Welsh phrasebook

Welsh is a relatively phonetic language, with most letters having only one pronunciation. Complications may arise with the various consonantal digraphs, 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" on the one hand and "u" and "y" are two distinct sounds on the other in the north, while in the south these letters are pronounced identically as the sound of "i".
Unless overridden by an accent mark, the stress in Welsh words nearly 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, v, x and z 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 to bach (little roof), which lengthens the sound of the vowel, and the acute (´), which shortens it. Occasionally the diaresis appears, dividing two vowel sounds from each other. 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. The following sounds are only approximations in English:
; a : like "pat" and "father".
; e : like "pet" and "pear".
; i : like "pit" and "machine".
; o : like "pot" and "port".
; u : In South Wales, like "pit" and "machine".
In North Wales, more like a French "u" as in "tu"
; w : like "u" in "put" and "oo" as in "moon".
; y : like "i" in "pit" and "machine".

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". Sometimes, like in "finger".
; 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 "ph" in "philosophy".
; r : like "r" in "red" (well rolled, as in Scottish pronunciation).
; rh : an aspirated, breathy "r".
; s : like "s" in "state".
; si + vowel (NOT a consonant, but a sound) : like "sh" in "shore".
; t : like "t" in "time".
; th : like "th" in "think".

Common diphthongs

Only southern forms unless otherwise stated.
English approximations are also given.
; ae : like "eye".
; 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" (in monosyllables).
; yw : like "uh-oo" (in polysyllabics).
The differences between some of the diphthongs are often very subtle.

Basics

; Hello. : Helo. (Hello)
; Hello. (informal) : S'mae? (s-my? (north) shoo-my? (south))
; How are you? (formal): Sut ydych chi? (north) Shwd ych chi? (south)
; How are you? (informal): Sut wyt ti? (north) Shwd wyt ti? (south)
; Fine, thank you. : Iawn, diolch. (yown, DEE-ol'ch)
; What is your name? (formal) : Be' ydy'ch enw chi? (bay UHdi'ch ENoo ch'ee?)
; What is your name? (informal) : Be' ydy dy enw di? (bay UHdi duh ENoo dee?)
; My name is ______ . : ______ ydy f'enw i. (_____ you ven-oo ee.)(South) ______ (North)
; Nice to meet you. : Braf cwrdd â chi. (Brahv corth ah khi)
; Please. : Os gwelwch chi'n dda. (Ahs guWELLuch in tha)
; Thank you . : Diolch . (DEE-ol'ch )
; You're welcome. : Croeso. (CROY-so)
There are no exact equivalents of "yes" and "no" in Welsh; the concept is conveyed grammatically with regard to agreement between the person and tense 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...?") then the reply is "ydy" or "nac ydy" etc
; Yes. : Ie (ee-yeah)
; No. : 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'n ddrwg gen i. (My uhn th'roog gen ee)
; Goodbye (Formal) : Da bo chi. (Da BO ch'ee)
; Goodbye (Informal) : Hwyl! (hooill)
; I can't speak Welsh . : Alla i ddim siarad Cymraeg . (Alh'a ee thim SHARad kym-RYE-g )
; Do you speak English? : Ydych chi'n siarad Saesneg? (UD-ich ch'een SHARad SAYES-neg?)
; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Oes rhywun yma sy'n siarad Saesneg? (Oyss RHEEW-in UMma seen SHARad SAYES-neg?)
; Help! : Help! (Help)
; Look out! : Hendiwch! (HEN-dyoo'ch!)
; Good morning. : Bore da. (BOR-eh dah)
; Good afternoon. : Prynhawn da. (PROINhaun dah) (North)
; Good evening. : Noswaith dda. (NOSS-why-th thah) (South) (NOSS-waith-thah) (North)
; Good night. : Nos da. (NOHS dah)
; Good night (to sleep) : Nos da. (NOHS dah)
; I don't understand. : Dw i ddim yn ddeall. (DWEE thim in THEEall)
; Where is the toilet? : Ble' mae'r ty bach? (Blay my'r tee bahch?)

Problems

Numbers

; 0 : dim (dim)
; 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); pum (pim) before a noun
; 6 : chwech (ch'way'ch); chwe (ch'way) before a noun
; 7 : saith (sayeth)
; 8 : wyth (oo-ith)
; 9 : naw (now)
; 10 : deg (day-g); deng (deng) before a noun
;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) deuddeng (DAY-theng)before a noun; 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), pumtheng (PUM-theng)before a noun; un deg pump
; 16 : un ar bymtheg (een ar BUM-theg); un deg chwech
; 17 : dau ar bymtheg (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 hugain (een ar IG-ine); dau ddeg un
; 22 : dau ar hugain (die ar HIG-ine); dau ddeg dau
; 23 : tri ar hugain (tree ar HIG-ine); dau ddeg tri
; 30 : deg ar hugain (DAYG ar HIG-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); can (can) before a noun
; 200 : dau gant (die gant)
; 300 : tri chant (tree ch'ant)
; 1000 : mil (meel)
; 2000 : dwy fil (doo-eey veel)
; 1,000,000 : miliwn (MIL-ioon)
; number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : rhif _____ (Rheev)
; 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 bore (un uh BOR-eh)
; afternoon : prynhawn (PRUN-hown) - commonly pronounced p'nown ; evening : noswaith (NOSooaith); noson (nosson)
; in the evening: gyda'r nos (GIdar 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 pm
; one o'clock PM, :hanner wedi saith - 7:30 y.h.
; midnight : hanner nos (HAN-ner nohs) 12:00 y.b.

