Speaking Welsh in Abertawe/Swansea

I am going on holiday to Swansea for a week - 16th to 23rd March - and looking for places to practice my Welsh. I know of Tŷ Tawe’s coffee morning on Saturday mornings and Y Pantri cake and sandwich shop in Clydach.

I would be grateful for any other suggested places in Swansea that support Welsh speakers?

I’ve given this a thread of its own @simon-gregory-1 so more people are likely to see it and answer you. Pob lwc a joia Abertawe!

Diolch, Deborah

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Update: from Menter Iaith Abertawe, I had a couple of pointers to Welsh-language gigs at Ty Tawe on Friday night 18th with Georgia Ruth + Gareth Bonello (they kindly made another ticket available after it was sold out because I am going on my own) and at Sin City (sincity.co.uk) on Tuesday 22nd with Horizons Tour of Wales. No idea what to expect, but that will add to the excitement!

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Here is a summary of my Welsh language activities during my week in Swansea:

  • Met my partner from the mentoring scheme for lunch where we chatted in Welsh: Cynllyn Cefeillio, run by the National Centre for Teaching Welsh pairs early learners with someone learning at a higher level; my partner, Malcolm, is learning at Uwch (advanced) level and we chat weekly over WhatsApp
  • Visited the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea with Malcolm: man at the desk wore a ‘dysgwr’ lanyard so we all had a little chat in Welsh
  • Tŷ Tawe in Swansea (book shop downstairs and Menter Iaith offices behind): everyone here speaks Welsh; bought some books, chatted with Janet who runs the Cylch Clebran on-line chat which I attend, attended gig on Friday night featuring Georgia Ruth (harpist, guitarist, singer, predominately in Welsh), and attended Caffi Bore Sadwrn face-to-face chat behind the bookshop
  • Aroma cafe in Ammanford (in the arcade just down from the bus station): lady working there speaks Welsh and it says so on the menu (ordered and chatted a little in Welsh)
  • The Welsh Shop / Cyfoes Bookshop in Ammanford (just down from the Old Cross Inn): lady working there speaks Welsh, ordered and discussed the weather in Welsh (classic!)
  • Diod cafe in Llandeilo: unfortunately the waitress didn’t speak Welsh, but I was able to pay in Welsh because the guy behind the counter spoke Welsh
  • Siop Coffi in Llandeilo (next to Diod): again, the staff didn’t speak Welsh, but I did, and they seems to understand along with my gestures; luckily, I asked a lady to share her table and it transpired she was learning on DuoLingo, so we exchanged a few words in Welsh
  • Sin City in Swansea: Horizons Tour of Wales included Mari Mathias singing in Welsh

I look forward to my next excursion to Wales when I visit Wrexham in May. It was also suggested that there are many more Welsh speakers in Carmarthen and Llanelli, so I will also be considering them. Also, that Cardiff has many Welsh-language activities.

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Response to my Google Maps review of Diod:

Prynhawn da Simon, Thanks for the review and kind words. As a business the Welsh language is very important to us with over 90% of our staff speaking Welsh. We have two members of staff currently who do not speak Welsh but they are learning, so hopefully we’ll be up to 100% very soon :slight_smile:
Diolch eto

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Thank you for this information, I am going to Mumbles in March and will certainly summon up the courage to check some of these places out. I am in the ver early stages of learning Welsh. Have reached level i lesson 10 so just need a little speaking practice

I am sure you will have improved by March, too, Rose. Pob lwc!