Welsh phrases you may come across on this forum

People on this forum have different levels of Welsh, from zero to fluent, and so the default language here is English (as mentioned e.g. here: Now LIVE: 'Some Sex and a Hill - or How To Learn Welsh in 3 Easy Pints' by Aran Jones) except for a couple of Welsh-language threads – but from time to time you will come across little Welsh phrases which the regulars sprinkle into their discourse as well :slight_smile:

Here are some you may hear, which will probably be obvious on context. But just in case, here’s a translation which may be useful to you if you are still an early beginner, or someone just interested in or just considering learning Welsh. (Regulars can now close this post :wink:)

  • Ardderchog! - Excellent!
  • Croeso! - Welcome!
    • Croeso i’r fforwm! - Welcome to the forum!
  • Da iawn! - Very good!
  • Dal ati! - Keep at it!
  • De - South
  • Diolch! - Thank you!
    • Diolch yn fawr! - Thank you very much!
  • fach / bach (after a name) - dear
  • Gogledd, Gog - North
  • Lwc dda! - Good luck!
  • Llongyfarchiadau! - Congratulations!
  • Mae’n ddrwg gen i! / Mae’n ddrwg gyda fi! - I’m sorry!
  • Paid â phoeni! / Paid becso! - Don’t worry! (the SSiW motto)
    • Paid â phoeni amdani! / Paid becso amdani - Don’t worry about it!
  • Pob lwc! - All the best! Good luck!
  • sgwrs - conversation

You may detect an underlying theme of optimism and support :slight_smile:

Suggestions for additions or corrections are welcome! I’ve also made this entry a wiki so that others can edit it as well.

And if you’ve read this far despite knowing all those phrases already, and feel like writing some more in Welsh, Be’ 'dach chi’n gwneud rwan? A phethau arall yn Gymraeg - A topic to practice Welsh, open to all! is a good thread to start :slight_smile: Whether it’s a sentence on what you did today, or a paragraph.

22 Likes

Brilliant idea for a thread - thanks, Philip! :star: :star2:

1 Like

Agree brilliant! How about

Dim ots - (literally no odds) - it doesn’t matter

4 Likes

A brilliant idea indeed:)
I’ve got a habit of saying and writing Welsh phrases now even when I’m writing a message in English or Russian, I don’t know why, I guess I just love Welsh so much I need to make it a part of my daily life.
And one of the things I write most often is “a dweud y gwir” - “to tell the truth”.:slight_smile:

6 Likes

Well I’ve read and heard this so many times and it didn’t click that this was what it meant! Almost a phrase hiding in plain sight for me, many thanks.
(this is where one of the phrases on this list should be ‘ahhhh…I get it now’)

3 Likes

Some lovely suggestions which will be useful for learners, but my aim with the first post was more ones that are used frequently within the forum itself, in posts that are otherwise in English :slight_smile:

Perhaps I can collect these others in a separate post here, to have them in one place:

  • dim ots / 'sdim ots - it doesn’t matter
  • a dweud y gwir - to tell the truth
  • i fod yn onest - to be honest
  • yn wir - really
  • dw i ddim yn siwr / sa i’n siwr - I’m not sure
  • dw i ddim yn gwybod / sa i’n gwybod / dwn i’m - I don’t know
  • cwtsh / cwtch - a cuddle, a cwtch
2 Likes

Yes, literally it’s “small” of course, but Gweiadur lists “dear” as one of its meanings as well, and this seems to be the use after (or instead of) a name :slight_smile:

1 Like

Llongyfarchiadau - congratulations
Ardderchog - excellent
Sgwrs - conversation
Sa i’n siwr - Not sure (Southern)

2 Likes

Lyfli, diolch! I’ve updated the post further up (and added the northern version of your last phrase).

Edit: ah wait, those are “forum phrases” as well, aren’t they? I’ll go and put them in the first post then :slight_smile:

1 Like

Wel, sa i’n siwr. But I use them a lot on the forum:)

2 Likes

I’ve added three to the first one now as I’m fairly sure I’ve seen those very often from lots of people even in the middle of English text, especially “sgwrs”. Great!

Sa i’n siwr is in the “useful phrases” one. Thanks again!

3 Likes

I never realised that everyone didn’t know that calling someone bach/fach means dear. I suppose, thinking about it, it isn’t mentioned,in a lesson. I use it often and various folk may have wondered why I called them little, when I actually wasn’t.
Yn wir is ‘really’ as well, or truly. Yn wir iawn - very true. Next time I auto-type something like that, I’ll try to remember to come into this thread and add it,.
Cwtch is it Cymraeg? It isn’t spelled like it. Cwtsi?
In an on line gwriadur it’s spelled cwtsh! - cuddle! Cwtsh still isn’t really Welsh spelling!

Sorry for my typing, ipad strikes back! Will edit it tidy!

2 Likes

Not sure if this is right place, but
hafod is traditional word for summer pasture, usually upland. It was used on S4C recently, so I think it’s still used!

2 Likes

surprised the first time i came across the word Hafod, it was the name on a barge which i had to photograph and look up when i got home. i have since come across places including the word in their name in Wales.

Cheers J.P.

It’s the name of my house, and loads of houses in Wales, which sometimes confuses the postie, if they don’t look at the village name/postcode. I receive post for Hafod in the next village regularly.

2 Likes

My favorite auntie used to call me “Margaret bach.” It always made me feel so loved!!! :heart:

2 Likes

Seems an odd name for a boat, unless it spent time on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct! :wink:

There’s the nice gog, slightly slangy (I think), “dwn i’m” for “I don’t know”. (or “I dunno”).

(plus some other related contractions of negative phrases which I can’t remember at the moment).

2 Likes

Yes, I like that one too :slight_smile:

Dal i fynd - Keep going

Dal i gredu - Keep believing

Cadwch y ffydd - Keep the faith

All good positive ones :smiley:

3 Likes