As the Runrig song ‘Cearcall a’ Chuain’ tells us: ‘tha sinn uile air cuan, stiùireadh cuairt tro ar beatha’ (we are all on a journey, steering a course through our lives) and we mark some of the big events on that journey with a cuirm (feast, occasion, reception).
banais (f)
wedding
co–là–breith (m)
birthday
baisteadh (m)
baptism
ceumnachadh (m)
graduation
gealladh–pòsaidh
engagement
ceann–bliadhna
birthday, anniversary
On these types of occasions we often congratulate people in different ways:
Meal do naidheachd!
Congratulations! [singular]
Mealaibh ur naidheachd!
Congratulations! [polite/plural]
Gu meal thu do naidheachd!
May you enjoy your news!
Gu meal sibh ur naidheachd!
May you enjoy your news!
‘S math a rinn thu!
You did well!
Nach math a rinn thu?!
Didn’t you do well?!
Sin thu fhèin!
Well done!
Sin sibh fhèin!
Well done!