There’s still one episode of LLE BACH MAWR on Clic, but only for three more days! As to voices (I can’t yet differentiate accents), farmer Gwyn has my vote. Each time I recognise a word, I grin like a madwoman. Great feeling. The project’s theme is water, so go and dive right in.
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Tonight I discovered “Ffasiwn Drefn” on Clic. What a relief that I’m not the only one who still has, and wears, clothes from 1980 onwards. A llyfrau a bagiau llaw ayb…
Curiously S4C recommended the episodes after my binge watching of Cais Quinnell, an odd combination but perhaps logical nevertheless. Both are not too taxing and are great for learners. One gets to hear amazing people.
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You are very perceptive - that’s exactly the reasoning! There’s a group of programmes they want to steer towards learners because the language is deliberately simpler and slower. And Scott is an amazing role model - his Welsh has come along so well.
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The other day I watched “3 Lle - Sean Fletcher”. Dead impressed that he learnt Welsh because he wanted to speak his wife’s language… There’s hope for all learners, including those without a romantic attachment: about 5 years’ learning brought him up to his, to me, enviable status of natural Welsh user. Clic
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I asked Sarah Huws if there would be another series of Waliau’n Siarad and she said she would but the series would need to be commissioned, so could you have a word in an appropriate ear please Sara?
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I only wish I had that sort of influence, Tony!! 
I’m talking to Sara H myself soon about the work she has got going on, and I’ll do my best to funnel everything back to the people who make the decisions.
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I know this thread is supposed to be about you, and what you like to watch. But I just wanted to share that I caught up yesterday with “Taith Bywyd” about the politician Sian James (who is one of the real-life characters portrayed in the film “Pride”).
I found it so moving, and she’s such a brilliant person. (Also, one for those who want to hear Swansea Valleys Welsh - she has a gorgeous accent!) And if you also learn with Dysgu Cymraeg, and know of the lovely Helen Prosser, who is in charge of the curriculum there, she (quite literally) pops up at one point in the programme.
Here’s the link, if I’ve whetted your appetite: Clic
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In case anyone hasn’t noticed, there’s a new series of Am Dro that started last weekend. This is proper, wholesome, wind-down, feel-good TV for Sunday evenings.
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This isn’t really a TV thing, but something I’d really, really love to see would be podcasts designed specifically for learners: About general subjects, but written in intermediate Welsh and recorded by people with really clear accents and pronunciation. Much as I love watching TV, I have more time to listen to podcasts, but most of the Welsh podcasts around are still a bit too much for me. I do like Sgwrsio and Hefyd, but I’m thinking of something perhaps a bit more scripted that’s designed for learners.
As TV goes, I love Sgwrs Dan Y Lloer, and really enjoyed Chris a’r Afal Mawr a Siwrnai Scandi Chris, though I still have to watch everything with subtitles.
Which is another thing that could be done: Subtitles for learners, ie Welsh subtitles which include the English translation for tricky vocabulary. I’ve been saying this for years, and I know that the issues is money, but honestly, it really would be a game changer.
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It’s a good find. Thank you.
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I’d like that too. I browse through ypod.cymru now and then but not much jumps out. Not targeted specifically at learners as far as I am aware, but the one I do listen to is Beti a’i Phobol from Radio Cymru. I usually understand just enough to get the gist and enjoy it, once or twice I’ve even felt like I understood more than I didn’t.
As for TV, I started watching Pren ar Bryn the other night, first time watching something in Welsh. This might just be me, but I wish the English subtitles were a little more literally translated. It’s jarring when I do actually understand some dialogue but the subtitles don’t quite match up. I used to watch a lot of anime as a teenager and the “fan subs” as they were called were excellent because they were fairly literal, with cultural notes added, etc.
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Look what I came across the other day! There are lots & lots of podcasts for learners here - I haven’t investigated them all (although there are a few well-known names/faces that I would rate, such as the “Doctoriaid Cymraeg”). It would be great to get feedback for fellow learners from anyone that’s tried any of these?
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Apart from enjoying Am Dro and the stunning scenery the walkers take us through, there’s Cefn Gwlad with its focus on specific people and activities, all of interest not only to outsiders keen to learn more about Wales. The enterprise shown is fascinating to watch.