Duration

; _____ minute(s) : _____ munud(au) (MINNID(eh))
; _____ hour(s) : _____ awr, pl. oriau (our, plural OR-yai)
; _____ day(s) : _____ dydd(iau) (DEEth, plural DUTH-yai)
; _____ week(s) : _____ wythnos(au) (OOITH-noss, plural ooith-NOSS-eye)
; _____ month(s) : _____ mis(oedd)(mees, plural MIS-oeth)
; _____ year(s) : _____ blwyddyn, pl. blynyddoedd (BLOOITH-in, plural blun-UTH-oeth)
; daily : yn ddyddiol (uhn dhuh-iol)
; weekly : yn wythnosol (uhn ooith-NOSS-ol)
; monthly : yn fisol (uhn VIS-ol)
; yearly : yn flynyddol (uhn vluh-NUTH-ol)

Days

; today : heddiw (HETH-you)
; yesterday : ddoe (THOY)
; the day before yesterday : echddoe (ECH-thoy)
; tomorrow : yfory (uh-VOR-ee)
; this week : yr wythnos hon (uhr WITH-nos hon)
; last week : yr wythnos diwethaf (uhr WITH-nos xxx)
; next week : yr wythnos nesaf (uhr WITH-nos NESS-av (commonly pronounced "nessa'"))
; Sunday : Dydd Sul (deeth seel)
; Monday : Dydd Llun (deeth lheen)
; Tuesday : Dydd Mawrth (deeth MOW-rth)
; Wednesday : Dydd Mercher (deeth MER-cher)
; Thursday : Dydd Iau (deeth IAI)
; Friday : Dydd Gwener (deeth GWEN-er)
; Saturday : Dydd Sadwrn (deeth SAD-oorn)

Months

; January : Ionawr (ION-our)
; February : Chwefror (CHWEV-ror)
; March : Mawrth (MOWRTH)
; April : Ebrill (EB-rilh)
; May : Mai (MY)
; June : Mehefin (me-HEV-in)
; July : Gorffennaf (gor-FEN-nav)
; August : Awst (OWST)
; September : Medi (MED-ee)
; October : Hydref (HUD-rev)
; November : Tachwedd (TACH-weth)
; December : Rhagfyr (RAG-vir)

Writing time and date

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 Ragfyr mil naw chwe tri (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 phump" (two thousand and five), compared with 1987 which was "mil naw wyth saith" ((one) thousand nine eight seven).
The ordinals are as follows. The feminine form is given with feminine nouns.

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),"y.p." (y p'nawn) or "y.h." (yr hwyr) equivalent to "a.m." and "p.m.".

Colours

; black : du (dee)
; white : gwyn (m) / gwen (f) (gwin/gwen)
; grey : 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 _____? : Faint yw tocyn i _____ ? (Vy-nt yoo TOK-in ee)
; One ticket to _____, please. : Tocyn i _____, os gwelwch yn dda. (TOK-in ee ____ oss GWEL-ookh uhn thah)
; Where does this train/bus go? : Ble mae'r trên/bws hwn yn mynd? (blay mire trayn/boos hoon uhn mind?)
; Where is the train/bus to _____? : Ble mae'r trên/bws i _____ ? (blay mire trayn/boos i ____)
; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Ydy'r trên/bws hwn yn galw yn _____ ? (Uh deer trayn/bws hoon uhn GA-loo uhn _____)
; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Pryd mae'r trên/bws i ______ yn gadael? (preed mire trayn/boos i _______ un GAD-ile)
; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Pryd fydd y trên/bws hwn yn cyrraedd _____ ? (preed veeth uh trayn/boos hoon un KUHR-ithe _____)
;a one-way ticket: tocyn sengl
;a return/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 Dwyrain (uh DOOY-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 arlwyo

Money

; Pound : Punt
; Penny : Ceiniog

Eating

; Milk : Llaeth (south), Llefrith (north)
; Bread : Bara
; Chips (fries) : Sglodion
; Fish : Pysgod
; 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
; Real ale : Cwrw go iawn
; Wine : Gwin
; White wine : Gwin gwyn
; Red wine : Gwin coch
; Half a bottle : haner potel
; Crisps (potato chips) : Creision (Tatws)
; Nuts : Cnau
; whisky : chwisgi
; vodka : fodca
; rum : rym

Shopping

; Shops : Siopau
; Shop : Siop
; Dairy : Llaethdy
; Bakery : Popty
; Butcher : Cigydd
; change : newid
; open : ar agor
; closed : ar gau
; buy : prynu
; sell : gwerthu

Driving

; road : ffordd
; motorway : traffordd
; services : gwasanaethau
; car park : maes parcio
; insurance : yswiriant
; accident : damwain
; Is there a petrol station here? : Oes na orsaf petrol fan hyn?
; Where's the road to Pandy? : Ble mae'r ffordd i'r Pandy?
; The road via Gwersyllt is quicker. : Mae'r ffordd drwy Gwersyllt yn gyflymach.
; Try to avoid Cefn-y-Bedd. : Ceisiwch osgoi Cefn-y-Bedd.
; Is there a prettier route to Brymbo? : Oes ffordd perta i fynd i Frymbo?
; Turn left at the old steel works. : Trowch i'r chwith ger yr hen waith dur.
; There's nothing to see there. : Does dim byd yna i weld yno.
; There's a petrol station in Rossett but Sainsbury's is cheaper. : Mae na orsaf petrol yn Yr Orsedd ond mae Sainsbury's yn rhatach
; You can park in Heol Hyfryd for free. : Gewch chi barcio yn Heol Hyfryd am ddim.
; Don't park in Bryn Hyfryd it's a rough area. : Peidiwch a pharcio ym Mryn Hyfryd - mae'n ardal ryff.

Authority

; Police : Heddlu
Fire Station
Gorsaf Dan