Title says it all. I’m having to pause after every single sentence and even then I can’t think what it would be anyway.
All these ‘I would rather’ sentences. I’m still struggling to match up the SSiW dialect with the one I hear around me…
Does SSiW’s ‘ddydden (?) i ddim’ = ‘fasen i ddim’ or is it the same as ‘fydda i ddim’?
How do I say ‘I would rather’? I learnt ‘Basai well i fi’ but I’ve no idea how to translate that for this course and I can’t make out what’s being said anyway!
I’m a couple of challenges behind you (doing Northern version, not sure if the content per challenge is a close match between the two). At some point early in level 2 or late in level 1 I learnt “Mae well gen i”, or just “well gen i” for “I would rather”.
Are you listening in the app? If so, go to the webpage with the lesson and open up the vocabulary list and read along to help you follow what’s being said.
Any time I can’t quite get something, I back it up to where it’s introduced and go over that first chunk of phrases very slowly, pausing between each one, trying to find a cadence that feels natural when saying it, maybe even singing it to a simple tune, and just go over it about ten times, then back up to the beginning of a lesson. If I find I have to do this several times in the same lesson, afterwards I sometimes back up and do the lesson before, then carry on and usually that’s enough to get me through it.
Read along so you can make it out, then stop reading along and just repeat it over and over, pausing to take all the time you need for it to come a little more naturally, then try the lesson again.
Only a few of the sentences are written out there on the webpage unfortunately.
I can’t see this last lot of grammatical constructions ever sinking in to be honest!
Sorry for being so negative but I am thoroughly fed up at the moment and have my Canolradd course starting tomorrow…
I’d honestly rather use the time to stick pins in my eyes! Getting frustrated with being such a thicko!
I can’t see this last lot of grammatical constructions ever sinking in to be honest!
I don’t know about you, but I have thought that countless times since starting, but sooner or later I realise that actually it has sunk in after all. Keep going, you’ve made it really far already! If that one really won’t stick, just carry on and maybe come back later if you need to?
I could have done with this from Lesson 1 Level 1!
Thank you so much!
All this time I have been hearing the 1st narrator say “ddyddydydyddfdd” (not much of an exaggeration, honestly!) and now I can see she had been saying “fydden i ddim”!
As others have said
Just listen without putting pressure on yourself.
Some lessons will take several plays before it starts to become easier.
Remember just to enjoy trying to repeat the words or sentences.
Even if I can’t say anything before the narrator starts talking?
Or should I just listen and not try to say anything?
I’m always confused about when/if I should move on to the next lesson. I used to get these helpful emails when I started that explained exactly how to use the SSiW method, but then they stopped after about 4 of them.
Don’t stop trying, but I am very rarely able to get everything out before the Welsh comes. Sometimes with the tougher or newer bits I manage nothing - if I feel that will be the case I try and just blurt out some bits and pieces that I know are probably “in there somewhere”. I then speak alongside the Welsh, like an echo half a second behind (I tend to do this even if I did say it all, but if I really didn’t know it I’ll listen to one and echo the other). I am an impatient learner so I don’t repeat challenges, even if I feel I barely managed anything before the answer.
I remember you posted about L1 C14ish a while ago. You clearly got past whichever challenge it was, one way or another. I bet if you went back to it you’d find it relatively easy now.
You can just listen to the lesson to get a taster of the challenge ahead.
The way i did it was play that lesson 3 or 4 times untill i felt i got about 80% of what i was supposed to say. Then i would start the next lesson, but obviously i would not get so much right.
I would go back to the previous lesson and would see how easier i felt doing it. Then go onto the next lesson and agian play 3 or 4 times .
Remember we are learners,we are going to make mistakes,we are going to not hear it correctly,we are going to get tongue tied. It takes practice,practice and practice,and a little bit of patience.
You are doing really well,with the level you are at. Are you able to use the language outside of ssiw?
Trust the method.
Ssiw put up a few videos on you tube about different learning processes and you may see yourself following one of them.
Keep at it, some days it does feel like a mountain to climb, other days you realise you can do it
Good luck and keep at it you will succeed.
I will try just listening to it next time, and writing down phrases.
I find hearing the correct version to be the hardest part, after coping with the different dialect they use here.
I don’t use my Welsh at all outside of lessons now. Had a very hard time finding a beginner-focused group. Some people have given me suggestions but it’s finding the time, and most of all getting the courage to go and be grilled/knit-picked by others!
I will have a look at YouTube because I’m really confused about which method to use.
Thank you, that makes me feel like maybe I’m not the only one. There’s so much conflicting info on how to do the course I get completely confused on how/what I’m supposed to be doing!
Just take your time, and remember why you want to speak welsh.
Remember how you got through level 1, you can do it.
The other bridge to cross is always speaking outside of the classroom or ssiw lessons. We all go through a fear phase. The further you go, the easier it will be.
You are doing well and there are others on the forum who are always happy help you.
I think there are lots of different ways to do it, and I think the “official” way has even changed somewhat over time. I definitely don’t think I do it the “official” way, as such.
Just another thought about what I do if I’m struggling to fill the gap - if I feel myself freezing I’ll sometimes say the last bit of the sentence first. I don’t know why, but it often comes easier. Once I’ve got that out I find the first bit sometimes comes to me and I can quickly get that out too.
You’ve lost nothing by saying “something”, even if it is a tiny bit of the sentence, or in the wrong order.
I’m just behind you on level 2 and also at Canolradd level with my DC course, so I know that there are some differences between SSiW conversational way and the more grammar structured DC approach. I sometimes apply my DC grammar to SSiW responses and I don’t see a problem with that. A simple example is where “gyda fi” is placed in a sentence. DC would say “Mae’r car newydd gyda fi” whist SSiW would say “Mae gyda fi gar newydd”. I respond with in the way I feel most comfortable.
As for me “i would rather’ would be ‘Byddwn i’n well gyda fi”, but when i get to unit 17 i’ll listen to the SSiW wording and decide then but i think its best to not get stuck and move on regardless.
Pob lwc
Hi there haven’t been doing the course fir more than 6 weeks or so but l do know that l am finding it a lot easier because l have practiced a lot of verbs using verb tables prior to joining.l know how delightfully old school of me!The book l found most helpful for this was actually my daughters GCSE revision book second language Welsh.Notonly are they all written down so you can see them but little examples of applications are shown as well.If you have managed to get to Canolradd level purely on the course alone l salute you!I need to see stuff written down as well as hearing it and context helps as well.Sure not everything l have learnt is exactly the same as the course but as you are finding there are a variety of ways to say the same thing in Welsh .Don’t give up ,you can do this.You maybe just need to find other ways in addition tothe course to help things that you find difficult stick.
The version you hear being spoken around you is definitely the best one to use if you can, because that’s the one that’s going to enable you to join the local community of Welsh speakers (when you’re ready!)