Unfortunately the first episode has already expired, but there are still enough to enjoy and if you’re quick, you’ll catch episode 2, Prosiect Pendre.
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We really enjoyed Pren ar y Bryn. My other half isn’t even learning Welsh but enjoyed it with English subtitles!
You need to be into pretty dark humour though!
Hope there is a second series. It did seem to leave a few enticing loose ends.
I’ve got a quick heads-up about some more repeating series that have just dropped (or about to drop) on Clic:
- Arfordir Cymru: Sir Benfro - there’s some discussion up-thread of this series when it looked at other areas (think the last one was Pen Llŷn?) Pembrokeshire is stunning, so this one should be good!
- Caeau Cymru - I’ve only just caught a bit of this, but it looks really interesting (for those of you who like your history). Also, it’s very topical given all the discussion that’s going on in the press at the moment about campaigns to preserve local names.
There are only a couple of episodes of these up so far, but a new one will be added each week (as they’re also being broadcast as part of the live timetable: Caeau Cymru on Mondays at 1:30 and Arfordir Cymru on Mondays at 6pm).
And it hasn’t dropped yet, but keep your eyes peeled for Waliau’n Siarad - a fascinating series looking at what we can learn about history from some of our ancient buildings.
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Hi, beginner learner here. If you’re still happy to share recommendations, I’d love to hear about currently available Cymraeg shows that have English subtitles.
I enjoy fictional dramas, the kind I can watch without shocking my mother if she walks in - no-one in my house is a big fan of gory violence, sex scenes, or foul language, and her tolerance for such is definitely on the lower end! (Hinterland series 1 was okay, hoping it doesn’t get any “worse” in series 2, which I just started on iPlayer.) I’m happy to watch kiddie/teen shows. Sci-fi and detective genres are my favourites, but I get invested in pretty much anything with good characterisation.
Can you recommend things that are either currently airing from the start, or old but available from ep 1? I’m a weird completist and hate coming in in the middle of a plot/character arc.
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Hello, Verity! Thanks for the query 
All our our programmes on either Clic or iPlayer should have English subtitles available, so here’s a quick round-up of what drama’s there at the minute (with content warnings where applicable!)
- Bariau - this one is probably not for you, but I’m including it for completeness’ sake. It’s a prison drama, so there is the full complement of swearing, violence and sex. But if you can cope with that it’s a very compelling story, and excellent acting. Clic
- Creisis - I’ve only just watched the first episode of this, so I don’t know how it plays out. It’s about a mental health nurse who’s more or less at the end of his tether himself. A bit Marmite-y - we’re getting a lot of “loves” and “hates” back from the audience. Clic
- Y Goleudy - this is technically a drama series for young people (so no content warnings), but I really enjoyed it myself. About a teenager who goes to stay with her taid in a seaside town when strange things start happening that are associated with the local lighthouse… Clic
Then if you’re quick, there’s a couple of kids’ films that went up at Christmas time, which will still be there for a couple of weeks more:
- Albi a Noa yn Achub yr Iwnifyrs - sweet story about a boy and his imaginary friend. Clic
- Pluen Eira - a Christmas story about a newly adopted boy and a turkey he befriends Clic
Then do you have Netflix? You might like “Rough Cut” (which is called Dal y Mellt in Welsh), which is available on the streamer with Welsh subtitles - it’s a heist movie, so there’s a bit of moderate violence but nothing excessive. There’s a second series of that one being made so you might want to get to know it so you’re ready for when the new one comes out!
There may be other things available on YouTube in pirate versions, but you’ll understand that I can’t really direct you to anything like that! Perhaps others will make suggestions…
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Ooh, I have also just had a heads-up that the comedy series Rybish is going to get repeated from mid-May onwards. I can’t give you a link to Clic for it yet (as it won’t be there until it goes out on air), but I’ll come back to do that once it’s up if you like. Here are a couple of reviews to whet your appetite:
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These sound great. Diolch yn fawr!
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I finished this last night after seeing the recommendation here. I enjoyed it a lot (despite more than a few occasions of being annoyed at the main character). Any more sci-fi you can suggest?
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