Scout Motto
The Scout Motto of the Scout movement, in various languages, has been used by millions of Scouts around the world since 1907. Most of the member organizations of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts share this same motto.
In English, the Scout Motto is most commonly Be Prepared. In the first part of Scouting for Boys, Robert Baden-Powell explains the meaning of the phrase:
Baden-Powell on "Be Prepared"
Baden-Powell provides several descriptions of how and for what situations a Scout must be prepared elsewhere in Scouting for Boys. In his explanation of the third point of the Scout Law, Baden-Powell says:In the opening chapter of Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell says:
Baden-Powell discuses more skills required of Scouts in Chapter IV of Scouting for Boys, which addresses camp life:
Advice given by Baden-Powell in Chapter V on campaigning includes:
In a chapter discussing endurance, Baden-Powell wrote:
In Chapter VII, Baden-Powell discussed how Scouts prepare themselves to protect women and how they can improve themselves:
Chapter VIII of Scouting for Boys discussed saving life. On this topic, Baden-Powell says:
In the chapter on patriotism, Baden-Powell says:
The first handbook for Girl Guides, How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire by Agnes and Robert Baden-Powell, similarly explains:
The motto of the Girl Guides is "Be Prepared". Why is this?
It is because, like the other Guides, you have to be prepared at any moment to face difficulties and even dangers by knowing what to do and how to do it.
Acrostic
' book The Left Handshake: The Boy Scout Movement during the War, 1939–1945 had the first name of each chapter spell out the Scout motto. The chosen names are: Bravery, Enterprise, Purpose, Resolution, Endurance, Partnership, Assurance, Reformation, Enthusiasm and Devotion.Motto in various languages
- Note-many languages have masculine and feminine forms of words – where gender changes the Scout Motto, differences are reflected here.
| Language | Lountries | Boy Scouts | Girl Guides or Girl Scouts | Organizational variant | Translation | Transliteration or pronunciation |
| Afrikaans | Namibia, South Africa | Wees geréed! | ||||
| Albanian | Albania | Ji Gati | Pergatitu | Always Prepared | ||
| Amharic | Ethiopia | ዝግጁ | Ready | |||
| Arabic | Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen | كُن مستعداً | in Jordan, Libya, and Syria و أعدوا; | |||
| Armenian | Armenia | Միշտ պատրաստ | Partsratsir Partsratsour | Always Ready, Elevate Yourself and Others with You | Misht Badrast | |
| Azeri | Azerbaijan | Daima Hazır | ||||
| Belarusian | Belarus | Напагатове! | Будзь гатоў!, Будь готов! | Napahatove, Budz' Hatoǔ | ||
| Bengali | Bangladesh | সেবার জন্য সদা প্রস্তুত থাকতে যথাসাধ্য চেষ্টা করা | সদা প্রস্তুত | Do your best to be prepared for service | Sebar jannoa sada prastut thakte jathasadhya chesta kara; Sada prastut | |
| Bislama | Vanuatu | Rerem | Prepare | |||
| Bosnian | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Budi spreman! | Uvijek spreman! | |||
| Bulgarian | Bulgaria | Бъди Готов | Бъди Готова | Bădi gotov | ||
| Burmese | Burma | ever ready | A-sin-thint | |||
| Cantonese | Hong Kong, Macau | 準備 | Prepare | Joen bey | ||
| Chinese | Taiwan | 準備 | Prepare | zhǔnbèi | ||
| Catalan | Andorra, Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Valencia | Sempre a punt | Always ready. | |||
| Chavacano | Zamboanga | Pirmi Alisto! | Always Prepared! | |||
| Chichewa | Malawi | Konzekerani | ||||
| Cook Islands Māori | Cook Islands | Kia vai teateamamao! | ||||
