S’mae!
I’ve been learning Welsh on Duolingo for five years now, and seem to have run its course! I have found it excellent, but now badly need to actually speak the language out loud. Various people have recommended Say Something in Welsh. I have completed two lessons and despite being familiar with all the vocab already but it’s totally new for me to speak the words out loud. I’m really enjoying it, and I can feel my confidence growing already.
Hi. Am now trying this. Some comments:
Diolch Bill. I’ve passed your comments over to the Tech Team. I can answer a couple though -
2 - yes, it’s intentional. There is a lot of “spaced repetition” built into the programme, so unlike conventional courses where you study one subject then move onto something else, our courses have a lot of repetition built in so you revise steadily as you move along. That means you don’t need to go back.
4 - the Strength gauge increases or decreases the number of times you get material repeated in different ways before you move onto new material. So if someone is finding it easy, they can push the gauge along and get fewer repetitions meeting new material sooner, and vice versa if someone feels they need more practice at certain words or phrases. You shouldn’t be getting the error message though, so the Tech Team will have to look into that.
hi as i have lived in wales for a while now originally moving here from England, i have decided to at
least try and learn some welsh and maybe some English too, i hear Welsh around me a lot and i cannot understand a word of it so think time has come to learn some. I’ve currently done the first 2 challenges i think im good a remembering the phrases but when i have to repeat long sentences, i struggle to remember what the guy said in English. my way around this is to write the sentences down and do it that way has any one else done this and did it take long to progress from there?
Hi Ashley. Have you tried the AutoMagic app yet? It’s still in Beta right now, but the (English) words which Aran speaks appear on the screen allowing you to see exactly what it is you are expected to translate into Welsh. It has helped me a lot because, like you, I was finding it difficult to hold the English in my head and simultaneously to translate into Welsh; especially for the longer sentences. Try it. It might be what you are looking for. I can highly recommend. Bill
I’m learning Welsh (well, relearning it, as I spoke Welsh when I was very young) as a mental challenge, and to help my work. Previously I learned (re-learned, again from Youth!) British Sign Language to level 3 to support my deaf students. I was never “good” at languages at school. I think that was, in hindsight, the schools not the languages. Liking 1SiW so far. Diolch
Hiya,
Just saying Helo!
I’m from Aberystwyth originally but moved to Milton Keynes a VERY long time ago. I’m looking to move back to my beloved Wales sometime in the future, so I’m trying to pick up the language again - which is feeling very rusty!
I’m nearing the end of SSi Level 1, which I’ve found hard but really helpful. I’m desperate to try my new - but very dodgy - Welsh on any ‘real’ people: either first language or Welsh learners. Does anyone know how I would find out about any groups in my area. Unlikely I know - but worth asking the question!
Hwyl.
Maddie
Hi Madie, i live in mk and am doing ssiw. I also go to a once a month welsh group.
John Arnold
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Hi. I’m Wendy and I’m going to try and learn Welsh. My partner lives nr Bangor, N Wales and we have been together now for a year so it’s about time I started to learn the wonderful language. At the very least I would like to understand some of what he is saying when talking to his family and friends. I have tried via Duolingo but gave up after learning the basics. Eventually I’m hoping to move to my partner’s (four hours between us is not ideal haha). Fingers crossed this is the course for me 
Welcome to the “I learned Welsh for love” club! (My partner is also from Bangor originally…)
Hi. How long have you been learning and how are you doing with it?? I love N Wales! Want to learn so eventually I can inform him (in Welsh) that I’m moving in 
I’m a bit of an “old hand”, here mainly to support others if I can. I started learning in 2013 (when I was also living in England), and thanks to SSiW I consider myself a fluent Welsh speaker these days.
The north-west is so beautiful - I can see why you want to move there!
It’s great that you’re here to help, thank you. I did find the third day’s sentence long and was forgetting what was being said never mind having to say it in Welsh 
I’ve written it down in English and now, when I look at it, can say in Welsh. Will return to the sentence a few times through the day - find this an easier way of doing it (not sure I’m meant to do it that way 
)
Don’t worry about forgetting the English sentence - that’s perfectly normal! And don’t worry either if you say something completely different from what was asked for - as long as you know what you’re saying, that’s the important bit. (e.g. if the sentence asks me to say something about a cat and I say something about a dog, as long as I know I’m talking about a dog but just misremembered what was asked we’re all good.)
If the most recent sentence is replaying itself in your mind, that suggests to me that the magic is already starting to work… When you get a bit further in and you have a bit more to play with, you’ll be able to start making up your own sentences, and hey presto! You’re speaking Welsh!
I’m a new elderly learner. My father was a Welsh speaker but he didn’t teach me any Welsh as my mother was English and we lived in England. I have just returned to the U.K. from many years abroad and want to ‘get back to my roots’. Greetings to all fellow learners. Helen Mary
Hi there, and a GREAT thanks to you and all contributors.
I’m no spring chicken any more - alas! - but my love for languages is as strong today as it was eons ago. I was attracted to the Welsh language through Wale’s stunningly excellent choirs. I have dabbled in many a language throughout my life but I must say that Welsh tickled my interest more than quite a few other languages did in the past. Once you have sufficiently trained your organs of speech, the Welsh pronunciation no longer looks like an overwhelming challenge, a skill reserved to a few chosen ones!
I, personally, find the Welsh language more than just challenging and a mind twister: I sincerely find its music charming. To be sure, this wonderful language forces one to adapt to a new level of reading ( I have spent time with other Welsh learning resources before discovering your existence) . To anyone interested in this wonderful tongue, whether of Welsh stock or not, I can only say: keep on going! - this tongue is far too beautiful to be allowed to disappear! - If you, of Welsh blood, don’t speak it today, at least take steps so that your children will speak it. Being bilingual is no feat for any kid, anywhere in the world. Long live Cymru! - I look forward to the time - not too far ahead I hope! - when I will be in a position to write all the above in Cymreig
(and a thousand thanks to those who promote the language).
Diolch
Hi thought good to reconnect again to best part of English childhood -learning Welsh vocabulary from booklet The Captains Guide and also after 3 year break wishing go again retreat cottage in hills above Betyws near Corwwn and wishing make use time returning to world with simple conversations in one the Welsh speaking cafes in town Richard ARTHUR Pauley
Im just about to start on sentence two. Ive always wanted to make an effort to speak welsh. Its only good manners to try when visiting . We also live quite close to north Wales. This has inspired me to finally begin.
Looking forward to the journey.
Hi. I’ve wanted to learn Welsh ever since my daughter went to Aberystwyth Uni and I couldn’t pronounce any of the place names! My final push came from something called the Rebel Badge Club (sort of Scouting/Guiding for adults but without the weekly meetings) and their Linguist badge. I’ve been doing Duolingo for about 3 months but need something to help with the speaking. So here I am!
Oh my goodness! I had never heard about this before - this is fab!!!