S’mae pawb
Wnes i ddechrau ddysgu Cymraeg
ddwy flynedd yn ôl, heddiw. Rhaid i mi ddweud fy mod i’n hapus iawn gyda faint dwi wedi ei ddysgu.
Like a lot of people, or at least many people that I saw on the news and social media during lockdown, were taking up new hobbies, learning new skills, or restarting old ones.
I chose to dysgu Cymraeg efo SSIW. Its definitely been hard work at times, but also a lot of fun. I have met a lot of amazing, clever, funny and interesting people, who I still chat with daily on WhatsApp and messenger etc. Iv made and posted videos, by myself or with friends chatting in Cymraeg, had articles printed in Cymraeg in magazines.
Neithiwr darllenes I Y Wennol , I’ve also been reading E-ffrindau with friends, all of which feels amazing.
It does definitely feel like longer than 2 years, but tbh that’s the covid situation more than the Welsh journey. Unfortunately all my Welsh conversations have been on zoom, as I live in Iwerddon, like many others, I haven’t much chat to practice face to face. But with the amazing Deborah and Nia from SSIW, I get to practice speaking weekly in zoom sesiwn or ask any questions about pronunciations or grammar, which are amazing to a new learner. Anyway it’s been an amazing roller coaster so far. Dwi’n edrych ymlaen I fynd i Gymru yn fuan , Eleni gobeithio.
Llongyfarchiadau mawrion mawr! Huge congratulations to you @Alan-Clifford! You’ve come a really long way with your Welsh since those early days in the Q&A sessions and you are now very definitely a ‘new Welsh speaker’ and an inspiration to others.
Dw i wir yn gobeithio bydd cyfle i ti ddod i bŵtcamp cyn bo hir, gyda dy gitâr! Byddai hynny llawer o hwyl/craic! I really hope you can come to bŵtcamp soon, with your guitar! That would be a lot of fun!
Diolch Deborah
Yeah it’s definitely been a taith . As with you this has not been my first language Taith. I wonder are you sometimes the same as me and wondering… Pam? when we know the madness that ensues weithiau, with spelling, pronunciations and the actual amount of time and dedication it takes. Ond that said its most definitely worthwhile. I have travelled this Ffordd before with Gaeilge whilst being 38 oedd. With no real definite plans to go through it all again. But Nos ddydd Sadwrn i met with lots of ffrindiau at a Nos siarad Gwyddeleg , ‘Pop Up Gaeltacht’
Nervously as i hadn’t really spoken Gwyddeleg, socially in ages, ond i absolutely loved it. So yeah its most definitely on my mind, to do list to go to Cymru, and ymarfer siarad Cymraeg. Dwi’n edrych ymlaen.
I’ve just returned after a year doing nothing except occasionally reading some Welsh, and despite have progressed through to the middle of Level 2, not having the time (teaching job plus outdoors hobbies) to get any conversation. The sad bit is that I holiday on Gower every year, but of course Gower is notoriously English except for the very NE. Having dogs also makes it difficult to enter any buildings except pubs! I’m determined to revise and then progress now, as one of my students - from Switzerland - speaks 5 languages and is learning another, and she was fascinated by Welsh - I directed her to SSIW if she wants to try it. She shamed me!!!
S’mae John
Very diddorol, diolch. I started learning Irish at the age of 38, having been born , raised and spent ny whole life in Ireland, myself ( and many others ) was blissfully unaware of the Irish language. But as soon as i started 8 immediately fell in love with it. Now im an Irish language assistant in schools and also teach adults, both are part-time. But like many during lockdown i wanted to do something, and another language was always an idea i played around with. Im not sure exactly many years i needed to become fluent in Irish, but im 2 years into Welsh, and can understand quite a lot during Welsh speaking ’ sesiwn Cymraeg. So assuming i spent another 2/3 years im hoping to be pretty competent to speak. Just kinda makes me think, i should jump ship or language’s every 3/5 or when i feel competent enough speaking wise. And maybe pick up another few languages along the way, like your student. Pob lwc 
After two years and three months, I have just completed SSiW level 3 and the Duo Lingo Welsh course, which all began as a lockdown project at the beginning of November 2020, similar to the situation Alan describes. I am pleased to have completed the course and stuck with it but I guess this is the end of the beginning! I have been reading articles in Lingo Newydd and Y Wennol and enjoy that my reading speed has improved with better understanding. A book of short stories for learners which, when first picked up a year ago, was a real challenge is now much easier with only minimal support needed from a dictionary, so that is progress. I watch a few S4C programmes although, living in Germany, not all are available but I’m surprised that any are so am grateful for what I can watch! I like that some programmes have Welsh and English subtitles. Reading Welsh while listening simultaneously helps with understanding and there is the option of pausing and switching to English to check something if necessary (and a sense of achievement if I understood correctly!). Better listening comprehension and some speaking practice are my next challenges. The Podlediad Pigion y Dysgwyr podcast is about the right length for the washing up and clearing the kitchen after breakfast and comes with some vocabulary. I am also revisiting some earlier parts of the the SSiW course. Building even small Welsh tasks into a daily routine has been key to maintaining progress.
It’s always brilliant and inspiring to hear how people living in other countries, with no opportunity to hear any Welsh around them, manage to weave Welsh into their lives and succeed in becoming competent Welsh speakers! Da iawn chi!