Writing a sympathy message to a family member or friend can be an enormous challenge. In fact, you may feel as if no words could possibly comfort them at their time of need. While it is true that you cannot take their pain away, it is often better to express your feelings and show your support than to say nothing at all.
The Welsh sympathy quotes and phrases in this article have been divided into two sections. The first focuses on phrases you would use in conversation, whereas the second details traditional phrases often used in sympathy cards.
Note: Throughout this article, I’ve used the pronoun chi (the plural ‘you’ or the formal ‘you’) instead of ti (the singular informal ‘you’). This is because even if you are talking to an individual you know well, it is polite and kind to include their family in your condolences.
Welsh Sympathy Quotes & Phrases: In speech
The following phrases are colloquial and may be used during a funeral or when talking to the bereaved for the first time after the event.
Mae’n ddrwg calon ‘da fi.
English meaning: I’m so sorry.
You will hear this phrase more often in the south. In the north, you would be more likely to hear: Mae’n ddrwg calon gen i. Note that calon is the Welsh word for heart.
A more familiar phrase would be Mae’n wir ddrwg gen i (north) or Mae’n wir ddrwg ‘da fi (south).
Mae’n ddrwg gen i am eich profedigaeth.
English meaning: I’m sorry for your bereavement.
A word that frequently appears when expressing sympathy is profedigaeth (bereavement). You can add am eich profedigaeth onto the end of mae’n ddrwg geni (or mae’n ddrwg ‘da fi).
Mae’n ddrwg gen i glywed am eich colled.
English meaning: I’m sorry to hear about your loss.
Instead of bereavement, you may want to say loss which is colled in Welsh.
Dw i eisiau i chi wybod ein bod ni’n meddwl amdanoch chi.
English meaning: I want you to know that we are thinking of you.
A nice way to show your sympathy is to say that you (and those close to you) are thinking about your friend or family member at their time of need.
Welsh Sympathy Quotes & Phrases: Cards and Written Messages
Many people prefer to write down their thoughts in a sympathy card or a letter as doing so gives them time to think carefully about the message of condolence they wish to share. The phrases below are a good starting point for any written correspondence between yourself and the bereaved.
Mewn / Gyda cymdymdeimlad
English meaning: In / with sympathy
Mewn cymdymdeimlad (in sympathy) or gyda chymdymdeimlad (with sympathy) are standard phrases seen on the front of most sympathy cards.
If you are writing the entire message yourself, you can elaborate on these set phrases using the words profedigaeth (bereavement) and colled (loss) which we already saw above:
- Gyda chydymdeimlad dwys yn eich colled trist. = Our deepest sympathies for your sad loss.
- Gyda phob cydymdeimlad yn eich profedigaeth. = With every sympathy for your bereavement.
Yn meddwl amdanoch
English meaning: Thinking of you
Here we have another classic phrase that is widely used on greeting cards. Some elaborations on this include:
- Yn meddwl amdanoch gyda chymdymdeimlad. = Thinking about you with sympathy.
- Yn meddwl amdanoch yn eich hiraeth. = Thinking about you in your (time of) grief.
- Yn meddwl amdanoch gyda chariad yn eich galar. = Thinking of you with love in your (time of) grief.
Gyda chariad ar yr adeg anodd hon.
English meaning: With love at this difficult time.
There is no better way to show your affection for a bereaved friend of family member than by expressing your love, which is exactly what the phrase gyda chariad (with love) achieves.