Every Day Phrases (Southern Welsh) Pleases

Welsh
#1

I am struggling to get some regular speaking practice. I do have Welsh-speaking friends that I can practice on. I am on Level 1 - Challenge 14 but I need some more ‘every-day’ phrases/vocabulary to use when practicing with my friends. Can someone please help with the Southern Welsh for the following phrases/words:

I watched some good rugby on the TV…

I saw something…

Sunday/Monday night…

Tonight

Tomorrow night.

He played well… (Ma fe’n chwarae dda)

Good shot (as in good golf shot)

Left (as in left side of…)

Right (as in right side of…)

Good morning (is it Bore da)

We are playing at 10-o-clock tomorrow

What are you doing…

When are you going to…

How many…

How much does it cost/did you pay…

You can have that…

Your flowers are looking very lovely…

not open

closed

petrol

empty

full

tired

hungry

thirsty

Not well (as in sick)

Head up (as in you looked up)

Let us hurry up

to take a break (to rest)

To walk the dog

walking the dog

Cutting the grass

Nothing much

Wait a bit/hold on

Shut up!

Be quiet

Stand still

Sorry for this long list

#2

Here goes…

I watched some good rugby on the TV…
Dw i wedi gwylio bach o rygbi da ar y teledu

I saw something…
Dw i wedi gweld rhywbeth

Sunday/Monday night…
Nos Sul / nos Lun

Tonight
Heno

Tomorrow night.
Nos (y)fory

He played well… (Ma fe’n chwarae dda)
Oedd e’n chwarae’n dda

Good shot (as in good golf shot)
Siot da

Left (as in left side of…)
chwith (to the left = i’r chwith / the left side = yr ochr chwith)

Right (as in right side of…)
de (as above: i’r dde / yr ochr de)

Good morning (is it Bore da)
yes, Bore da

We are playing at 10-o-clock tomorrow
Dyn ni’n mynd i chwarae am 10 o’r gloch 'fory

What are you doing…
Be’ ti’n gwneud

When are you going to…
Pryd wyt ti’n mynd i…

How many…
Faint…

How much does it cost/did you pay…
Faint ydi hyn yn costio? / Faint nest ti dalu?

You can have that…
Cei … (some more context here might be helpful for a better translation)

Your flowers are looking very lovely…
Mae dy flodau yn disgwyl yn bert/hardd/lyfli iawn

not open
ddim ar agor

closed
ar gau

petrol
petrol

empty
gwag

full
llawn

tired
wedi blino

hungry
llwglyd

thirsty
sychedig

Not well (as in sick)
sâl

Head up (as in you looked up)
(?) Sorry I am not sure what you’re after here…

Let us hurry up
Gad i ni frysio

to take a break (to rest)
cael hoe

To walk the dog
mynd am dro gyda’r ci

Cutting the grass
torri’r glaswellt

Nothing much
Dim byd lot

Wait a bit/hold on
Arhosa funud (lit. Wait a minute)

Shut up!
Cau dy ben!

Be quiet
Bydda’n dawel

Stand still
Saf yn stond

Are you familiar with our online chat sessions on Slack, “Welsh Speaking Practice”? Such things can better be talked about face-to-face, as you can talk about context better. :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#3

Here is my version. Others may vary.

1 Like
#4

Sorry Rob, need to correct you here - using cerdded like this in this instance doesn’t work in Welsh.
To walk the dog = i fynd â’r ci am dro (lit. to take the dog for a walk)
Walking the dog = mynd â’r ci ar dro (lit. taking the dog on a walk)

Also, some things don’t translate ‘straight’ - “Shut up” would be “cau dy ben” or “cau dy geg” because “i fyny” is for a direction (i.e. upwards), the same with “hurry up” - just “brysia/brysiwch” is enough… unless you’re specifically telling someone to hurry upwards :wink:

#5

:+1:

1 Like
#6

Diolch Hendrik, Rob a Siaron. You might have guessed that “dwi’n trio chwarae golff”. To give context to some of the expressions I listed please see below. You might like to amend some of your answers. Southern Welsh please (dwi’n byw yn Sir Caerfyrddyn):

HEAD UP advice given (but not always appreciated) to a fellow golfer when he has looked up prematurely and has therefore usually duffed his shot.

