Mas e do thoil e
informal, to one person
Scottish Gaelic has no single word for "please". You say Mas e do thoil e to one person you know and Mas e ur toil e to several people or when you want to be formal.
Meaning: polite request (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| Mas e do thoil e | informal, to one person |
| Mas e ur toil e | formal, to several people or politely |
It goes at the end of the request, as in Cupa tì, mas e do thoil e, "A cup of tea, please".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase literally means "if it is your will". The word do is "your" for one friend and ur is "your" for a group or a polite address.
Did you know?
- Because the phrase means "if it is your will", the polite version changes with the person you speak to.
Examples in context
- Cupa tì, mas e do thoil e.A cup of tea, please.
- Gloinne uisge, mas e ur toil e.A glass of water, please.
- Suidh sìos, mas e do thoil e.Sit down, please.
Example conversation
Calum orders coffee from Seonaid at a café in Inverness.
- CalumCupa cofaidh, mas e ur toil e.A cup of coffee, please.
- SeonaidSeo dhuibh.Here you are.
- CalumTapadh leibh.Thank you.
