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!
Mine was when I told my tutor I was “speaking on the stick”…I can laugh about it now!