Can I just check what time we’re starting on Saturday? The earlier time we met at in November, or the original time?
See you there. Got my train ticket already.
Ruth
Happy New Year, Jane
We are intending to start at 11:30 in future as it gives us another half-hour before it gets loud. Pat and I got there about 11:00 last time and it was open though the kitchen wasn’t working until 12:00 for lunches. 11:30 seems convenient for transport but if you are early we won’t waste the time!
Raymond
Well, yesterday’s meeting was a bit different. We knew we were going to be missing two of our best learners and one of our native speakers so we were arranging the tables and seats for the five of us there and one newcomer, Richard, who was expected. Then, when Richard arrived, Rod came at the same time and later Emma joined us. It was really good to see three new faces and they all just fitted in. It’s also going to be good watching their progress as all three are doing very well and are keen to take it further. There’s one thing to mention and then I’m off to learn some more Welsh to try to keep up with them!
The title of the book containing the articles used yesterday is ‘Cant y Cant’.
Right, I’m off to work on my Welsh. Bye.
Raymond
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Yes it was great! Thanks Raymond for your organisation, coordination and posts by which I found myself there…and to everyone at the meeting…
… and so I have had my first Welsh conversation - using the phrase in the loosest possible sense - ha, ha. I made liberal use of English for ‘can’t remember that word’ situations…to keep the sentence going! Ah well you have to start somewhere.
Who would have thought my first Welsh conversation would have been in Leeds city centre…and why not I suppose?!
It’s funny how it really makes you want to get your act together isn’t it…at the same time as you realise you are doing your best, you are also conscious of absolutely bungling your way through the simplest of sentences and hoping that the other person has the vaguest sense of what you are trying to say!
But…it was great!
Thank you all and SSIW for making it possible.
Rich 
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I have used another story from Deg Chwedl o Gymru as a comprehension exercise for this meeting. For those who have joined us recently: Don’t worry. We aren’t cruel and there have to be elements of fun and achievement in our activities. So you can have as much help as you wish and you are allowed a dictionary! Hope to see you all on Saturday.
Raymond
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Well, there were nine of us and more than the usual amount of Welsh, both spoken and written. The forms of the verbs that Richard brought went beyond what I could manage but I will learn from the exercise and incorporate what I can remember into my Welsh (I hope!).
Also, they way people contributed to translating the story was impressive. We are definitely making progress as we would have really struggled with that not so long ago.
Maybe next time we can include an activity or a game that uses spoken Welsh, or both? Ideas welcome.
Raymond
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Hi Raymond,
Yes, I was thinking the very same thing…as we are all there and in one place it seems a great opportunity to do something based on speech doesn’t it (ha, ha!)
However, it is quite a challenge when people are at different stages of learning and speaking (I am a beginner obviously).
I wonder if anybody from other groups has any suggestions on that - verbal word games… or something along those lines? Anyone? Welsh Whispers?
I too was very impressed with the on-the-fly translation work - a little ahead of where I am at the moment currently… it would have taken me a long time to sit down and work out that translation as given but these things which stretch you help you to progress don’t they.
I could do some of it and when stuck, could see the translation given by others…that seems like a good thing(!)
As a result I would probably find the next chunk of written welsh less scary - which is a positive state of mind thing (I would still need a fair bit of access to y hen geiriadur however, ha, ha!)
The list of tenses I had originally created for myself was to have a ‘single sider’ to try to sort out all of the tenses that I kept bumping into!..particularly to clarify which were the same tense… and North/ South versions of all the possibilities!..
I am, was, have, had, would, could, should, will, might, must, should have, could have…etc. For me it is one of those things that helps you get your mind straight!
I was a little nervous as a beginner that it would be a bit of a numpty word game for the group…with first language speakers…so I jumbled them a little.
With 20:20 hindsight I wouldn’t have done that…better for the underlying patterns to be there for people to remember.
Live and learn.
However, I found the variants that people came up with veeeery interesting.
As was discussed, Welsh seems to be ‘right out there’ in terms of the number of ways of saying things…different words, preferences on grammar and dialect.
