So… I had a dream a few months ago in which I could speak fluently in Welsh. I’d just spent a weekend in Betws y Coed, so I guess it makes sense that the trip would turn up in a dream? When I woke up I decided to learn Welsh and I found SSIW. I’ve almost finished level 1 now, and I am enjoying it so much! I keep wondering why I hadn’t decided to learn Welsh years ago. I like very close to border and have had so many wonderful holidays and days out in Wales, so it makes complete sense to learn the language of a country I live so close too and visit all the time.
Learning that Welsh is one of the oldest languages in Europe, and the oldest indigenous language in the UK, has really fuelled my interest too!
@gordon-tucker-1 I see that you haven’t been sent an invitation to the join the SSiW Community Chat Slack group where you can try out your Welsh in a safe, supportive online environment with other SSiW learners and a tutor, so I’ve just sent you one now.
Jump into the Slack group, then look at the information and the timetable in the #1-start-here Channel. It would be great if you could join us in an online session
My son introduced me to Say Something in Welsh and, as a fun time to bond with my just out of college kid, I started learning Welsh with him. This was before the new course. Together, we got to lesson 9 or 10, then life got crazy and neither of us had time for anything extra for awhile. Why Welsh? My son is interested in things that are a little different, whether it be clothes, books, places to visit… Welsh fit in perfectly. No, we don’t have Welsh in our family background, unless you count one particular family tree site that takes us back and shows that we are supposedly related to Sir Rhys Griffith I, and going back further and further (not surprisingly short on documentation) to King Owain ap Caff. Anyway… learning Welsh… I came back to it recently because I needed something to distract me from the constant political news. Spanish would be more useful, but I haven’t yet found a Spanish language program that is half as much fun as this Welsh program! I will say, though, working on Welsh, I find I’m having an easier time remembering my Spanish when I need it, and I’m more confident speaking. Thank you for keeping the old course up so I can continue with this!
Yes! I’ve done a little bit with the SSiSpanish. Trying to find the right level for me is hard as I had quite a lot of Spanish is school, but I think I’ll look at it more!
That’s such a wonderful story! It’s great that learning Welsh became a special bonding experience with your son, even if life got busy for a while. Welsh is definitely a unique and fascinating language, and it’s amazing that you’ve found joy in it—even without a clear family connection (though those historical ties sound intriguing!). It’s interesting how working on Welsh has also helped with your Spanish recall. Language learning has a way of strengthening overall cognitive skills! Wishing you continued enjoyment on your Welsh journey—diolch for sharing!
Hi Catrin. I’m learning Cymraeg with SSiW and loving it. I started y Cwrs Ylpan in Bangor 30-odd years ago, but found it really hard to keep up and my Welsh stayed stuck at a few words. Now I’m living in Shrewsbury and suffering horribly from hiraeth! If we do move back to Wales, I definitely want to be able to use the language well. For me the language is as beautiful and important as the lovely landscapes of Wales, and I want to help to keep it alive, and feel more connected with the community. Anyway, after 5 weeks (I’m in challenge 7) I’m able to say more in Cymraeg than ever before and I’m frankly amazed at how quickly this is happening. A brilliant course, delivered in a friendly, encouraging way. Diolch yn fawr iawn!
I just started and I’m very excited! I’ve been interested in Wales for a bit now. I love folk tales and land with rich stories. I love poetry, storytelling, and music. I’ve been learning the harp and I did not realize until recently the deep history that Wales has of this. I recently traced my Evans name down to ancestors that came from Gwynedd, and I just kind of feel like my soul is calling me there. I hope to go next summer! I’m in America. I would really love to learn the language so I can delve more into the poetry and stories and understand them in the manner they are spoken. I would love to be able to communicate with anyone speaking Welsh when I visit. I’ve only just started here, but I really enjoy the forums and sense of community.
English born, but with a Welsh name and north Welsh ancestry. When I first left school I went to work with the Forestry Commission in Gwydir Forest, in the Conway Valley for a year, living with a Welsh speaking family and working with nearly all Welsh speakers. I went to night school and picked up enough Welsh to understand most of what was going on, and to participate a little bit in the conversations. Sadly, that is a long time ago and I’ve forgotten much of what I did know, but I always get a buzz out of hearing Welsh spoken. I’ve just made a return visit to Llanrwst and Betws-y Coed and have come away determined to learn Welsh properly - so here I am!
@brandi did you know there is a group of Welsh learners living in the US and Canada who meet online twice a week to practise their Welsh? They post the link in the open Welsh Speaking Practice Slack group. If you’d like an invitation, send an email to admin@saysomethingin.com with WSP as the subject.
I’ve been learning Welsh with DysguCymraeg and Duolingo for about 18 months. I live in England but love Wales, especially North Wales where we spent every holiday as a child, and to where I feel a strong connection. We recently bought a holiday home and I wanted to learn the language because I think it’s important to respect the language and culture of a place and to allow us to integrate a bit more. I have little opportunity to practise outside of the weekly Zoom sessions with my DysguCymraeg class but I’ve been doing SSIW for just over a month and it’s been absolutely transformational for my confidence and ability to speak. Welsh is my 5th language, of which 2 are at degree level and I think the SSI method is the best way of getting to grips with speaking a language I’ve encountered
Our stories are quite similar, Mathias, the main difference being that I probably have Welsh ancestry (from the Shrewsbury area) but haven’t been able to confirm this. In September and October last I visited that part of North Wales you refer to, and indeed, I too was captivated. Through my wife’s family I now have a spiritual connection to Ynys Môn, but I digress ..
I’ve studied Cymraeg with mixed success for 5 or six years. What you are after is, by all accounts, worth the effort you will have invested in the journey.
After 37 years of living in Kent, we’re moving coast to coast to Pembrokeshire. My 5yo will be learning at school so we felt it was only right Mum and Dad put the effort in as well so we can support her. I have been told by many that we don’t need to learn it, but it’s a challenge and it feels wrong to move but not at least try and embrace the language.
Anyway I can’t use other language apps they just don’t stick, but my progress with SSiW feels rapid so far!
I’ve been learning Welsh with my partner for 3 months now using SSiW (we’re on level 13 course 1). She’s from Swansea originally but we both are based in London currently. We both love learning languages, and hoping that Welsh will be one of the languages of our home for years to come (and something to pass down if we have children).
Stumbled across SSiW after some online research and we are loving it! We’re both working full time so have developed an easy way to do it consistently and incrementally. I’ve shared our programme below if anyone would find it helpful. We’re visiting Cardiff and Wales in September so we are excited to use our newly formed welsh language skills then.
Do SSiW listening practice ～5 mins
Do 6mins of SSiW
Test each on vocab in the lesson and sentences ～2 mins
Listening to Radio Cymru or podcasts in the background (we’re currently listening to Beto George’s podcast after watching Cysgu o Gwmpas) ～ 15 mins. We don’t understand everything of course but it’s more ‘living our life in Welsh’ that feels right.
Good luck to everyone on this forum. We really wish success for everyone here who is passionate about the Welsh language!
