Finished Course 3 Lesson 25...Where To Go From Here?

I’ve finished Course 3 Lesson 25 and am not sure what to do…other than re-doing that lesson, continuing to listen/watch as many Welsh programs as I can, doing my weekly chats, and building my word list.

I’m in an odd situation in that, while I understand more of the Welsh I listen to, I still struggle with understanding spoken Welsh and holding a conversation in Welsh.

It’s tough to explain the problem; before my Welsh chats I feel confident, but I start talking and immediately run into the ‘sy’n gwbod y gair am word’ issue. I also fumble over the geiriau bach…when to use ‘fel’ or ‘am’, er enghraifft…and the forms…was i supposed to use ‘taw’ yna or was ‘bod’ ok.

And what about when i want to say ‘would you’ instead of ‘will you’? or those short form verbs i hear in Beti a’i Phobol and always mistake for a different word?

Should i start on the new Level 1 cwrs deheuol? Or is there something else i should do?

Apart from “Bootcamps” to keep the flow of a chat going I’ll use an English word if I havn’t got the Welsh one…Same with listening - if I think I’m following the main gist of the conversation - I don’t stop the flow.
Generally, asking later about specific words I’m not sure of. As to fumbling and getting lost in conversation, and right usage, I do that in English constantly…
If you can to a “Bootcamp” I know that’s been beneficial to lots of people…

I’m in an odd situation in that, while I understand more of the Welsh I listen to, I still struggle with understanding spoken Welsh and holding a conversation in Welsh.

Nothing odd about that! It’s entirely normal…:smile:

Do the practice sessions for Course 2, and (soon-ish!) for Course 3 - revisit 25 once a week for a month, then once a fortnight, and so on - and yes, get your teeth into the new Level 1, which will feel too easy at first, but soon get trickier/more entertaining…:slight_smile:

And then the listening practices for Level 1, and eventually for post-Level 3, should really help you crack the whole listening thing…:fingers-crossed:

I also fumble over the geiriau bach…when to use ‘fel’ or ‘am’, er enghraifft…and the forms…was i supposed to use ‘taw’ yna or was ‘bod’ ok.

The simple answer to your worries over your spoken Welsh is…stop it! Winking

Do not worry about it, it does not matter at all. When I write an email in Welsh (or even a text) I might write it, and re-write it and change it and go through all the possibilities that you mention above, but when I speak Welsh, I’m sure I’m all over the place. Forget about…should that have been taw, I’m lucky if I use the correct tense!..Winking The important thing is that you practise conversational Welsh (and do what Aran says) as often as possible - and that you have fun doing so. Hopefully, the person/people you practise speaking with are not overly critical of mistakes, because this won’t help at all. As long as you can follow what is being said and that you can be understood…that’s all that matters. Everything else…the taws and the bods…this will just happen naturally. Happy

I once said to someone…I like to write in different lions…instead of, different colours (lliw/llew) Really confused the chap I was speaking with at the time…still makes me chuckle thinking back…Delighted

Making mistakes is essential if the learning process is to work…have fun! Happy

Well done!

Maybe a thread of funny mistakes should be started, it could be good to see that it really does happen to everyone :smiley: Mine was when I told my tutor I was “speaking on the stick”…I can laugh about it now!

Well done finishing course 3! A massive achievement!

Hi Cyd. Congratulations! llongyfarchiadau!

Getting to the end of course 3 is proper medal territory, and means that, how ever you feel about your Welsh, you are definitely able to get by in most situations without having to give up and revert to English. According to a recent government report, this should take 14 years…

Vaughan has got exactly the right attitude to worries about form, and little joining words. If you are writing, take a bit of care, because it can be difficult to understand written Welsh when it’s not pretty much correct. But speaking is a whole different ball game.

For a start, the little words are the mortar that holds the whole sentence together. If you want to build something that lasts, you need to get the mortar right - that’s why you have to be right to write, if you see what I mean. But most spoken sentences are spoken and instantly forgotten, so you don;t need the mortar. Bang the main blocks one on another, and then move on. If (when?) the wall falls doww because it’s not very well built, no-one will even notice!

In other words, don’t treat conversations like tests. If you are understood, that’s enough. By all means try to get the Welsh correct over time, by practice, by looking up the “correct” forms of this or that, by finding your weaknesses and strengthening them. But realise that speaking “correct” Welsh is only important for your own personal pleasure. Unless your Welsh is exceptional (you’re learning from me - that won’t happen, I’m afraid!) most people won’t notice, and those that do won’t remember.

Apart from the excellent advice in previous posts, I would say - find someone who’s English (or any other language you speak well) isn’t very good, or preferrably, is really bad. Have a conversation with them. Realise how unimportant for communication correct grammar is. Working with Polish boys on building sites worked wonders for my confidence when speaking French, and even though I’m useless with the little words, and get all sorts of subtle forms all mixed up and backwards (does that sound familiar?), I’m often complemented on how good my French is, because I keep going, and get my point across.

(Actually, looking at the loength of this post “keeping going” is one of my strengths!)

Basically, if you can be happy talking like a hammer, then you will quickly gain the subtleties that you need along the way. Enjoy what you’ve achieved - you have done something extraordinary! - and accept that you’re progress so far is a good indication that you’re progress will continue!

Diolch pawb for the many encouraging words! And since i haven’t learned the markdown for quoting replies (ychwanegu, I bron gwastad (gwastad bron?) reply from my tablet) i’ll ‘at’ sign my way through

@dinas: Don’t know why but i never thought of just using the English word in conversation. Thanks for the idea…i will try it in this week’s chat. Also, i’m making plans for next year’s Bootcamp now…collecting info, arranging to get a passport…so I’ll be sure to make it.

@Aran: Will do. I’ve downloaded a few of the new lessons to my Shuffle already, and I’ll keep on with gwers 25.

@Vaughn & @Iestyn: The pobl i chat with are very forgiving…i’m fairly sure the problem is on my end. I have an angen llethol to know how to do things…not just Welsh… sooner rather than later which seems to have developed soon after a recent birthday. The phrase ‘talking like a hammer’…is an excellent way to understand the mindset i need to have. Maybe i’ll put it on something i can keep with me to remind myself.

Llongyfarchiadau mawr Cyd! That’s a huge achievement! Da iawn ti! :slight_smile:

Iestyn: According to a recent government report, this should take 14 years…

Beth?!?!?!?! Diolch byth am SSiW!

Cyd, congrats for reaching the end, there is some really great advice and some very inspirational stuff here … For everyone.

Vaughan: Making mistakes is essential if the learning process is to work…have fun!

Well said lad, well said.