my hands. = too much free time
32. 29. I have a lot on my plate. = a lot of work
33. 30. Give me a break. = stop being so rigid, make an exception for me, or you can’t be serious
34. 32. Stop being so hard on yourself. = stop judging yourself so harshly
35. 33. How’s work going? = like how’s it going but for work
36. 34. Have you heard the good news?
37. 35. Push back the appointment. = postpone
38. 36. I don’t want to hear it. = don’t want to hear excuses
39. 37. I’m losing it. = I’m going crazy
40. 38. I’ve lost my touch. = I’m not as good at this as I was before
41. 39. I haven’t kept in touch with them.
42. 40. Stay in touch. = keep talking to me
43. 41. You look like a deer in headlights. = frozen with fear
44. 43. Can I take a message? = phone message
45. 44. They’re out of the office right now. = not here
46. 45. They’re not available at the moment. = busy
47. 46. Don’t push me.
48. 47. Don’t be so quick to judgment.
49. 48. I have a bad/good feeling about this.
50. 49. I can’t imagine.
51. 50. A little birdie told me.

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52. 51. Make time for (something).
53. 52. Let me see if I can move some things around.
54. 53. Look out!
55. 54. Think fast!
56. 55. Loosen up.
57. 56. Put (something) on hold
58. 57. You can’t be serious.
59. 60. Go ahead
60. 61. It’s no big deal.
61. 62. Will do.
62. 63. Don’t put me on the spot.
63. 64. Watch where you’re going.
64. 65. What can I do for you?
65. 66. What are you gonna do?
66. 67. It’s out of my hands.
67. 68. Hands off!
68. 69. Hang tight.
69. 70. Hurry up!
70. 71. Keep my head above water.
71. 72. Get out of your comfort zone.
72. 73. I can’t get that song out of my head.
73. 74. I can’t put a face to the name.
74. 75. I have some money burning a hole in my pocket.
75. 76. You’re playing both sides.
76. 77. We need to talk.
77. 78. You’re killing the mood.
78. 79. You went too far. = said or did something that was in really bad taste - You crossed the line. -
same
79. 80. I’m flattered. = you said something nice to me and I feel good about it
80. 81. I’m feeling under the weather.
81. 82. You win some, you lose some.
82. 83. Please have a seat.
83. 84. Living beyond your means.
84. 85. Please excuse us.
85. 86. You’re all over the place.
86. 87. I have no idea.
87. 88. I think there must be some kind of mistake.
88. 89. Don’t play dumb with me.
89. 90. I have faith in you.
90. 91. Get your head in the game. about the task at hand (from sports but applies to anything)
91. 92. Living the dream. = doing exactly what you want and loving it, often used sarcastically when
you’re not happy with what you’re doing
92. 93. You pulled a fast one on me. = you tricked me
93. 94. I want nothing to do with it. = I don’t want to be involved
94. 95. I’m washing my hands of this whole situation. I’m removing myself from being involved
95. 96. It’s up to you. = it’s your decision
96. 97. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. = this person is harmless
97. 98. We’re short on time. = limited time to do something
98. 99. I think I’ll pass. = polite way to say no
99. So glad you could make it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4F9n8Q_Fe8

Phrases in this video (print them our and practice!):

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100. 1. How is it going?
101. 2. Long time no see!
102. 3. What have you been up to?
103. 4. Can’t complain
104. 5. How do you know?
105. 6. That’s a good one = That’s a good joke!
106. 7. It’s very kind of you!
107. 8. Thank you anyway
108. 9. Thank you in advance!
109. 10. No worries
110. 11. What’s going on?
111. 12. Did I get you right?
112. 13. Don’t take it to heart
113. 14. I didn’t catch the last word
114. 15. Sorry, I wasn’t listening
115. 16. It doesn’t matter
116. 17. Fingers crossed!
117. 18. Oh, that. That explains it.
118. 19. Things happen
119. 20. Sorry to bother you
120. 21. I’ll be with you in a minute
121. 22. Where were we?
122. 23. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch you
123. 24. Lucky you!
124. 25. I freaked out = to become very angry, scared or excited
125. 26. Good for you!
126. 27. You’ve got to be kidding me!
127. 28. Cheer up!
128. 29. Come on, you can do it!
129. 30. Keep up the good work!
130. 31. It's not the end of the world
131. 32. That’s lit! = That’s amazing!
132. 33. There you go!
133. 34. 44. Not a bit!
134. 35. There is no room for doubt
135. 36. I’ll text you!
136. 37. It’s not worth it!
137. 38. You rock!
138. 39. You should go the extra mile…
139. 40. Step up your game = Start performing better
140. 41. Pull yourself together = Calm down and behave normally
141. 42. You sold me! = You convinced me on something
142. 43. Couldn’t care less = used to express total lack of interest in something
143. 44. This is a no-brainer = Easy decision
144. 45. You screwed up
145. 46. You are driving me nuts!
146. 47. Can you cover me? = Can you work in my place?
147. 48. I’d better be going
148. 49. Thank heavens it’s Friday
50. Take care!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj5btO2nvt8

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