Welsh (Welsh: Cymraeg) is a language spoken by around 21% of the population in Wales in addition to English. It is also spoken by several thousand people in the Chubut province of Argentina, as well as by substantial numbers of people scattered around the world. All Welsh speakers old enough to attend school in Wales also speak English, while those in Argentina speak Spanish.
Welsh is a relatively phonetic language, with most letters having only one pronunciation. Complications arise with the various double consonants, particularly "dd" which is represented in English as "th" as in "breathe", while "th" is represented in English as "th" as in "think"; "ll" is a famously difficult (and common) sound for non-Welsh speakers to produce - made by positioning the tongue at the top front of the mouth and blowing, and represented here as "lh". "Ch" is always pronounced like the German name "Bach" or the Scottish "loch"; the sound which appears in the English word "church" is represented by "ts".
There are relatively minor pronunciation differences between northern and southern Welsh, most notably that "i" and "u" are two distinct sounds in the north, while in the south both letters are pronounced as "i".
Unless overridden by an accent mark, the stress in Welsh words always falls on the last but one syllable of a word. As syllables get added to words, for example to denote a plural or a female person of a particular occupation, the sound of a word can change dramatically.
Welsh is written in a version of the Latin alphabet containing 28 letters, including 8 digraphs which count as separate letters for collating purposes (and crossword puzzles): a, b, c, ch, d, dd, e, f, ff, g, ng, h, i, l, ll, m, n, o, p, ph, r, rh, s, t, th, u, w, y.
The letters j and v do not exist in normal Welsh usage, but have been adopted from English for limited use e.g. in personal names. "K" is regarded as redundant in Welsh as the sound is always represented by "c", but it is found in the prefix "kilo-", although "cilo-" is always acceptable.
Grammatically, Welsh is relatively complex with two grammatical genders, masculine and feminine, which all nouns are assigned to, and also masculine and feminine forms of the numbers "two" "three" and "four" which have to match the gender of the object being counted; there are also two separate counting systems, decimal (base 10) and the more traditional vigesimal (base 20). The phenomenon of mutation is a characteristic of the Celtic languages, where the initial letters of words change depending on the grammar of the sentence, which can make tracking words down in a dictionary difficult.
Vowels
Vowels in Welsh can have accent marks, most commonly the circumflex (^), called the tô bach (little roof), which lengthens the sound of the vowel, and the acute (´), which shortens it. Occasionally the diaresis appears on the letter ï, to signify a doubling of the sound. Vowel sounds tend to resemble those of major continental European languages rather than English.
There are seven vowels in Welsh, which have both short and long forms:
a
like "a" in "and"
e
like "eh"
i
like "ee" in "see"
o
like "oh"
u
like a very tight, frontal "oo" sound (purse your lips as if to say "oo" as in "soon" but try and say "ee")
w
like "oo" as in "moon"
y
either "uh", or like "ee" in "see" (note that the short form varies depending on where it is in the word. If "y" is in the final syllable and is followed by a consonant, it's pronounced like the "i" in "bin". A common example containing both short forms is the word for valley, dyffryn, which is pronounced "DUFF-rin")
Consonants
b
like "b" in "bed"
c
like "c" in "cat"
ch
like "ch" in German "Bach" or Scottish "loch"
d
like "d" in "death"
dd
like "th" in "the"
f
like "v" in "van"
ff
like "f" in "fun"
g
like "g" in "garden"
ng
like "ng" in "pong"
h
like "h" in "heart"
l
like "l" in "link"
ll
place the tongue at the top of the mouth, and blow.
m
like "m" in "meet"
n
like "n" in "news"
p
like "p" in "pen"
ph
like "f" in "fun"; only found in words of Greek origin, or at the beginning of words as a mutated "p".
r
like "r" in "range"
rh
an aspirated, breathy "r"
s
like "s" in "state"
t
like "t" in "time"
th
like "th" in "think"
Common diphthongs
ae
aaye (long "a" sound) in the north; like "eye" in the south.
ai
like "eye"
au
like "aye", with a rounded closing sound. When used as the plural marker, often pronounced "ah" in the north and "eh" in the south.
aw
like "ow!"
ei
like "ey" in "hey!"
eu
like "ey" in "hey!", but with a rounded closing sound.
ew
like "eh-oo" said quickly.
ey
like "ey" in "hey!"
iw
like "you"
oe
like "oy" in "boy"
oi
like "oy" in "boy"
ou
like "oy" in "boy"
uw
like "you"
wy
like "oo-ee"
yw
like "you"
The differences between some of the dipthongs are very subtle and virtually indistinguishable.
Phrase list
Basics
Hello.
Helo. (Hello)
Hello. (informal)
S'mae? (s-my? (north) shoo-my? (south))
How are you?
S'mae? (s-my? (north) shoo-my? (south))
Fine, thank you.
iawn, diolch. (yown, dee-ol'ch)
What is your name?
Be' dy'ch enw chi? (bay di'ch enoo ch'ee?)
My name is ______ .
