I had meant to say, in my last posting, why not say, “I am just starting to learn Welsh and have only learned how to call people ‘ti’ and the verb endings for ‘ti’. I don’t want to seem impolite. If I use ‘ti’, would you tell me how I should say whatever it is for ‘chi’?”
If that is what you did and they still cringe, you could say, “Mae’n ddwrg gen i. What do I say with ‘chi’?”
Thanks henddraig- I have asked everyone to bear with me till I reach lesson 18. I have tried asking people to tell me how to say things properly, but i get answers like - oh, dont ask me, I’m no good at welsh - even though they speak it fluently - the trouble is they think that as their welsh isn’t textbook welsh and contains alot of colloquialisms, they wont be telling me correctly so dont want to try - its a shame really as colloquial welsh would be of the most use to me but they will not be swayed as they are concerned they will not tell me right in front of other welsh speakers & get picked up on it by them. I’ll have to keep pushing on to lesson 18 & hope that as my knowledge improves, it will get easier.
Oh well, there is a consolation for you. When you are a tiny bit more fluent, you may meet folk like me who learned when we were always taught ‘chi’ because we weren’t old enough to call most people ‘ti’ and it wouldn’t matter if we called our friends ‘chi’, because in our area, they were sure to be learners too!! You can then tell them about ‘ti’, so they can call you ‘ti’!!!
Thanks for cheering me up henddraig, you are truly excellent & clearly have a very similar sense of humour to me 
& please let me assure you that as soon as I know how to use welsh in a way that respects everyone’s views & beliefs, I will most definitely be doing that as I think its only right that if I can do it, I should. Clairx
Thanks for your feedback, Clair, always much appreciated… 
Whereabouts do you live? In 15 years in Gwynedd, I’ve never met a single person who showed offence at being addressed in the ‘wrong’ way by a learner - so my initial reaction is that this may be more to do with one particular group of friends rather than a wide social norm.
Having said that - of course you don’t want to offend your friends - so for the time being, why not try swapping t for ch when you talk to them? It’s a little hit-and-miss, but it’ll see you right most of the time…
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I have noticed that the professional broadcaster types on Radio Cymru invariably use “chi” with people they are interviewing, and I think with colleagues (at least on microphone … it may be different in the staff canteen or the bar. There may be a sort of “professional politeness” expected when broadcasting).
The one exception I have noticed is Gary Wyn in the weekly business-oriented programme on Mondays. He almost always seems to use “ti”. I wondered if this might be just his personality which seems to be warm and extrovert, but perhaps also because he might be mostly talking to young entrepreneur types, perhaps of the generation who regard “ti” as normal.
If I have observed and remember correctly, I think the children and youngsters on “Rownd a Rownd” use “chi” to their parents - which surprised me a little. I would have expected families to be all “ti”, regardless of age (but I am not Welsh).
I must say though, other than in business or “authority” situations, people who make learners feel bad about this sort of thing are not helping. BTW @Clair, IIRC, the 2 main things you have to remember (northern, long form) are:
instead of “ti’n gwbod” (for example) use: dach chi’n gwbod - “you (plural or polite) know”.
instead of “wy ti’n gwbod?” use: “ydach chi’n gwbod?” - “do you (plural or polite) know?”
(and "dach and “chi” are run together, so it sounds like “dachi’n gwbod”).
It gets slightly more complicated in the past and future, but only slightly, and it’s fairly consistent. You can bluff your way a long way just using the present tense. (May not be wise in a million pound business deal though ).
BTW is “shmae” really regarded as being over-familiar? I suppose as a rule of thumb, if it’s someone you have to shake hands with, then go for “bore da”, just as we would say"how do you do" in English. And I suppose “da bo chi” will work for “good bye”.
Edit: @Clair - There is also “sut dach chi?” for a “chi” form of “how are you?”. I’m not sure how formal it is considered to be though, even though it uses “chi”. Pronunciation seems to vary, but I’ve heard “shudachi” most often.
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I would have much respect for you…you may not even notice if I didnt give you a title 
…Dwi’n swynol! 
Not if your father was raised by a Victorian father!!!
Ydych chi? Dydych chi ddim!
Dewch chi mewn! And we all say ‘diolch’!! I don’t even know the ‘ti’ form of ‘thank you’!!! @aran ?
But we all said ‘shmae’!
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Probably because there isn’t one - if you wanted to be very clear, you’d say either ‘Diolch i chi’ or ‘Diolch i ti’…
Diolch i ti, Aran bach!!!
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Hmmm … @henddraig I’m starting to wonder how big (read tall) you are??? I know I’m bach but @aran? Naaaa, I don’t think so. - hehe
Yah but this “bach” gair I love a lot
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5 ft 6.5 ins.
But if I was, like my late mother, 5ft and 1 inch, I’d still say ‘bach’!!
In this context, it means ‘dear’!!! Tatjana fach!! Someone recently, mentioned big butch east-Walians calling each other ‘lovely’! Using 'bach; is much the same. In fact, many actually say ‘bach’ to females!! I used to tease one friend when he called me, “Jackie bach” by calling him fach!!!
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Hehe. I’ve put this question because your “bach” actualy amuses me and brings me smile on my face whenever I see it knowing exactly what you mean … Rather lovely in deed.
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How would you say/write?
“but I can’t remember what to say”
is it “ond alla i ddim cofio beth i ddweud”?
I’m worried mostly about the “i ddweud” part being correct. Thanks!
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I believe this is correct, even that ddweud.
[size=10](You can also say “Ond dw i ddim yn gallu cofio beth i ddweud.” (what is taught in Course 1).) [/size]
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or you could write “… beth i’w ddweud” (for beth i ei ddweud)
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At last I have found out what this “enw + bach” means! I was very curious:)
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Haha Stella, now you know …
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I will immediately tell it to all my friends/relatives and demand that they call me “Stella fach” from now on:) It’s very sweet and it’s in Welsh:)
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Shmae, Stella fach!! Make sure they pronounce it like the English ‘v’ and Scottish ‘loch’!!! (Well that would be lach, really, which certainly exists as part of the Scottish name, Lachlan!!)
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