FAQS
How do I type the Gaelic accents?
You can just copy and paste these
Lowercase letters
Uppercase letters
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows
Some simple ways to type grave accents in MS Windows, depending on which version you use. The grave accent ` is next to the number 1 at top of keyboard
à, è, ì, ò, ù Ctrl+`, release and type letter;
À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù Ctrl+Shift+`, release and type letter
OR
Alt key + character code on the numeric keypad on right of keyboard (laptops will vary). Ensure that the NUMLOCK is on.
à Alt+133 or 0224
è Alt+138 or 0232
ì Alt+141 or 0236
ò Alt+149 or 0242
ù Alt+151 or 0249
À Alt+0192
È Alt+0200
Ì Alt+0204
Ò Alt+0210
Ù Alt+0217
Mac
Push and hold a character to bring up a menu and choose.
E.g. hold the letter e to choose the letter è
What is the Gaelic Alphabet?
> Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu
For more information visit LearnGaelic’s Scottish Gaelic Alphabet https://learngaelic.scot/scottish-gaelic-alphabet.jsp
How do I pronounce Gaelic sounds?
SpeakGaelic always gives you a sound file for the word you are learning. For more information on individual sounds, visit LearnGaelic’ Sounds section https://learngaelic.scot/sounds/index.jsp
What are slender and broad vowels?
The slender vowels are e and i.
All the others are broad.
SpeakGaelic says my email is taken and I can’t log in. Can you help?
This is usually because your account has not been properly activated – there should be an email from us with a link to activate your account (remember to check spam / junk folders too). If you can’t find the email, let us know.
If you have already activated your account, you may be on the wrong page. Please ensure you are on the login page and not the registration page.
Can you fix my link SpeakGaelic emailed to activate my account?
Yes – please forward us the email to fios@speakgaelic.scot and ask us to activate your account.
How do I log in after activating my account?
Please make your way to the login page.
Can you help me move on after completing a test?
This commonly happens if you have not logged on. You also need to have passed with 60% correct answers, if you think you have been unfairly treated, let us know. We may have a mistake in that particular test and we will fix it.
My dashboard says I’ve completed X number of topics but I should have more. How do I complete all steps to finish my topics?
You should be able to scroll and expand each topic to see which one has a step missed out. In the following example, all the sections apart from the intro and completed topic section have been completed, so the topic is incomplete.
Go into the incomplete section and follow the all the steps in the section to complete the topic.
How can I see how many steps I have missed out?
You can tell how many steps are in each section by the score on the counter at the top of the page.
How can I see what steps I have missed out?
You can see these by going to the left-hand side of screen of any section and selecting See Lesson Content. Mobile users have an extra fist step, you can see this extra step below.
This will pull out all an index of all the pages and you can see your progress – a completed section will have a big green tick, an incomplete section will be empty. To resolve, navigate to the incomplete pages. If a quiz has not been completed it will be blue. if it is complete, the quiz icon is green.
Extra step for small screens
Mobile users will have an extra step: you have to select the three stacked lines (officially known as the hamburger) beofre the other steps.
How do I report an error?
Either use the contact form or send us an email at fios@speakgaelic.scot. Please send us the page title at the top of page (or URL) with a short description of error. If you can send a screengrab, that will help us identify the issue.
Why isn’t my sound working?
This is usually as something is muted somewhere on your device. Check volume controls, speaker settings and device settings. Please make sure you are pressing the speaker icon.
Why was I marked wrong on this quiz question?
We hate to break it to you, but you might be wrong. Check you have read the question correctly. Please ensure your apostrophes are facing the correct way and finally make sure you don’t have too many spaces.
If you think you have been unfairly treated, let us know. We may have a mistake in that particular test and we will fix it. Either use the contact form or send us an email at fios@speakgaelic.scot. Please send us the quiz title at the top of page (or URL) with a short description of error. If you can send a screengrab, that will help us identify the issue.
Can you translate something for me?
We are a tiny wee team and our main focus is on our resources. There are also professional translators who will talk you through your requirements and provide appropriate translations (some words may be context-dependent). We can send you a list of professional translators if you need them.
I think I’ve found a typo/mistake on the website. How do I report this?
Either use the contact form or send us an email at fios@speakgaelic.scot. Please send us the page title at the top of page (or URL) with a short description of error. If you can send a screengrab, that will help us identify the issue.
Why won't you provide your email address in a format I can open?
