Today’s word of the day is the simple cryf, meaning strong. It’s an adjective, although historically it has been sometimes used as a noun to mean a very strong man. cryf strong As with many old Welsh words, the meaning can be more flexible and fluid than you might expect. In every day conversation, it’s …
The Welsh word estyn is used in a variety of ways, to mean reach, stretch, give, or pass. But its most basic meaning, covering the majority of ways in which it’s used in everyday Welsh, is to extend. estyn extend Did you spot a similarity between this word and its English translation? If so, you’d …
I’ve always found it rather charming that in both Welsh and English, the word for a brief spell of rain is the same as the device most of us use to wash with in the bathroom. In Welsh, that word is cawod. It can be pluralised as either cawodau or cawodydd. In my experience, the …
Nobody’s perfect – we’ve all done things that were a bit silly or careless at one time or another. I certainly have my fair share of those regrets, and I have to admit, most of them happened when I was yn fy arddegau (in my teens). But the blynyddoedd arddegol (teenage years) aren’t all bad. …
It might not be the most thrilling word in Welsh, but haearn (iron) played a truly important role in shaping Wales during the Chwyldro Diwydiannol (Industrial Revolution). Let’s explore its etymology, uses and how it helped forge a nation! haearn iron According to the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, the word comes from the Celtic form isarnon, …
One thing we all know about Welsh is that it’s chock full of variation. Just when you think you’ve mastered a phrase, you learn that it’s said completely differently in a town an hour away! And this just doesn’t apply to phrasing but also to vocabulary. One of the worst culprits is the humble nionyn, …
Dych chi’n gallu siarad Cymraeg? (Can you speak Welsh?) It’s kind of a moot point here at We Learn Welsh, since what we think is really important is that dych chi’n gallu dysgu Cymraeg (you can learn Welsh). And this is definitely the case, because anyone can learn Welsh! The verb gallu in the previous two …
As a child, my siblings and I really enjoyed taking part in eisteddfodau (Eisteddfods), a traditional Welsh arts festival based around a series of contests. There’s an organisation, Urdd Gobaith Cymru (The League of Welsh Hope) that organises eisteddfodau for young people, often high-school students. One of my favourite competitions was the ymgom, which in …
I have a bit of a soft spot for words about words – so it’s no surprise that I’m so fond of the Welsh adjective llafar. The Welsh word llafar is best translated as spoken and can refer to something done orally, vocally, or verbally. When describing speech, it often means colloquial. In older usage, …
One fascinating feature of the Welsh language is the use of reflexive verbs, which are formed by adding the prefix ym– to the beginning of a verb. This prefix indicates that the subject of the action is also its recipient, making the verb reflexive in nature. Of course, words change over time, and some words …