50 Essential Words You Need to Know for Welsh at the A1 Level

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Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding experience, especially when diving into the rich and culturally significant Welsh language. For those embarking on this journey at the A1 level, itโ€™s essential to build a solid foundation of basic vocabulary. This article will introduce you to 50 essential Welsh words that are crucial for beginners. By familiarizing yourself with these words, youโ€™ll be well-equipped to handle basic conversations and navigate everyday situations. Letโ€™s get started!

Greetings and Basic Phrases

1. Helo

One of the first words youโ€™ll need is โ€œhelo,โ€ which simply means โ€œhello.โ€ Itโ€™s a universal greeting and a great way to start any conversation.

2. Prynhawn da

This phrase means โ€œgood afternoon.โ€ Itโ€™s a polite way to greet someone during the afternoon hours.

3. Nos da

โ€œNos daโ€ translates to โ€œgood night.โ€ Use this phrase when saying goodbye in the evening or before going to bed.

4. Diolch

Saying thank you is important in any language. โ€œDiolchโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œthank you.โ€

5. Os gwelwch yn dda

This means โ€œplease.โ€ Itโ€™s essential to use polite phrases like this one when making requests.

6. Ie

โ€œIeโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œyes.โ€ Itโ€™s a short and straightforward word that youโ€™ll use often.

7. Na

Conversely, โ€œnaโ€ means โ€œno.โ€ Itโ€™s just as important to know how to say no as it is to say yes.

8. Esgusodwch fi

This phrase translates to โ€œexcuse me.โ€ Use it to get someoneโ€™s attention or to politely move through a crowd.

9. Sori

โ€œSoriโ€ is the Welsh equivalent of โ€œsorry.โ€ Itโ€™s a useful word for apologizing in various situations.

10. Sut mae?

This phrase means โ€œhow are you?โ€ Itโ€™s a friendly way to ask someone about their well-being.

Numbers and Counting

11. Un

โ€œUnโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œone.โ€ Itโ€™s the first number youโ€™ll need to know when counting.

12. Dau

This is the word for โ€œtwo.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œdie,โ€ and itโ€™s essential for basic counting.

13. Tri

โ€œTriโ€ means โ€œthree.โ€ Itโ€™s similar to the English word, making it easier to remember.

14. Pedwar

โ€œPedwarโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œfour.โ€ Itโ€™s a bit longer, but with practice, itโ€™ll become second nature.

15. Pump

โ€œPumpโ€ translates to โ€œfive.โ€ Itโ€™s another straightforward number to add to your vocabulary.

16. Chwech

This is the word for โ€œsix.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œchwech,โ€ with a guttural sound thatโ€™s unique to Welsh.

17. Saith

โ€œSaithโ€ means โ€œseven.โ€ Itโ€™s an essential number for basic arithmetic and daily use.

18. Wyth

This word translates to โ€œeight.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œoyth.โ€

19. Naw

โ€œNawโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œnine.โ€ Itโ€™s short and easy to remember.

20. Deg

โ€œDegโ€ means โ€œten.โ€ Itโ€™s the final number in this basic counting list.

Days of the Week

21. Dydd Llun

โ€œDydd Llunโ€ translates to โ€œMonday.โ€ Itโ€™s the first day of the week in Welsh.

22. Dydd Mawrth

This means โ€œTuesday.โ€ Itโ€™s the second day of the week.

23. Dydd Mercher

โ€œDydd Mercherโ€ is the Welsh word for โ€œWednesday.โ€ Itโ€™s the midpoint of the workweek.

24. Dydd Iau

This phrase means โ€œThursday.โ€ Itโ€™s an important day to know in any weekly schedule.

25. Dydd Gwener

โ€œDydd Gwenerโ€ translates to โ€œFriday.โ€ Itโ€™s often a favorite day as it marks the start of the weekend.

26. Dydd Sadwrn

This is the Welsh word for โ€œSaturday.โ€ Itโ€™s part of the weekend and a day for leisure.

27. Dydd Sul

โ€œDydd Sulโ€ means โ€œSunday.โ€ Itโ€™s the final day of the week and often a day of rest.

Common Nouns

28. Car

โ€œCarโ€ in Welsh is exactly the same as in English. It means โ€œcarโ€ or โ€œautomobile.โ€

29. Ty

โ€œTyโ€ translates to โ€œhouse.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œtee.โ€

30. Bwyd

This word means โ€œfood.โ€ Itโ€™s essential for discussing meals and dietary preferences.

31. Dwr

โ€œDwrโ€ translates to โ€œwater.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œdoor.โ€

32. Arian

โ€œArianโ€ means โ€œmoney.โ€ Itโ€™s a crucial word for any financial transactions.

33. Siop

โ€œSiopโ€ translates to โ€œshopโ€ or โ€œstore.โ€ Itโ€™s similar to the English word and easy to remember.

34. Bws

โ€œBwsโ€ means โ€œbus.โ€ Itโ€™s another word thatโ€™s very similar to its English counterpart.

35. Ffrind

โ€œFfrindโ€ translates to โ€œfriend.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œfreend.โ€

36. Teulu

โ€œTeuluโ€ means โ€œfamily.โ€ Itโ€™s pronounced as โ€œtie-lee.โ€

37. Cartref

This word translates to โ€œhome.โ€ Itโ€™s a comforting and essential word in any language.

Adjectives and Descriptions

38. Mawr

โ€œMawrโ€ means โ€œbigโ€ or โ€œlarge.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe the size of objects.

39. Bach

This word means โ€œsmall.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œmawr.โ€

40. Newydd

โ€œNewyddโ€ translates to โ€œnew.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe something that is recent or just acquired.

41. Hen

โ€œHenโ€ means โ€œold.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œnewydd.โ€

42. Da

โ€œDaโ€ translates to โ€œgood.โ€ Itโ€™s a positive adjective used in various contexts.

43. Drwg

This word means โ€œbad.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œda.โ€

44. Poeth

โ€œPoethโ€ translates to โ€œhot.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe temperature.

45. Oer

โ€œOerโ€ means โ€œcold.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œpoeth.โ€

46. Cyflym

โ€œCyflymโ€ translates to โ€œfast.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe speed.

47. Araf

This word means โ€œslow.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œcyflym.โ€

48. Prydferth

โ€œPrydferthโ€ means โ€œbeautiful.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe something aesthetically pleasing.

49. Hyll

This word translates to โ€œugly.โ€ Itโ€™s the opposite of โ€œprydferth.โ€

50. Blinedig

โ€œBlinedigโ€ means โ€œtired.โ€ Itโ€™s used to describe a state of fatigue.

Conclusion

Mastering these 50 essential Welsh words will give you a strong foundation as you continue to learn the language. Whether youโ€™re greeting someone, counting, describing your surroundings, or simply having a basic conversation, these words will come in handy. Remember, language learning is a gradual process, and consistency is key. Practice these words regularly, and donโ€™t be afraid to use them in your daily interactions. Before you know it, youโ€™ll be more confident in your Welsh language skills and ready to tackle more complex vocabulary and grammar. Happy learning!

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