Discover 100+ Welsh Words You Need To Know

Hey everyone! Ever been curious about the Welsh language? It's a beautiful, ancient tongue spoken in Wales, and let me tell you, it sounds absolutely melodic. If you're planning a trip to Wales, thinking of learning a new language, or just have a general fascination with Celtic cultures, diving into some basic Welsh language words is a fantastic starting point. It's not just about learning vocabulary; it's about connecting with a rich history and vibrant community. So, grab a cuppa, get comfy, and let's explore some essential Welsh words that will make you feel like a local in no time. We'll cover everything from greetings and common phrases to everyday objects and essential questions. Get ready to be charmed by the sounds and meanings of Cymraeg!

Greetings and Essential Phrases in Welsh

When you first start learning any new language, the absolute must-knows are the greetings and basic phrases. These are your social toolkit, the things you'll use every single day. For Welsh, the most fundamental greeting is “Bore da”, which means “Good morning”. It’s a lovely, warm way to start your day, and you’ll hear it everywhere. Following that, for the afternoon, you’ve got “Prynhawn da” – “Good afternoon”. And as the day winds down, “Nos da” will serve you well for “Good night”. Now, if you want to be a bit more informal, or just say hello generally, “Sut mae?” is your go-to, meaning “How are you?” or simply “Hello”. A really common response you might get, or use yourself, is “Iawn, diolch”, which translates to “Fine, thank you”. Don't forget your manners, though! “Diolch” means “Thank you”, and “Croeso” means “Welcome”. You’ll see “Croeso” on signs all over Wales, welcoming visitors. If you need to apologize or say you’re sorry, “Sori” is the word, similar to English. And for asking “What is your name?”, you can say “Beth ydy dy enw di?”. The answer would be something like, “My name is…” which is “Fy enw i ydy…”. Learning these basic greetings and phrases is super important because they are the foundation of any conversation. They show respect for the language and the culture, and people will definitely appreciate the effort. It’s also a great confidence booster when you can successfully use them. Imagine walking into a shop in Cardiff or a pub in Snowdonia and being able to greet someone in Welsh – it’s a fantastic feeling! So, practice these. Say them out loud. Bore da, Prynhawn da, Nos da. They might seem simple, but they open doors and create connections. These Welsh language words are your first step into a world of fascinating communication.

Common Welsh Nouns: People, Places, and Things

Alright, moving on from greetings, let's get into some common nouns. Knowing the words for everyday objects, people, and places will seriously boost your understanding and ability to form sentences. Let's start with people. The word for “man” is “dyn”, and “woman” is “gwraig”. For “child”, it’s “plentyn”. If you’re talking about family, “mam” is “mother”, and “tad” is “father”. Simple, right? Now, for places, “tref” means “town”, and “dinas” means “city”. If you’re heading to the countryside, “gwlad” is “country” or “countryside”. And, of course, “Cymru” is the Welsh word for “Wales” itself. This is a crucial one! When you're talking about things, there are loads of useful words. For instance, “tŷ” means “house”, and “car” is, well, “car”! “Bwyd” is “food”, something we all need, right? And if you're thirsty, you might want “dŵr” which is “water”. For something a bit warmer, “te” is “tea”, a very popular drink in Wales. If you're planning to read, you'll need a “llyfr” – a “book”. And for communication, “ffôn” is “phone”. Don't forget about nature! “Mynydd” means “mountain”, which you'll see a lot of in Wales, and “môr” means “sea”. So, you can see how these Welsh language words start to build a picture of the world around you. Knowing these nouns allows you to start describing things and making your sentences more descriptive. For example, you could say “I see a mountain” (“Gwelaf fynydd”) or “I want food” (“Dw i eisiau bwyd”). It’s amazing how quickly you can start forming basic sentences once you have a good grasp of common nouns. Keep practicing these, and try to use them in context whenever you can. Think about the things you see around you and try to find their Welsh equivalents. This active learning approach is key to remembering new vocabulary.Tŷ, Mynydd, Bwyd – these words are your building blocks!**

