Getting around
Bus
Any more tickets?
Any more tickets?
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Edinburgh rises between the castle rock and Arthur's Seat, with a medieval Old Town above a planned New Town.
How the language is used
Scottish English is what you hear in the shops, and some signs also carry Scottish Gaelic.
In this city
- Language
- English
- Also heard
- Mostly English
- A local word
- Close — A narrow passage between buildings.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Café
A white coffee, please.
A white coffee, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
Shop
Cheers.
Thanks.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
Street
Awright?
You all right?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Shops and buses run in English. Some signs also carry Scottish Gaelic.
Around Leith, Stockbridge, Marchmont, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Edinburgh can run on four lines: “Any more tickets?”, “A white coffee, please.”, “Cheers.”, and “Awright?”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- One everyday you-form covers most shops. Please and thanks do the polite work.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Edinburgh, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Close. It means A narrow passage between buildings..
Places you can see
- Edinburgh Castle — A fortress on the volcanic castle rock at the top of the Old Town.
- Royal Mile — The ridge of streets from the castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- Arthur's Seat — An old volcano in Holyrood Park, with a path up to a view over the city and the firth.
Food
Bakeries and pubs serve haggis, smoked fish, and morning rolls off the Royal Mile.
Getting around
Buses climb the hills, and trams run between the airport and the city centre.
Daily life
You climb from the closes of the Old Town toward the wind on Arthur's Seat in one walk.
A few everyday phrases
English
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Good morning | Good morning |
| My name is… | My name is… |
