Well done, all. so encouraging to read these comments.
The say itās never to late. Iām 83 too and am hoping Iāve still got enough time left to become a Welsh speaker. Give it a go! Iāve enjoyed (most of) it so far.
3 Likes
Thanks for your words of encouragement Terry, Iām half way through my first week and enjoying it quite well. Hope you achieve your goal.
Kind regards,
Bob.
1 Like
I did the first 5 days today and found it reasonably easy but I have spent 2 months learning Welsh on duolingo before so that probably helped even if I have forgotten most of the words, the pronunciations and unique sounds of Welsh are still there. Going to do the recap now as I am enjoying it a lot and will probably lose interest and then come back to it in a few days/weeks or months. If I could find a language program that could keep me engaged that would be the dream!
I am finding my progress way quicker than I did with duolingo, it was quite frustrating that I could only say specific sentences whereas ssi is teaching me a load of words that I can interchange within a sentence structure, easily and basically say a lot more in far shorter time. I feel like I have more useful Welsh from the few hours I have spent today, than the months I spent on duolingo. Maybe such fast progress will keep me engaged? Hereās hoping 
2 Likes
My name is Christopher, Iām from New Jersey in the US. Iām yet another Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, but my Welsh heritage and love of all things Welsh is what brought me there, as opposed to me finding myself there and working the other way 'round to Welsh things. I passionately love the literature, music, and history of Wales.
Iām 48 years old and I want to repeat the success of a 47 year old I recently read about who threw himself into learning Hungarian at that fairly late stage. I want to become a fluent enough Welsh speaker and reader that I can read and maybe even translate Welsh literary works. Part of translating is the art of using language itself and Iām already a published writer and poet, so Iāve got that part down. Now, I just need to immerse myself completely in Welsh in every spare moment I have and see if my talent for English language literary work ātranslates,ā hah hah hah, to Welsh. (Letās hope my so-called sense of humor doesnāt!)
Anyway, Iām only two lessons in here so far but I actually enjoy the pain it sometimes causes! I can feel new neurological links being formed in my brain and itās tremendously exciting. Iām also learning on Duolingo, Bluebird, and intend to find some way to take actual classes, as well as listening to a ton of Welsh language music and trying to see what words I can pick up through Welsh language writing.
Itās still early in my process and possibly my ambitions are too high, but Iām going to try my hardest, do my best, and be proud of whatever it is that I accomplish, because I always thought I could never learn a second language, until recently. Thanks, everyone!
3 Likes
Hello, Iāve just finished the first 5 days. Iāve grown up in Wales so had some background of speaking, but very little. Just short course in school and have rarely used it since.
Iām amazed at how quickly Iām able to say that full sentence from the 5th session. This method of learning is fantastic and I canāt wait to impress my Welsh speaking friend.
I cannot wait to continue learning and feel pride in being able to speak my nationās language!
Da iawn SSIW team!
3 Likes
Hello! Iāve just finished the first sentence and popped in here.
Iāve been on Duolingo for over a year trying to learn Welsh, but I have a hard time retaining anything. And Say Something In came highly recommended, so here I am! Hereās hoping the change will help me actually retain what Iām working on.
I decided to learn Welsh because of great-grandpa who was an awesome person and spoke Welsh. He wanted to teach my family to speak it, but life got in the way. So here I am, trying to learn for him. Besides the fact that I love languages even though I havenāt been able to retain one besides English yet.
Diolch! 
4 Likes
Helo, I have been learning Welsh on Duo lingo just recently, and happened upon this site when asking about the difference between rhydwiān and dw iān. Iām from Tenby in Pembrokeshire and as this area is known as little England beyond Wales and I have 2 English parents Welsh was not a priority. Since living in Surrey for 20+ years though Iāve decided to give Welsh a go as I think itās really sad I know so little. My daughterās favourite sentence is: dw i ddim yn hoffi gwisgo gwisg ysgol. Iām not sure if the accuracy of duo lingo, so very happy to have found this forum. Hwyl
6 Likes
Croeso, @nicola-hobbs
Quite a few of us originally found SSiW through the Duolingo forum. I think that the Duolingo course is accurate enough. It was created by some dedicated Welsh teachers, and it follows the official curriculum pretty closely as far as I remember. However, SSiW is the way to go if you want to talk. Do take every opportunity to chat on Slack as soon as possible. There may well be a group local to you when face-to-face meetings become possible again. Enjoy the journey!
I sympathise with your daughter. After more than 50 years out of school, I am still reluctant to wear green (the uniform colour).
Hwyl,
Sue
I think Duolingoās a good way to start learning Welsh. Thatās how I started. Iāve been through the course twice now and am still dipping in to it for revision as necessary. I find that one thing Duo does do is give a grammatical background to what SSIW is teaching you, something SSIW itself is a bit light on perhaps. SSIW is a good way to continue the learning process, so welcome aboard.
