Learning a new language can be both an exciting and challenging experience. If you’re just starting out with Welsh, you’re in for a treat. Welsh is a beautiful and ancient language with a rich cultural history. Whether you’re planning to visit Wales, connect with Welsh-speaking friends or family, or simply broaden your linguistic horizons, knowing some basic Welsh words will be immensely helpful. In this article, we’ll cover essential Welsh words that every beginner should know. These words will form the foundation of your Welsh vocabulary and help you navigate basic conversations.
Greetings and Basic Phrases
One of the first things you’ll want to learn in any language is how to greet people and use basic conversational phrases. Here are some essential Welsh greetings and phrases:
– Hello – Helo
– Goodbye – Hwyl
– Good morning – Bore da
– Good afternoon – Prynhawn da
– Good night – Nos da
– Please – Os gwelwch yn dda
– Thank you – Diolch
– Yes – Ie
– No – Na
– Sorry – Mae’n ddrwg gen i
– Excuse me – Esgusodwch fi
These basic phrases will help you greet people politely and express basic manners, which are always appreciated.
Numbers and Counting
Numbers are fundamental in any language, and Welsh is no exception. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 in Welsh:
1. Un
2. Dau (masculine) / Dwy (feminine)
3. Tri (masculine) / Tair (feminine)
4. Pedwar (masculine) / Pedair (feminine)
5. Pump
6. Chwech
7. Saith
8. Wyth
9. Naw
10. Deg
Understanding these numbers will help you in various everyday situations, from counting objects to understanding prices.
Common Nouns
Nouns are the building blocks of any language. Here are some common Welsh nouns that will be useful for beginners:
– House – Tŷ
– Car – Car
– Book – Llyfr
– Water – Dŵr
– Food – Bwyd
– Friend – Ffrind
– Dog – Ci
– Cat – Cath
– School – Ysgol
– Teacher – Athro (male) / Athrawes (female)
These nouns will help you talk about everyday objects and people in your life.
Days of the Week
Knowing the days of the week is essential for making plans and understanding schedules. Here are the days of the week in Welsh:
– Monday – Dydd Llun
– Tuesday – Dydd Mawrth
– Wednesday – Dydd Mercher
– Thursday – Dydd Iau
– Friday – Dydd Gwener
– Saturday – Dydd Sadwrn
– Sunday – Dydd Sul
These will come in handy when scheduling meetings, classes, or social events.
Basic Verbs
Verbs are crucial for forming sentences and expressing actions. Here are some basic Welsh verbs that beginners should know:
– To be – Bod
– To have – Cael
– To go – Mynd
– To come – Dod
– To see – Gweld
– To eat – Bwyta
– To drink – Yfed
– To speak – Siarad
– To read – Darllen
– To write – Ysgrifennu
These verbs will allow you to start forming simple sentences and expressing basic actions.
Colors
Colors are another important category of vocabulary. Here are some common colors in Welsh:
– Red – Coch
– Blue – Glas
– Green – Gwyrdd
– Yellow – Melyn
– Black – Du
– White – Gwyn
– Orange – Oren
– Purple – Porffor
– Brown – Brown
– Pink – Pinc
These will help you describe objects and understand descriptions given by others.
Family Members
Talking about family is a common topic of conversation. Here are some Welsh words for family members:
– Mother – Mam
– Father – Tad
– Brother – Brawd
– Sister – Chwaer
– Son – Mab
– Daughter – Merch
– Grandmother – Mam-gu
– Grandfather – Tad-cu
These words will help you talk about your family and understand others when they talk about theirs.
Common Adjectives
Adjectives help to describe nouns and provide more detail. Here are some common Welsh adjectives:
– Big – Mawr
– Small – Bach
– Good – Da
– Bad – Drwg
– Happy – Hapus
– Sad – Trist
– New – Newydd
– Old – Hen
– Hot – Poeth
– Cold – Oer
These adjectives will help you add more detail to your sentences and descriptions.
Questions
Asking questions is a vital part of any conversation. Here are some basic question words in Welsh:
– Who – Pwy
– What – Beth
– Where – Ble
– When – Pryd
– Why – Pam
– How – Sut
Using these question words will help you ask for information and clarify things during conversations.
Basic Pronouns
Pronouns are essential for referring to people and things without repeating their names. Here are some basic Welsh pronouns:
– I – Fi
– You (singular, informal) – Ti
– He – Efe/Fe
– She – Hi
– We – Ni
– You (plural or formal) – Chi
– They – Nhw
These pronouns will help you talk about yourself and others more easily.
Directions
Knowing how to ask for and understand directions is important, especially if you’re traveling. Here are some basic direction words in Welsh:
– Left – Chwith
– Right – De
– Straight – Sydd
– Up – I fyny
– Down – I lawr
– North – Gogledd
– South – De
– East – Dwyrain
– West – Gorllewin
These words will help you navigate and understand directions given to you.
Food and Drink
Food and drink are universal topics that often come up in conversation. Here are some basic Welsh words for food and drink:
– Bread – Bara
– Milk – Llaeth
– Tea – Te
– Coffee – Coffi
– Apple – Afal
– Cheese – Caws
– Meat – Cig
– Fish – Pysgod
– Vegetables – Llysiau
– Fruit – Ffrwythau
These words will help you order food and talk about what you like or dislike.
Time
Being able to talk about time is essential for planning and understanding schedules. Here are some basic Welsh words related to time:
– Hour – Awr
– Minute – Munud
– Second – Eiliad
– Day – Dydd
– Week – Wythnos
– Month – Mis
– Year – Blwyddyn
– Today – Heddiw
– Tomorrow – Yfory
– Yesterday – Ddoe
These words will help you talk about and understand time-related topics.
Weather
The weather is a common topic of conversation. Here are some basic Welsh words for weather conditions:
– Rain – Glaw
– Snow – Eira
– Wind – Gwynt
– Sun – Haul
– Cloud – Cwmwl
– Hot – Poeth
– Cold – Oer
– Storm – Storm
– Fog – Niwl
– Thunder – Tarannau
These words will help you talk about the weather and understand weather forecasts.
Common Expressions
Finally, here are some common Welsh expressions that you might find useful:
– How are you? – Sut wyt ti?
– I’m fine, thank you – Dw i’n iawn, diolch
– What’s your name? – Beth yw dy enw di?
– My name is… – Fy enw i yw…
– Nice to meet you – Braf cwrdd â chi
– See you later – Wela i di wedyn
– Take care – Cymer ofal
– I don’t understand – Dw i ddim yn deall
– Can you help me? – Allwch chi fy helpu i?
– Where is the bathroom? – Ble mae’r ystafell ymolchi?
These expressions will help you navigate basic conversations and interactions in Welsh.
Learning these essential Welsh words will give you a strong foundation to build on as you continue your language learning journey. Practice using these words and phrases in your everyday life, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – it’s all part of the learning process. Pob lwc! (Good luck!)