Its a bit of a challenge as a ‘listener’/speaker isn’t it…you need to be able to understand things said in quite different ways.
I have a number of the filled in sheets here - several complete answers with different options - very interesting I have to say.
I am thinking about the best way of capturing them…perhaps posting them here?
It somehow seems a great shame if they are only on pieces of paper in my house…
…they seem meaningful!
Let me know what you think,
Rich
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I’ve been thinking about this for a few days and would like to suggest that we play shops again, or go to market, or whatever. Is there any preference whether we go to the baker, the greengrocer, the clothes shop, the houseware shop, the butcher, or somewhere else you would like? Another suggestion is that if we could all have identical street maps one of us could ask another for direction somewhere. Both suggestions would be ‘dim Saesneg’ of course!
What do you reckon?
Raymond
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I like the idea of doing the shopping again. It involves us all listening to each other and helps the little grey cells as well. The map idea sounds good as well.
OK, then. Everything will be done in pictures so avoiding any translation from English words. I have 40 items you might buy in the grocery shop and here is your list if you want to look some up before the day.
Baked beans
Baking foil
Biscuits
Bread
Butter
Cake
Cheese
Chips
Coffee
Corn flakes
Crisps
Drinking chocolate
Eggs
Washing up liquid
Fish fingers
Flour
Honey
Ice cream
Jam
Kitchen rolls
Marmalade
Milk
Orange juice
Washing powder
Pickle
Porridge
Rubber gloves
Salt
Sauce
Shoe polish
Soap
Soup
Sugar
Sweets
Tea
Tinned tomatoes
Toilet rolls
Veg rice
Breakfast cereal
Yogurt
There should be sufficient scope for some fun there! Let’s play shops.
Raymond
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Nice list Raymond
Helo. Hope you don’t mind me posting a question here. I wanted more information about the meet up and I’m not sure the advice for contact at the begining of the thread is still current. I’m a beginner wanting to take opportunities to develop conversational Welsh. I’ve reached level 2, challenge 14 and am doing the 6 month course currently. My conversatioal ability is still abysmal. Does my situation sound appropriate? I’ve seen the meet up dates and venue but not sure about times and how to get into the venue. I would get there by train. Diolch.
Paul.
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Hi Paul,
Yes totally appropriate! I am at a similar stage to you. There are people at the meeting with the full range of abilities and it is the perfect way to get your conversation started :-).
The venue is 200 yards from the train station - everyone gets there about 11.30.
See you there?
Rich
The Location is The Brewery Tap which is New Station St - the curvy road right outside the station where the taxis queue up. Turn right when you come out of the station and it’s on the left - being a microbrewery it has barrels outside We meet upstairs. Next meeting today!
Thanks for the prompt reply Rich. Couldn’t have made it today but will certainly try for the next one.
Cheers
Paul
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Dim problem! It was a good meet up today. There is a very nice group of people and they are very patient with me! Ha, ha.
Sorry I couldn’t be there today. I’ve currently got a stinking cold, and didn’t want to inflict my germs on anyone else…
Hopefully will be there at the end of April.
Thanks to everyone who went to the Leeds meet-up yesterday. It was fun and you were all very welcoming and friendly. I feel that I learned some useful language points aswell. I’m looking forward to the next meeting and will be giving you a very positive mention on Slack. (The app used for communication on the 6 months course) 
Paul
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Hi Paul,
It was great to see you…your Welsh seemed really good - it was very interesting to see/hear how the 6 month course is going - well it seems - good news. It was a fun session wasn’t it - I think Raymond gets a triple A star for all the preparation…a roll-a-dice game board - wow! You must have a Blue Peter badge…thanks Raymond - it was great.I didn’t grab more than a quick read through your handout on the past tense short form - it looked really good - I must arrange to get a copy from you.
With a couple of people not there for one reason or another yesterday - and 3 new attendees, it seems that we have a growing tribe…
…more and more Welsh being spoke too,
Gwych!
Rich
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