Yes, yes, I know – the pedantic amongst you will be quick to point out that ych-a-fi isn’t a single word but three words combined to form an interjection. It can be translated in any number of ways including yucky, disgusting, horrible – just take your pick! All we really need to know is that …
Do you know why the grawnfwyd (cereal) Kelloggs advertises itself with a picture of a ceiliog (cockerel / rooster)? The easy answer is that these adar (birds) are known for waking people in the morning with their canu (usually singing, here crowing), signalling the start of the day and time for brecwast (breakfast). But it …
The Welsh word for congratulations is … a long one! I remember it took me ages to learn how to pronounce this word without getting my tongue tied, so don’t worry if it takes you a while for you to master it as well. llongyfarchiadau congratulations The singular form llongyfarchiad means congratulation, but you won’t …
Today let’s talk about the word cefnogi, which means to support. A great way to remember this word is to look at the first part of it, cefn. You may know that this is the word for back in Welsh, so you can think of it as being like backing someone, just as is often …
Our Welsh word of the day today is mieri, which means brambles or briars. It refers to the whole planhigyn (plant) rather than just to the mwyar (berries). Like in English, it is sometimes used in a general sense to refer to llwyni (bushes) with lots of drain (prickles or thorns). Mieri is a collective …
Gwasgu is a verb that, in most cases, means to squeeze or to press, although the range of situations it can be used in extends much further! gwasgu to squeeze / to press It comes from the proto-Celtic *wedsk, which is also the root of words in other Celtic languages like fáisc in Irish and …
Though having a gyrfa (career) that you love is a dream and a blessing, for many people unfortunately it’s not reality. If your swydd (job) isn’t your passion, you may rely on dreams of a more exciting ymddeoliad (retirement) to get you through the day! Ymddeol is the Welsh word for retiring or to retire. …
Wolves have a unique relationship with humans. On the one hand, they haunt the llên gwerin (folklore) of cultures throughout Europe, Asia and North America, the cunning villains of chwedlau (fables) like Hugan Fach Goch (Little Red Riding Hood) or the legend of the bleidd-ddyn (werewolf). But on the other, in many diwylliannau (cultures), they’re …
Recently my son has become obsessed with the iconic film Muppet Treasure Island, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Amser yn hedfan wir! (How time flies!) If you haven’t seen it, it is definitely worth watching for Tim Curry’s performance alone. The Welsh for pirate is môr-leidr, which is the combination of môr …
Not all words translate easily from one language to another, and mynnu is one of those in Cymraeg (Welsh). It usually means to insist on doing something or to persist in doing something, but can also seem more like to want or to wish. mynnu to insist Mynnu comes from the proto-Celtic *menneti, meaning to …