Chan eil
everyday, present
Scottish Gaelic has no one word for "no". You repeat the verb of the question in its negative form. The most common answer is Chan eil, "is not", and it fits any question that begins with a bheil. It is also called Chan e and Cha robh.
Meaning: negative answer (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| Chan eil | everyday, present |
| Chan e | identity questions |
| Cha robh | past |
Chan eil is polite with anyone, so there is no separate formal and informal "no". Add tapadh leat, "thank you", when you decline an offer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The negative form depends on the question. An e is answered with Chan e, an robh with Cha robh. The particle cha turns into chan before a vowel, which is why you hear Chan eil and Chan e.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying Chan eil to a question about the past sounds wrong. An robh thu ann?, "Were you there?", needs Cha robh.
Did you know?
- The phrase Chan eil Gàidhlig agam is literally "there is not Gaelic at me", which is how the language says "I do not speak Gaelic".
Examples in context
- A bheil thu a' tighinn? Chan eil, tha mi trang.Are you coming? No, I am busy.
- An e tidsear a th' annad? Chan e.Are you a teacher? No.
- Chan eil Gàidhlig agam.I do not speak Gaelic.
Example conversation
Seonag offers her neighbor Iain a cup of tea at her door in Stornoway.
- SeonagA bheil thu ag iarraidh cupa tì?Do you want a cup of tea?
- IainChan eil, tapadh leat.No, thank you.
- SeonagAn robh thu aig an obair an-diugh?Were you at work today?
- IainCha robh, bha mi aig an taigh.No, I was at home.
