Scottish Gaelic · Gàidhlig
Directory 13 resource listings . A short orientation and a solid starting list.
Honest start for Scottish Gaelic: pick one beginner course or community program from the list, add 10–15 minutes of listening most days, and bookmark one reference. Ignore the rest of the directory until those three habits are alive. Last reviewed 2026-08-01
About Scottish Gaelic
- Language family
-
Indo-European, Celtic, Goidelic Source: Glottolog
- Where it's spoken
- Scotland (especially Highlands and Islands)
- Speakers
-
tens of thousands of speakers Estimate source: Ethnologue (SIL International)
- Writing
- Latin
Scottish Gaelic is a Goidelic Celtic language closely related to Irish, spoken mainly in the Highlands and Islands and by learners across Scotland. Spelling preserves older consonants that modern speech often softens, so listening from day one helps. SpeakGaelic and LearnGaelic cover structured lessons; BBC Alba and Radio nan Gàidheal supply immersion once basics stick.
Speaker counts are approximate orders of magnitude for learners, not census figures. Family labels follow Glottolog-style classification; vitality notes (when shown) follow UNESCO WAL / Ethnologue-style framing and should be re-checked for program planning.
How to start
- Pick one free course (or free-with-upgrades) below and finish a short beginner unit before hopping apps.
- Bookmark one dictionary or grammar reference and look up every unknown word for a week.
- Add 10–15 minutes of listening most days — news, radio, or a teaching channel.
- When ready, use a tutor marketplace listing below for short speaking sessions.
Practice on this site
Deep links into trainers and drills that already cover Scottish Gaelic.
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| Resource | Type | Levels | Cost | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Faclair Beag | reference | A1-C2 | free | — |
| Anki Shared Gaelic decks | course free | A1-B1 | free | — |
| BBC Alba | listening | A2-C2 | free | — |
| BBC Naidheachdan | reading | B1-C2 | free | — |
| Duolingo Scottish Gaelic | course paid | A1-A2 | freemium | — |
| Gaelic for Parents / community resources | course free | A1-A2 | free | — |
| Glosbe Scottish Gaelic | reference | A1-C2 | free | — |
| LearnGaelic | course free | A1-B2 | free | — |
| Omniglot Scottish Gaelic | reference | A1-A2 | free | — |
| Radio nan Gàidheal | listening | B1-C2 | free | — |
|
SpeakGaelic
Major free Scottish Gaelic course.
|
course free | A1-B1 | free | — |
| Stòrlann | course free | A1-B2 | free | — |
| Wikipedia (Scottish Gaelic) | reading | B1-C2 | free | — |
Know a better classroom-friendly resource for Scottish Gaelic? Suggest it with attribution.