Verbs and Actions: Making Sentences Flow

Okay, guys, we've covered greetings and nouns, but what about verbs? Verbs are the action words that make sentences come alive! Without them, you can’t really do much, can you? So, let's dive into some essential Welsh verbs. One of the most important verbs is “bod”, which means “to be”. This is a bit tricky in Welsh as it conjugates in various ways depending on tense and subject, but understanding its function is key. For instance, “Dw i” means “I am”, and “Rydych chi” means “You are” (plural or formal). Another super useful verb is “mynd”, meaning “to go”. So, if you want to say “I am going”, you’d say “Dw i’n mynd”. Simple, right? Then there’s “gweld”, which means “to see”. “I see” is “Gwelaf” or “Dw i’n gweld”. Need to “eat”? That’s “bwyta”. So, “I eat” is “Bwytaf” or “Dw i’n bwyta”. And to “drink”, you use “diod” (noun for drink) or the verb “yfed”. So, “I drink” is “Ywaf” or “Dw i’n yfed”. What about “to have”? That’s often expressed using “bod” with a preposition, like “Mae gen i…” which means “I have…”. For example, “Mae gen i lyfr” means “I have a book”. To “want” something, you can use “eisiau”. “I want” is “Dw i eisiau…”. So, “Dw i eisiau te” means “I want tea”. Learning verbs is crucial for creating dynamic sentences. Instead of just naming things, you can describe actions. This is where the Welsh language words really start to connect and form meaningful communication. Try to combine the nouns we learned earlier with these verbs. For instance, “Dw i’n bwyta” (I am eating) combined with “Dw i’n bwyta bwyd” (I am eating food). Or “Dw i’n mynd i’r dref” (I am going to the town). It might feel a bit challenging at first, especially with the different forms of “to be,” but persistence is key. Think of these verbs as the engines of your sentences; they provide the movement and action. Keep practicing, and don't be afraid to experiment with combining different words. Mynd, gweld, bwyta – these are your active verbs!**

Adjectives: Adding Description to Your Welsh

Now that we’ve got greetings, nouns, and verbs, let’s sprinkle in some adjectives to make our descriptions more colorful! Adjectives are words that describe nouns, telling us more about their qualities. In Welsh, adjectives often follow the noun they describe, which is a bit different from English, but totally manageable. Let’s look at some common ones. “Da” means “good”. So, if you have a “good book”, it would be “llyfr da”. “Drwg” means “bad”. A “bad day” would be “diwrnod drwg”. How about “big”? That’s “mawr”. So, a “big house” is “tŷ mawr”. The opposite, “small”, is “bach”. A “small car” is “car bach”. You’ll often hear “bach” used affectionately too, like a term of endearment. Feeling “happy”? That’s “hapus”. So, “I am happy” is “Dw i’n hapus”. If you’re feeling “sad”, that’s “trist”. “I am sad” is “Dw i’n trist”. What about colors? “Gwyn” is “white”, and “du” is “black”. A “black cat” would be “cath ddu”. “Cochn” means “red”, and “glas” means “blue” or “green” (Welsh uses “glas” for both!). “New” is “newydd”, so a “new book” is “llyfr newydd”. And “old” is “hen”. An “old man” is “dyn hen”. See how these Welsh language words add detail? You can combine them with your verbs and nouns. For example, “Dw i’n gweld tŷ mawr” means “I see a big house”. Or “Mae gen i lyfr da” means “I have a good book”. Adjectives really enhance your ability to communicate specific ideas and paint a picture with your words. They allow you to move beyond simple statements and express nuances. Don’t forget that in Welsh, adjectives can sometimes change their form (mutate) depending on the word that comes before them, but for beginners, using the basic form is perfectly fine to start. Focus on understanding the meaning and placement. Da, mawr, hapus – these adjectives add flavor to your Welsh!**

