Listening Practice - Any resources?

Welsh General / Questions
#1

Hello,

I found Listening Practice 1 after lesson 5 really helpful.

I’m now paying £10 a month and I’m on challenge 17. I’ve read the threads about how the double speed can help, but I’m finding them difficult at the moment.

Does anyone have any good resources to listen to for a beginner? Doesn’t need to be SSIW, but I just want to listen to basic Welsh being spoken between 2 people.

Thanks

Rich

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#2

Hi @richard-23

…not an exact match to your question but there are some listening and speaking exercises associated with the old course which personally I found very useful.

If you are using the iPhone App keep scrolling sideways Past level 2 and level 3 and keep going…the daily exercises were my favourite - and in particular the speaking ones - although initially I remember finding them tough because they have all the tenses and ‘1st person, 3rd person, statements, questions and negatives’ all jumbled together…

…they are still a great mental circuit test…

By the time you can get through those you are extremely well placed to have the tense, etc., you need on the tip of your tongue when you need it…took me a little while though!

Rich (also!) :slight_smile:

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#3

I have been listening to old episodes (from years ago) of Pigion on BBC Sounds and finding that extremely helpful. The sections are very short so it doesn’t matter if you lose the conversation thread - you get a new topic soon after.

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#4

I can tell a few things that worked well for me, even though they’re not just dialogues:

  • listening to songs I like, while reading lyrics along

  • simplified vocabulary audio books + books (so you can read along while listening; there’s a couple of ones I’ve used I can name if you’re interested, one even has the translation right in front that’s very handy)

  • watching on S4C several times the same programme about a topic that I’m familiar with and not too broad, so it’s easier to build up that specific vocabulary (in my case it was cooking).
    Sometimes first without subtitles, then with Welsh subtitles, then English subtitles, and again without subtitles.
    Sometimes with English subtitles right away.
    Sometimes stopping every few senconds (I watch it on the computer) to listen, read the Welsh, read the English, listen again.
    I’ve noticed that one year later when I listened to the same show again the difference was astonishing!

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#5

Hi there,

If you want short hits i use the dysgu Cymraeg site bottom right hand corner is all their lessons with conversations and a short ‘radio dialogue’. Its a bit twee, but it does help the ear.

#6

Hi
Im on lesson 18 today id really like to practice speaking with someone at my level …

I have discord , messenger , steam talk apps and the slack zoom from here but find that a bit over complicated ATM but can still use it

Just a thought … Jez

#7

Hi Gisella,

Yes, what are the audio books?

Thanks

Rich

#8

Hi Richard,

the ones I bought:
Cadw Swn - that’s actually made and presented as a method/course in fact it also has exercises and some grammar. It’s a bit more expensive than just a book, but I found it very helpful because I hated reading before this and now I’m enjoy it more and more!
You can also ask for the downloadable-only audio (like I did) which should get you a discount. :wink:

“Coed Y Brenin” is a book and audio book and a sort a follow up to Cadw Swn story - but works fine by itself too.

“Cwm Gwrachod” also book and audio book

You can find more info and links to buy them here:

I’m pretty sure there are more around, but for some reason not all audio books are available to Italy where I am.
I got Cadw Swn straight from the author, the audio books from iTunes and the written books from Kobo.

I’m still looking for more, and for more websites to buy from here, so if anyone finds more I’ll be glad to hear more tips myself!