We will get ambushed by spam! If you email fios@speakgaelic.scot we will get back to you as soon as possible. Please don’t be mean, we are human beings and it will ruin our day!
Need more help or see something that is not working?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you see anything wrong or if you want to leave us a message.
An Còmhradh
We are going to read an excerpt from a short story written by Màiri E NicLeòid.
This story can be found in the book A’ Ghlainne agus sgeulachdan eile.
You can read the rest of the story in 9B Duilleag Obrach.
Shuidh Anna sìos air mo bheulaibh agus chuir i truinnsear bhriosgaidean ann am meadhan a’ bhùird a bha eadarainn.
“Siuthad, gabh briosgaid,” thuirt i a’ bruthadh an truinnseir gam ionnsaigh.
Cha robh ach an dithis againn nar suidhe anns a’ chidsin ach bha an truinnsear cho làn bhriosgaidean ‘s gur soilleir gu robh i an dùil ri còignear eile.
Chan ann à pacaid a bha na briosgaidean seo mar a gheibheadh tu nam biodh tu a’ tadhal ormsa.
‘S i fhèin a rinn iad.
Cha bhiodh i dol a–mach gu obair ach ‘s cinnteach gun robh i trang gu leòr a’ coimhead às dèidh a cuid cloinne, an duine agus an taigh.
Bhithinn a’ tadhal oirre aon latha gach seachdain agus bha i an–còmhnaidh ann am meadhan rudeigin: còcaireachd, nigheadaireachd, glanadh – bha i an–còmhnaidh trang.
Thachair mi rithe a’ chiad turas nuair a chaidh mi sìos dhan bhùth airson bainne agus bha e dùinte.
Bha Anna a’ cur litir sa bhogsa–phuist agus mhothaich i mise a’ feuchainn ris an doras fhosgladh; cha robh soidhne an–àirde ag ràdh gun robh e dùinte.
Dh’iarr i orm tighinn dhan taigh aice; bha ise na h–aonar oir bha an duine agus na balaich air falbh ag iasgach agus bha i ag iarraidh companach.
Nam bithinn air tachairt rithe latha sam bith eile gu cinnteach bhithinn air cantainn gun robh mi ro thrang, ach an latha ud, air adhbhar air choreigin, thuirt mi gun rachainn ann gun smaoineachadh mu dheidhinn.
Cha robh mi ag iarraidh companach ach feumaidh gun robh mi a’ lorg rudeigin agus aig cùl m’ inntinn bha guth ag ràdh gun lorgainn an siud e.
Cha robh mise air a bhith a’ fuireach sa bhaile ach còig mìosan agus a chionn gun robh an dithis againn gu math prìobhaideach, bha tòrr air nach robh sinn eòlach mu dheidhinn a chèile fhathast.
Bha Anna rud beag na b’ fhosgailte na mise agus bha e follaiseach an–diugh bhon chiad cheum a ghabh mi a–steach an doras gun robh i ag iarraidh bruidhinn.
Bha mi air fòn fhaighinn bhuaipe an oidhche roimhe ‘s i a’ toirt cuireadh dhomh tadhal oirre.
Mar bu tric bhithinn a’ tadhal oirre Disathairne ach ‘s e Diardaoin a bh’ ann an–diugh.
Anna sat down in front of me and put a plate of biscuits in the middle of the table between us.
“On you go, have a biscuit,” she said pushing the plate towards me.
There were only the two of us sitting in the kitchen but the plate was so full of biscuits that she was clearly expecting five more people.
These cookies were not from a packet as you would get if you visited me.
She made them herself.
She didn’t go out to work, but she was busy enough looking after her children, her husband and the house.
I would visit her one day a week and she was always in the middle of something: cooking, washing, cleaning – she was always busy.
I met her for the first time when I went down to the shop for milk and it was closed.
Anna was posting a letter in the postbox and she noticed me trying to open the door; there was no sign above saying it was closed.
She asked me to come to her house; she was alone because the husband and the boys were away fishing and she wanted a companion.
If I had met her on any other day I would certainly have said that I was too busy, but that day, for some reason, I said I would go there without thinking about it.
I didn’t want a companion (friend) but I must have been looking for something and at the back of my mind there was a voice saying that I would find it there.
I had only been living in the town for five months and because we were both very private, there was a lot we didn’t know about each other yet.
Anna was a little more open than me and it was obvious today from the first step I took in the door that she wanted to talk.
I had received a call from her the night before, inviting me to visit her.
Usually I would visit her on Saturday but today was Thursday.