Hi All
I am new to learning welsh and I have been going through the challenges but I am struggling with writing and spelling what I can say. Can anyone recommend any books or websites that can help translate? I find Google does not match the words taught on this app. I really want to be able to speak and write welsh but I am currently struggling.
Diolch 
Sian
If you just want to be able to spell words then I would say just to buy a decent dictionary, there are, of course, some online and app options including Geiriadur.net (I think).
Also, reading will help immensely. Start off with simple stuff like Lingo Newydd or children’s books and build from there.
Hello @Smarian and welcome to the forum first.
First of all, we’re more or less still struggling with writing except for the highest level learners who went through whole courses and are much more advanced in learning. This of course doesn’t mean you shouldn’t search or ask for resources to teach you write, but the aim with this course is to be able to speak in the first place. It is recommended that you don’t start to read and write at least until you are really familiar with pronunciation of the words/structures taught in lessons and the sound of language itself. As writing is a bit different from saying things the too early reading/writing can lead you into wrong pronunciation because you’d “think” too much about how one thing is written/spelled rather then give full attention into listening to what is said in the lessons.
However, if you struggle with what you hear there is a course guide to all levels and lessons which you can find the links to on FAQ pages here and scroll down to “Where can I find lesson guides and how should I use them”. Clicking on it it will show you links to the course and levels guides as many as there are available. In them you’ll find all structures and vocabulary presented in the lessons and challenges. However Course guides for Levels 2 are still in the preparation and you can find what it’s made here on the forum.
For the record: I wanted to be able to write and read at the very beginning also and did quite some moaning about the stuff to learn these skills is not provided, but I’ve realized quite quickly that how the course is put together has its purpose so I’d try to go with the “rule” of not reading and writing yet.
I hope this helps.
Hwyl
Tatjana
EDIT to ad:
Many resources of all kinds, including reading and writing you can find in this post, where scrolling up you’ll also find many useful things about how to do something on this forum.
Thank you for message greatly appreciated. That’s a great idea!!I will have a look online see if I can pick up some children’s welsh books!
Diolch!!! 
Children’s books can work out quite expensive for what you get out of them though. The magazine “lingo Newydd” works out pretty good but you only get a copy every other month. Do you live in Wales? Do you know any other learners? I have lent a lot of stuff to other learners over the years (and borrowed a fair bit too).
For the “little child” like me (hehe) WCW works prety well. It’s really simple with short parts of writing and with special 4 pages in English where there’s all what you read translated. it comes every month and it costs about 30 GBP per whole year.
Otherwise, if you use modern technology, Ylolfa might have something in eBook format also which is a bit cheaper then paper books.
Hi thank you for you message, I appreciate your help! I think the course is amazing, I can’t believe how much I can say and remember and I am only on course 1 lesson 4. I think I might just be trying to learn too quickly. I know the course is based on not writing anything down so like you said i should just keep going with the course and not worry about writing for now. Maybe I just need to forget my normal learning ways and stick with just speaking.
I am brand new here so thank you for the links that’s really helpful! Greatly appreciated 
Yes I was just looking online and they aren’t the cheapest are they. Is lingo newydd something I can pick up online? I will do some research into it.Would you recommend watching welsh TV?I don’t live in Wales at the moment because of work but I am from north wales and plan to go back. I don’t know any other welsh learners and don’t really know many people who speak welsh. I hope to try and find someone that I can practice with when I have gone through more of the courses.
If you do live in Wales, libraries are a great resource! Usually good collection of books in Welsh, both for children, for adults, and fiction written for leaners, and teach yourself Welsh books - all for free!
And a double good effect of helping you, whilst helping keeping the library open and encouraging them to stock books in Welsh. The more the better!
By my experience, the earlier you start to learn to read the better, as it enables you to access do many other resources- both books in Welsh and also other courses which teach Weksh, thus increasing your vocabulary, ways of expressing yourself and… Er… Welsh! I found SSiW was a marvellous thing in bringing all that other knowledge together, but I found the other knowledge to be such a help. That’s my experience, though!
Is WCW short for something?
Ah, you don’t in Wales then - missed your message as I was writing! Listening to S4C and the radio is something you should certainly do - exposure to the language is always very good, even if you can’t follow what is said! And don’t be disheartened when you can’t understand what is said…
It’s a Welsh children’s magazine 
Hi thank you for your message! Due to work reasons I am no longer living in Wales but I do go back quite often to see family so maybe I could take a visit to a library. I didn’t even think of that. Would save me having to buy them!
I am thoroughly enjoying this course and can’t believe how quickly I am learning welsh but I am struggling with the not writing things down because that is the way I learn things. Sometimes I don’t have time to go through the course and I like to learn a bit of welsh everyday so I wanted to create some key cards or something that I could look at for 5 mins but realised I didn’t really know how to spell things hence the question on the forum.
Yes good idea! Even if it’s just a children’s program i reckon it can help me to build my welsh learning skills. Have you ever listened to a welsh audio book?
Arrhhh yes thank you for clarifying! 
I will have a look into it!
Thank you so much for the guide link that’s exactly what I wanted!!! I didnt realise they were on here
I highly recommend this magazine when you are ready to start reading. It is aimed at learners and has articles at three different levels of difficult. Definitions for many words are provided right with each article to help with understanding. It is pricey if you are outside Europe, but there is now an app for iOS and Android, and the issues are very inexpensive that way ($1.99 each for me in the US). You can search the forum for “Lingo Newydd”, to learn more, and here are a couple of links if you are interested:
Link to the website where you can subscribe to the print versions of Lingo Newydd and WCW
Listening to one at the moment- “Y Storiwr” by Jon Gower. I find and found them very useful, and there is a decent stock (couple of shelves worth) in Swansea library. Of all levels, from simple books which could be described as for learners, through to far heavier ones. Very useful, And fun! I’ve been through a fair few.
In fact, a few years ago, I even had a go at recording a story by Daniel Owen myself! 
http://old.saysomethingin.com/welsh/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7065&p=78065&hilit=+Daniel+Owen#p78065
That was good fun! And hopefully good practice too- a lot of things are!
Hi thank you for the links greatly appreciate your help Will do some research and try and find the app! Reading is defiantly something I am going to start doing and these links are really helpful
Diolch!!!
Talking of flash cards, I did make a few cards for this sort of thing and sent them out a while ago-
If you want, have a look through the above thread, and if you think they are something you might find useful, I’ll dig one out and send you a set if you like