I too live in Surrey, and have done for nearly 60 years now and felt like you that it was sad to be Welsh and not speak the language, although I come from North Wales, so the language is a bit different. There arenāt many Welsh speakers in Surrey, so using the Welsn you learn is a bit difficult. Good luck on your continuing Welsh journey.
2 Likes
Hi - Stevie yw fy enw i (had to look that up!). I took Welsh in school for those 2 years when it was compulsory. I just wish I had kept it up. I stumbled across this page by accident (well I was sent the link by someone on FB) and I love it. We didnāt have such an effective system for learning Welsh when I was in school! I learned entire poems in Welsh for eisteddfods - I recited them on stage without knowing any of the translation! I can still recite some of it - who knowsā¦ perhaps all will now be revealed 
. I also love the traditional Welsh songs - I am going to make an effort to understand what I am singing (usually when the 6 Nations is on!) 
3 Likes
Helo Shwmae I am doing better on Duolingo
So, I got my first recap today. I made a couple of minor bungles that were mostly due to my attention lapsing because of my daily life being sheer chaos lately. But it came back surprisingly easily and, not just easily, but naturally. Like, I wasnāt so much wracking my brain trying to figure out what Welsh words corresponded to which English words but a part of me was doing some minor league thinking in Welsh, trying to remember what words made sense in a Welsh sense, and not just a mentally translated to English sense. If that makes any, um, sense. 
Anyway, Iām guessing Iām ready for the more intensive courses and Iāll sign up for one of those once I have a bit more money. Iām very excited to know that this is sticking in my brain in a way that no other learning method has ever accomplished and especially that itās making Welsh stick, because Iām so passionately committed to being one of those who maybe does a small bit to help the Welsh language survive.
2 Likes
Iām using this podcast as an additional resource with my Duolingo course! So far I love the structure and the emphasis on mistakes being a good thing. That type of reassurance is really helpful, diolch
1 Like
I am only a learner and without looking anything up and using my SSIW North Wales knowledge (up to challenge 15 level 2 so far) I would say (and it may not be correct). " Dwiān meddwl y dylwn i i ti deall bo fi angen ymarfer yn siarad Cymraeg"
I tried SSiW once before, but it didnāt suit my way of learning. When doing O Level physics I was able to accept the need for āfrictionless bearingsā and āinextensible stringā and pretend most experiments took place in a perfect vacuum. But languages are a different matter.
I simply balk at being expected to remember things that I donāt yet understand. (Iād rather take the trouble to understand Mutations and grammar etc)
So I have been learning Welsh for about two years. I completed the Dysgu Cymraeg Crws Mynediad while also doing the Duo Lingo course. I skipped Dysgu Cymraeg Sylfaen and started the Crws Canolradd instead (via Zoom). Meanwhile I have finished the Duo Lingo Course.
I can read and write informal Welsh quite well now. However ā¦ what with having only 2 hours a week to speak Welsh, and living in area of Wales where Welsh is not spoken (Radnorshire) I am still pretty poor at actually speaking Welsh as the pathways twixt brain and mouth havenāt kept up.
So, at least now when SSiW says ānever mind why x happens, just learn it and it will all make sense laterā
I no longer feel the urge to switch it off! I have great hopes that Iāll improve my spoken Welsh using SSiW
Cyn i fy symud iār fro Gymraeg.
1 Like
Hiya! Iām an American old lady with a rotten knowledge of French, Spanish, Portuguese and Swedish. My husbandās paternal relatives are Scottish and Welsh. I confess I was partial to the Scots part of it untilā¦please donāt hate meā¦I started watching all the major Welsh TV shows, e.g. Gavin&Stacey/Hidden/Bang/Hinterland and the thing that sent me over the edge was ā¦major embarrassmentā¦Keeping Faith. I just felt madly in love. Even the accent in English is magical. When I watched Mark Lewis Jones do the bit part in the Crown teaching Prince Charles Welsh I was on the floor. There was no going back.
I am doing Duolingo and you people at the same time. I have to say that I have great difficulty in learning audio only without the written words in front of me, especially with a language full of mutations and bits that do not sound as they are spelt. The iphone app is a great improvement because I can read the written list and listen simultaneously. Duolingo is good for what it does: bombard your poor brain with Run Spot Run until you want to heaveā¦but youāve learned Run Spot Run.
Brilliant! Keep up the good work! Diolch yn fawr!
3 Likes
Wonderful course So beautifully designed. On day four and eager to carry on. Thankyou SSi!
2 Likes
Iāve moved to Wales to be nearer my family and want to learn Welsh so I can speak a little with my grandchildren. Iāve been learning for a few weeks but am struggling a bit now and itās harder to find the time now weāre not so locked down.
But I do get a great sense of achievement when I get a long sentence nearly right!
4 Likes
Hi, my grandfather George Adams came from Llanhilleth and he lived all his married life in Cwm.
2 Likes