gabh mo leithscéal
/ˌɡɔ mˠə ˈlʲɪʃceːl̪ˠ/singular
In Irish, "excuse me" is said as gabh mo leithscéal. Wiktionary also lists gabhaigí mo leithscéal.
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gabh mo leithscéal | /ˌɡɔ mˠə ˈlʲɪʃceːl̪ˠ/ (Cois Fharraige) | singular |
| gabhaigí mo leithscéal | plural |
The phrase gabh mo leithscéal is used to get someone's attention or to apologize for minor social transgressions, such as bumping into someone.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means 'take my excuse'. The word gabh means 'take', mo means 'my' and leithscéal means 'excuse'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌɡɔ mˠə ˈlʲɪʃceːl̪ˠ/
Did you know?
- The word leithscéal is built from leath, meaning 'half', and scéal, meaning 'story'. It suggests that an apology is only giving half of the story to justify one's actions.
- The word scéal in leithscéal is cognate with the English word 'saga'. Both refer to a narrative or a story.
- The phrase follows a pattern of 'imperative politeness' where you are essentially commanding someone to 'take' or 'accept' something from you.
Examples in context
- Gabh mo leithscéal.Excuse me.Tatoeba #7801405 by eo_as, translation #433504 by CK
- Gabh mo leithscéal!Excuse me!Tatoeba #7804584 by eo_as, translation #2425828 by bionicboy
Example conversation
Saoirse accidentally bumps into Conor in a crowded shop.
- SaoirseÓ, gabh mo leithscéal, Conor!Oh, excuse me, Conor!
- ConorNíi问题, ní fada é.No problem, it's nothing.
- SaoirseBhí mé beagán tapaite.I was in a bit of a hurry.
- ConorTá sé ceannasach, Saoirse.It is fine, Saoirse.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries gabh mo leithscéal, gabhaigí mo leithscéal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gabh, gabh mo leithscéal, leithscéal, mo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