______ yw f'enw i. (_____ you ven-oo ee.)
Nice to meet you.
Cwrdd â chi yn foddhaus. (Crew thv ar Key un Vothv house)
Please.
Os gwelwch chi'n dda. ()
Thank you [very much].
Diolch [yn fawr]. (dee-ol'ch [un vowr])
You're welcome.
Croeso. (CROY-so)
There are no exact equivalents of "yes" and "no" in Welsh; the concept is conveyed grammatically by indicating agreement or disagreement e.g. "yes there is" or "no there is not", which is said in different ways depending on how the question was phrased. If the question begins "Oes...?" or "A oes...?" ("Is there...?") then the reply is "oes" or "nac oes"; if the question begins "Ydy...?" ("Is...?") or a construct beginning with "ydy" e.g. "Ydych...?" ("Do you...?") then the reply is "ydy" or "nac ydy"
Yes.
Oes. (oyss); Ydy (UD-ee); Ie (ee-yeah)
No.
Nac oes. (nak oyss or nag oyss); Nac ydy (nac-UD-ee, nag-ud-ee, or NAG-dee), Na (Nah)
Excuse me. (getting attention)
Esgusodwch fi. (es-gis-OD-oo'ch vee)
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Esgusodwch fi. (es-gis-OD-oo'ch vee)
I'm sorry.
Mae ddrwg gen i. (My th'roog gen ee)
Goodbye
Ffarwél. (far-WEL )
Goodbye (informal)
Da bo chi. (Da BO ch'ee) (a contraction of "Duw bu efo gydach chi" - "God be with you")
I can't speak Welsh [well].
Alla i ddim siarad Cymraeg [yn dda]. (alh'a ee thim sharad kym-RYE-g [un tha])
Do you speak English?
Ydych chi'n siarad Saesneg? (UD-ich ch'een sharad SIS-neg?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
Oes rhywun yma sy'n siarad Saesneg? (Oyss reew-in umma seen sharad sis-neg?)
Help!
Help! ( !)
Look out!
Hendiwch! (HEN-dyoo'ch!)
Good morning.
Bore da. (BOR-eh da)
Good evening.
Noswaith dda. (NOSS-why-th tha)
Good night.
Nos da. (NOHS da)
Good night (to sleep)
Nos da. ()
I don't understand.
Dwi ddim yn deall. ()
Where is the toilet?
Ble' mae'r toiled? (Blay my'r toy-led?)
Problems
Numbers
1
un (een)
2
dau (die) (m); dwy (doo-ey) (f)
3
tri (tree) (m); tair (tire) (f)
4
pedwar (PED-war) (m); pedair (PED-ire) (f)
5
pump (pimp)
6
chwech (ch'way'ch or ch'way)
7
saith (scyth)
8
wyth (oo-ith)
9
naw (now)
10
deg (day-g or deng)
From this point, the first term is the vigesimal form, the second is the decimal form. Replace "dau", "tri" and "pedwar" with "dwy", "tair", and "pedair" as appropriate.
11
un ar ddeg (een ar thayg); un deg un
12
deuddeg (DAY-theg or DAY-theng)' un deg dau
13
tri ar ddeg (tree ar thayg); un deg tri
14
pedwar ar ddeg (PED-war ar thayg); un deg pedwar
15
pumtheg (PUM-theg); un deg pump
16
un ar bumtheg (een ar BUM-theg); un deg chwech
17
dau ar bumtheg (die ar BUM-theg); un deg saith
18
deunaw (DAY-now); un deg wyth
19
pedwar ar bymtheg (PED-war ar BUM-theg); un deg naw
20
ugain (IG-ine); dau ddeg
21
un ar ugain (een ar IG-ine); dau ddeg un
22
dau ar ugain (die ar IG-ine); dau ddeg dau
23
tri ar ugain (tree ar IG-ine); dau ddeg tri
30
deg ar ugain (DAYG ar IG-ine); tri ddeg
40
deugain (DAY-gine); pedwar deg
50
hanner cant (HAN-ner kant); pum' deg
60
trigain (TRIG-ine); chwe' deg
70
deg a thrigain (DAYG ah THRIG-ine); saith deg
80
pedwar ugain (PED-war IG-ine); wyth deg
90
deg a phedwar ugain (DAYG ah FED-war IG-ine); naw deg
91
un ar ddeg a phedwar ugain (een ar thayg ah FED-war IG-ine); naw deg un
100
cant (KANT)
200
dau gant (die gant) (m); dwy chant (doo-ey ch'ant) (f)
300
tri chant (tree ch'ant)
1000
mil (meel)
2000
dau mil (die meel) (m); dwy fil (doo-ey veel) (f)
1,000,000
miliwn (MIL-ioon)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
rhif _____ (REEV)
half
hanner (HAN-ner)
less
llai (lhie)
more
mwy (MOO-ee)
Time
now
rwan (ROO-an); nawr (NOW-r)
later
hwyrach (HOOIR-ach)
before
cyn (kin)
after
wedi (weddy)
morning
bore (BOR-eh)
in the morning