Numbers in Welsh: Counting Your Way

Let’s get counting! Numbers are fundamental in any language, whether you’re buying something, telling time, or just counting sheep. The Welsh number system is quite logical and has roots in the traditional Celtic system. Let's start with the basics. One is “un”. Two is “dau” (for masculine nouns) or “dwy” (for feminine nouns) – this gender agreement is a common feature in Welsh. Three is “tri”. Four is “pedwar”. Five is “pump”. Six is “chwech”. Seven is “saith”. Eight is “wyth”. Nine is “naw”. And ten is “deg”. So, you can count from one to ten: un, dau/dwy, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech, saith, wyth, naw, deg. Pretty straightforward so far! Now, for the teens, you often combine the unit with the ten. For example, eleven is “un deg un” (one ten one), and twelve is “un deg dau” (one ten two). For larger numbers, the system gets a bit more complex, but for everyday use, knowing up to twenty is very helpful. Twenty is “hugain”. You can form numbers between twenty and forty by saying things like “un ar hugain” (one on twenty) for twenty-one. Beyond that, you have thirty (“trioed”) and forty (“deugain”). We've already covered some essential Welsh language words, and numbers are a key part of that. Being able to count is incredibly practical. Imagine you're in a market and want to buy “three apples” (“tri afal”). Or you need “ten pounds” (“deg punt”). Knowing your numbers allows for these essential transactions and interactions. It also helps with understanding dates and times. So, take some time to practice these numbers. Say them out loud, write them down. Try counting objects around you. Counting is a universal skill, and mastering it in Welsh will make you feel much more confident navigating daily situations. Un, dau, tri – let the counting commence!**

Useful Welsh Questions and Answers

To really get comfortable in conversations, you need to know how to ask questions and understand the answers. Let’s look at some common interrogative Welsh language words and phrases. We already touched on “Sut mae?” (How are you?). A more formal way to ask “How are you?” is “Sut wyt ti?” (informal, singular) or “Sut ydych chi?” (formal or plural). A typical answer, as we saw, is “Iawn, diolch” (Fine, thank you). If you want to ask “What is this?”, you can say “Beth ydy hyn?”. This is super useful for learning new objects. For example, if you point to a table (“bwrdd”), you can ask “Beth ydy hyn?”, and someone might reply “Hyn ydy bwrdd” (This is a table). If you want to ask “Where is…?”, you’d use “Ble mae…?”. For instance, “Ble mae’r toiled?” means “Where is the toilet?”. Looking for directions? “Ble mae’r orsaf?” asks “Where is the station?”. To ask “Do you speak Welsh?”, you can say “Wyt ti’n siarad Cymraeg?” (informal) or “Ydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg?” (formal/plural). A positive answer would be “Ydw” (Yes) or “Dw i’n siarad Cymraeg” (I speak Welsh). A negative answer would be “Nac ydw” (No) or “Dydw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg” (I don’t speak Welsh). Learning to ask questions is a powerful way to engage with people and gather information. It shows you’re interested and actively participating. Don’t be shy! People in Wales are generally very friendly and happy to help learners. Practice forming these questions using the vocabulary you’ve learned. For example, you can ask “Beth ydy hwn?” and point to different objects. You can ask “Ble mae’r siop?” (Where is the shop?). These interactions are invaluable for improving your fluency and confidence. Remember, every question you ask is a learning opportunity. Ble mae, Beth ydy, Sut wyt – these questions unlock conversations!**

Conclusion: Your Journey with Welsh Words Begins Now!

So there you have it, guys! We’ve covered a ton of essential Welsh language words and phrases, from basic greetings and common nouns to verbs, adjectives, numbers, and useful questions. Learning a new language is a journey, and this is just the beginning. The beauty of Welsh lies not only in its sound but also in the culture and history it represents. Don't feel overwhelmed; just take it one word, one phrase at a time. The key is consistent practice. Try to use the words you’ve learned today in sentences, even if it’s just talking to yourself. Immerse yourself as much as possible – listen to Welsh music, watch Welsh TV shows if you can find them, or even try a language learning app. The more you expose yourself to the language, the more natural it will feel. Remember the friendly faces you’ll meet in Wales and the warm welcome (“Croeso”) that awaits you. By learning even a few Welsh language words, you’re showing respect and opening up a deeper connection with the country and its people. So, keep practicing Bore da, Diolch, and Cymru. Pob lwc! (Good luck!) Your Welsh adventure starts now!**