Our everyday speech is peppered with words and phrases which can be used to fill gaps in the conversation, buy us time when we’re still processing what someone has said, and also to show that we are following along or agreeing with what’s being said. We encountered some of these in the conversation:
seadh
yeah, uh-huh
eil fhios agad?
you know?
eil cuimhne agad?
(do you) remember?
mar a thuirt mi …
as i said …
tha fhios a’m
I know
gu dearbh
certainly
gu deimhinn(e)
definitely
dha-rìribh
seriously
mar gum biodh
as it were
cuimhnich!
remember!
smaoinich!
imagine!
mas math mo chuimhne
As far as I remember/if memory serves
Let’s add to that list with some expressions you may already know.
Ma-thà
Then
Ma-tà
Then
Ge-tà
Though, however
Abair e
Indeed! You can say that again (lit. Say it!)
‘S math sin
That’s good, that’s great
Ceart!
Right!
Ceart gu leòr!
Right enough.
Obh, obh!
Oh dear
Mo chreach!
Heavens!/goodness!
Mo chreach-sa thàinig!
My goodness/goodness me!