yn y fore (un uh VOR-eh)
afternoon
prynhawn (PRUN-hown) - commonly pronounced p'nown
evening
min nos (meen nohs); noson (nosson)
in the evening
yn y fin nos (un uh veen nohs)
night
nos (nohs)
Clock time
one o'clock AM
un o'r gloch y bore (een oh'r glo'ch uh bor-eh) - 1:00 y.b.; 01:00
two o'clock AM
dau o'r gloch y bore (die oh'r glo'ch uh bor-eh) - 2:00 y.b.; 02:00
noon
hanner dydd (HAN-ner DEE-th) - 12:00
one o'clock PM, 13:00
un o'r gloch y p'nawn (een oh'r glo'ch uh p'nown) - 1:00 y.p.; 13:00
two o'clock PM, 14:00
dau o'r gloch y p'nawn (die oh'r glo'ch uh p'nown) - 2:00 y.p.; 14:00
Dates are written day/month/year. So if you see 04-12-2003, you know that's y pedwerydd o Rhagfyr, not April 12. A date (18-12-1963) fully spelled out is y deunawfed o Rhagfyr mil naw chwe' thri (you specify the number of thousands, then the individual number of the hundreds, tens, and units; for years from 2000 onwards say "dwy fil" (two thousand) followed by the significant number, omitting the zeroes - thus 2005 is "dwy fil a pump" (two thousand and five), compared with 1987 which was "mil naw wyth saith" ((one) thousand nine eight seven). Ordinals are
1st - 1af, cyntaf
2nd - 2il, ail
3rd - 3ydd, trydydd
4th - 4ydd, pedwerydd
5th - 5ed, pumed
6th - 6fed or 6ed, chwechfed
7th - 7fed or 7ed, saithfed
8th - 8fed or 8ed, wythfed
9th - 9fed or 9ed, nawfed
10th - 10fed or 10ed, degfed
Times are either written in the 24 hour clock or with hours and minutes separated by a colon or dot and suffixed by "y.b." (y bore) or "y.p." (y p'nawn), equivalent to "a.m." and "p.m.".
Colors
black
du (dee)
white
gwyn (m) / gwen (f) (gwin/gwen)
gray
llwyd (lh'oo-id)
red
coch (KO'ch)
blue
glas (glaas) - note that this word is also used to describe the colour of grass.
yellow
melyn (MELLIN)
green
gwyrdd (m) / gwerdd (f) (gwirth/gwer'th)
orange
oren (ORRen)
purple
porffor or glascoch (POR-for or GLASko'ch)
brown
brown (brown)
Transportation
Bus and train
How much is a ticket to _____?
Praint yw tocyn i _____ ? (pry-nt yoo tok-in ee)
One ticket to _____, please.
Tocyn i _____, os gwelwch yn dda. (tok-in ee ____ oss gwel-ookh un tha)
Where does this train/bus go?
Ble 'dy trên/bws hon yn mynd? (blay dee train/boos honn yn mind?)
Where is the train/bus to _____?
Ble mae'r trên/bws i _____ ? (blay mire train/boos i ____)
Does this train/bus stop in _____?
Ydy'r trên/bws hon yn galw yn _____ ? (Uh deer train/bws honn un ga-loo un _____)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
Pryd mae'r trên/bws i ______ yn ymadael? (preed my-r train/boos i _______ un umm-ad-ile)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
Pryd fydd y trên/bws hon yn cyrraedd _____ ? (preed veeth uh train/boos honn un kurr-ithe _____)
a one-way ticket
tocyn unig
a round trip ticket
tocyn dwy ffordd
Directions
Where is the _____?
Ble mae'r _____ ? (blay my'r _____)
North
y Gogledd (uh GOG-leth')
South
y De (uh DAY)
East
y Ddwyrain (uh THOOY-rine)
West
y Gorllewin (uh gor-LH'EW-in)
Taxi
Taxi
Tacsi
Lodging
Hotel
Gwesty
Bed & Breakfast
Gwely a Brecwast
Campsite
Gwersyll, Maes Gwersylla
tent
pabell (pl: pebyll)
caravan
carafan
self-catering
hunan arlwy
Money
Pound
Punt
Penny
Ceiniog
Eating
Milk
Llaeth (south), Llefrith (north)
Bread
Bara
Chips (fries)
Sglodion
Fish
Pysgod
Fish'n'chips
'Sgod a Sglod
Cheese
Caws
Sausage
Selsig
Cake
Cacen, Teisen
Chocolate
Siocled
Coffee
Coffi
Tea
Te
Water
Dwr
Bars
Pub
Tafarn
Cheers (good health)
Iechyd da
Beer
Cwrw
Bitter
Chwerw
Wine
Gwin
White wine
Gwin gwyn
Red wine
Gwin coch
Half a bottle
haner potel
Crisps (potato chips)
Creision (Tatws)
Nuts
Cneu
whisky
chwisgi
vodka
fodca
rum
rym
Shopping
Driving
Authority
This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