| Croatian | Croatia | Budi Pripravan! | Uvijek spreman! | |||
| Czech | Czech Republic | Buď připraven | Buď připravena | |||
| Danish | Denmark | Vær beredt! | Værn og tjen! | Protect and Serve | ||
| Divehi | Maldives | އަބަދުވެސް ތައްޔާރްށް | Abadhuves Thayyarah | |||
| Dutch | Belgium, the Netherlands, Suriname | Wees Paraat! | Steeds bereid! in Belgium, Wees Bereid! in the Netherlands, Weest Paraat! in Suriname | |||
| Dzongkha | Bhutan | གྲ་འགྲིག་འབད་ | Dra drig Bay | |||
| English | Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Be Prepared | ||||
| Esperanto | Estu preta | Be ready. | ||||
| Estonian | Estonia | Ole valmis! | ||||
| Faroese | Faroe Islands | Ver til reiðar | ||||
| Fijian | Fiji | Tu Vakarau, Meda Tu Vakarau, or Tu Vakarau ena Vei Gauna | ||||
| Filipino | Philippines | Laging Handa! | Always Ready! | |||
| Finnish | Finland | Ole valmis! | Var redo! | |||
| French | Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Monaco, Morocco, New Caledonia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia | Toujours Prêt! | Toujours Prête! | Prêt à servir in Burkina Faso; Sois Prêt! widespread; Être Prêt in Haiti and Lebanon; Toujours tout droit in Senegal | Always Ready! | |
| Gilbertese | Kiribati | Mena tauraoi | ||||
| Georgian | Georgia | იყავი მზად | ikavi mzad | |||
| German | Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Namibia, Switzerland | Allzeit bereit! | So gut ich kann! | Seid bereit! in Namibia | Always Prepared | |
| Greek | Cyprus, Greece | Έσo έτοιμος! | Ésso étimi! | Ésso étimos | ||
| Hawaiian | Hawaii | Hoomākaukau! | ||||
| Modern Hebrew | Israel | היה נכון | heye nachon | |||
| Hindi | India | तैयार | Always Prepared | Taiyar | ||
| Hungarian | Hungary | Légy Résen! | Jó Munkát! | Be watchful | ||
| Icelandic | Iceland | Ávallt viðbúinn! | Always Prepared | |||
| Indonesian | Indonesia | Satyaku Kudarmakan, Darmaku Kubaktikan | My Promise becomes my law, my Law becomes my devotion | |||
| Interlingua | Sempre Preste | |||||
| Irish | Ireland | Bí ullamh! | ||||
| Italian | Italy, San Marino, Switzerland | Siate Pronti! | Siate Pronti! | Many Italian associations also use the Latin translation Estote parati | ||
| Japanese | Japan | そなえよつねに | Always be prepared | Sonae-yo tsuneni | ||
| Kazakh | Kazakhstan | Дайын бол! | Будь готов! | Dayyin Bol | ||
| Kinyarwanda | Rwanda | Ube Maso! | ||||
| Kirundi | Burundi | Ube Maso | ||||
| Korean | South Korea | 준비 | Preparation | Junbi | ||
| Kyrgyz | Kyrgyzstan | Даяр Бол | Будь готов | Dayar Bol | ||
| Khmer | Cambodia | ត្រៀមខ្លួន | ត្រៀមខ្លួន | Triam Kloun | ||
| Lao | Laos | ຕຣຽມພຣ້ອມ | Prepared | |||
| Latin | Estote Parati | Some Italian associations use this form | ||||
| Latvian | Latvia | Esi Modrs!; response Arvien Modrs!, Always Watchful! | Esi Modra!; response Arvien Modra!, Always Watchful! | Be Watchful | ||
| Lithuanian | Lithuania | Budėk!; response Vis budžiu! | ||||
| Luxembourgish | Luxembourg | Ëmmer bereet! | Trei zum Land! | Loyal to the country | ||
| Macedonian | North Macedonia | Биди Подготвен | Bidi Podgotven | |||
| Malagasy | Madagascar | Vonona hatrany hatrany! | Always Prepared | |||
| Malay | Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore | Selalu Bersedia! | Selalu Sedia! | Sentiasa Bersedia/Sedia! in Malaysia | ||
| Maltese | Malta | Kun lest! | Kun lesta! | |||
| Mongolian | Mongolia | Хэзээд бэлхэн! | Бэлэн бол! | Become prepared, ready forever | Belen Bol, Hezeed belhen | |
| Montenegrin | Montenegro | Буди спреман | Budi Spreman | |||
| Nepali | Nepal | तयार होऊ | Tayar Hou | |||
| Netsilik Inuit | Nunavut | ᐃᔈᓗᐊᖖᓯᓯᒪᐃᓐᓇᓗᑎᑦ | ||||