On the putting green if a putt finishes close to the hole the player is often told to “PICK IT UP” or “YOU CAN HAVE THAT” so that he needn’t bother to hole it out to save time (not in competition of course)

“HOW FAR IS IT TO THE GREEN FROM HERE”?

“MY BALL IS LOST. I’M NOT GOING TO BOTHER TO LOOK FOR IT” or “I’M NOT LOOKING FOR THAT” (usually said with a self-disgusted tone)

“WE’D BETTER HURRY UP” “THERE IS A GROUP CLOSE BEHIND US”

“WELL, THAT WAS A POOR ROUND”

“I DIDN’T PLAY TOO BADLY TODAY”

#7

HEAD UP - not being a golfer, I don’t know if there is a specific phrase for this, but in this case “Pen i fyny” would probably do (because the ‘up’ here does have the ‘upwards’ connotation.

PICK IT UP - Coda hi (informal) or Codwch hi (formal - perhaps if you’re playing with the boss :wink: ) which are the command forms of codi and ‘hi’ because a ball is feminine.

YOU CAN HAVE THAT - Gei di honna (lit. you can have that one)

HOW FAR IS IT TO THE GREEN FROM HERE? - Pa mor bell yw hi i’r glaslawr o famma?

MY BALL IS LOST. - Mae fy mhêl ar goll
I’M NOT GOING TO BOTHER TO LOOK FOR IT - dwi ddim yn mynd i trafferthu chwilio amdani
I’M NOT LOOKING FOR THAT - Dwi ddim yn chwilio am honna

WE’D BETTER HURRY UP - Well i ni brysio
THERE IS A GROUP CLOSE BEHIND US - Mae 'na grwp yn agos tu ôl i ni

WELL, THAT WAS A POOR ROUND - Wel, oedd honna yn rownd wael

I DIDN’T PLAY TOO BADLY TODAY - Nes i ddim chwarae yn rhy wael heddiw

(yn wael can mean both ‘poor’ (of quality) and ‘badly’, so works for both sentences)

1 Like
#8

My Dad’s variation of this was usually “KEEP YOUR BLOODY HEAD UP!!!” :smiley:

#9

In that case… “Cadwa dy blydi pen i fyny!!!” (I’m guessing the polite ‘eich’ version wouldn’t be required here! :rofl: )

1 Like
#10

I enjoyed this thread. Thank you everyone! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

#11

I have to agree. Ive just stopped my subscription (doing north welsh), mainly because o couldnt keep up with the weekly updates, but also im not really interested in speaking welsh to just tell people im learning Welsh. The original course i tried from ssiw used to have more useful everyday phrases but that seems tonhave fallen by the wayside

#12

Hi Lee. You need not be constrained by the weekly up dates. I down load the lessons, listening practices and vocabulary lists (to my computer) in advance so that I can ‘learn’ them at my own pace. If I need more time on a particular challenge I don’t have to rush on to the next one. I have also loaded the lessons, listening practices and vocabulary lists onto my mobile phone - so that I can review and learn anywhere that I happen to be (with earphones of course). I have also loaded lessons and listening practices onto a USB stick that I can play in my car. All in all I have maximum flexibility for my Welsh ‘studying’

The forum is also a fantastic platform aid to the learning process

I think there is a lot more content in the lessons other than simply learning Welsh just to tell people that I’m learning the language.

2 Likes
#13

I’ve bought Street Welsh by Heini Gruffudd. Its got sections on “eating out, going to the pub” etc with a vocab in the back.
You might find it useful. £4.95

#14

Hi Margot - Thanks for your suggestion. Is it South Wales Welsh or North Wales Welsh (or maybe even both). Also, where did you buy it?

#15

Hi Margot

I have just ordered a copy of Street Welsh from Amazon - delivery cost was only £0.99

#16

Just popped back to tell you that’s what I did! I think it’s fun and hopefully useful!