| Niuean | Niue | Kia mautali | ||||
| Norwegian | Norway | Vær Beredt!, answered Alltid Beredt! | Be Prepared!, answered Always Prepared! | |||
| Papiamento | Aruba, Netherlands Antilles | Wees Bereid | Sea prepará! in Netherlands Antilles | |||
| Pashto | Afghanistan | تیار اوسی | Attention | Tayar Osay | ||
| Persian | Iran | آماده باش | Aamaadeh Baash! | |||
| Polish | Poland | Czuwaj! | Watch! | |||
| Portuguese | Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe | Sempre alerta! | Semper parata! | Always alert! | ||
| Romanian | Moldova, Romania | Gata Oricând | Fii Pregatit! in Romania | Always Ready | ||
| Romansh | Switzerland | Adina Pronto! | Adina Pronta! | |||
| Russian | Russia | Будь готов! | Будь готова! | Bud' gotov | ||
| Sakha | Yakutia | Бэлэм буол! | Бэлэм буол! | Belem Buol | ||
| Samoan | American Samoa, Samoa | Sauniuni | ||||
| Serbian | Serbia | Буди спреман | ||||
| Sinhala | Sri Lanka | සූදානම් ව සිටිනු! | Soodhanamva Sitinu | |||
| Slovakian | Slovakia | Buď Pripravený | ||||
| Slovene | Slovenia | Bodi pripravljen! | Vedno pripravljen!, Z naravo k boljšemu človeku! | Always prepared!, With Nature to a Better Person | ||
| Somali | Djibouti, Somalia | Diyaar Ahaaw | Is diyaari | |||
| Sotho | Lesotho | Dula O Lokile | ||||
| Spanish | Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica*, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea*, Guatemala*, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela | Siempre Listo ! | Siempre Lista ! | Bien Preparadas! in Mexico; Siempre Activas! in Nicaragua, Estar Preparadas! in Peru and Puerto Rico | Always Ready | , |
| Sranan Tongo | Suriname | Sete sete! | ||||
| Swahili | Comoros, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | Uwe Tayari | ||||
| Swazi | Swaziland | Hlala ulungele! | ||||
| Swedish | Sweden | Var redo! – Alltid redo! | Be Prepared, Always prepared | |||
| Syriac | Assyria | ܡܬܘܼܡ ܥܬܝܼܕܵܐ | Always Ready | Mthoom 'teeda! | ||
| Tagalog | Philippines | Laging Handâ! | Always Prepared! | |||
| Tahitian | French Polynesia | Parau ha' amanaora! | Always Prepared | |||
| Tamil | Sri Lanka | தயார் நிலையில் இரு! | Thayaar Nilayil Iru | |||
| Tajik | Tajikistan | Тайёр бош | Будь готов! | Taiyor bosh | ||
| Thai | Thailand | เสียชีพอย่าเสียสัตย์ | Better to die than to lie | Sia chip ya sia sat | ||
| Tibetan | Tibet | gtan gyi thugs rje | ||||
| Tok Pisin | Papua New Guinea | Stap redi | ||||
| Tongan | Tonga | Toka mateuteu | Mo'ui mateuteu | |||
| Tswana | Botswana | Nna oi pokoulse! | Nna o ipaakantse! | |||
| Turkish | Turkey | Daima Hazır! | Daima Hazırız!, İzci daima Hazırdır! | Always Prepared | ||
| Turkmen | Turkmenistan | Daima Hazır! | Daima Hazırız!, Будь готов | Always Prepared | ||
| Tuvan | Tuva | Бэлэн бол! | Become prepared | Belen Bol | ||
| Urdu | India, Pakistan | ١ڶمستعد | Teyar raho! | Ready or Prepared | Almustaid | |
| Ukrainian | Ukraine | Будь Готовий! | СКОБ! an acronym for Сильно! Красно! Обережно! Бистро! | With Strength! With Beauty! With Care! With Speed! | Bud' Hotovyi, Skob | |
| Uyghur | Xinjiang | تەييار بول | Teyyar Bol | |||
| Uzbek | Uzbekistan | Tayyor bo‘l, Тайёр бўл | Будь готов | Tayor Bol | ||
| Vietnamese | Vietnam | Sắp Sẵn | ||||
| Zarma | Niger | soola | Get ready |
Similar mottoes in other organizations
- The motto of the Young Pioneers, Always Prepared in various national languages, the Pioneers having been created as an alternative in countries under Communist rule where Scouting was banned
- The motto of the United States Coast Guard, Semper Paratus or ever ready.
Another motto mentioned in ''Scouting for Boys''