The name the Welsh give to Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is Siôn Corn. The name Siôn is pronounced like the name Shaun with an elongated ‘aw‘ and corn (meaning horn or chimney pot) is pronounced much like the English word corn but with a rolled R.
Ah, Cardiff – the capital of Wales and its largest city. Located at the southern end of the country, it is the home of the National Assembly for Wales, most cultural institutions, the Welsh media and a fantastic castle. What’s not to love?
If there is one thing all children look forward to at Christmas, it is receiving gifts under the tree from Father Christmas!
anrheg
present / gift
The Welsh word for Wales is Cymru which comes from the Welsh name for the people of Wales, Cymry.
Depending on where you live in Wales, there are different names for grandparents in the Welsh language.
A word that everyone seems to know in Wales, regardless of whether they actually speak Welsh or not, is smwddio, or smwddo without the i if you live in the south. Both mean to iron (clothes) and derive from the English word smooth.
The Welsh way of saying Happy Birthday is Pen blwydd Hapus or Pen-blwydd Hapus. You may also see it spelt as Penblwydd Hapus.
Pen-blwydd hapus i ti! – Diolch!
Happy birthday to you! – Thanks!
Few animals have had such a great impact on British civilisation as the humble horse. The domestication of horses began in Britain by the 25th century BC and over the years, they have been used for warfare, agriculture and transportation. Today horses are kept mostly for recreational purposes but they remain a much-loved animal across the British Isles and the world.
There is a popular saying in Wales: “Anyone can cuddle but only the Welsh can cwtsh!”
‘Cwtsh’ – or cwtch / cwts / cwtsi as it is alternatively spelt – can be loosely translated as “hug” or “cuddle” in English and is pronounced like the word “butch”. It is so popular that the Welsh sometimes use it even when they are speaking in English!
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. Let’s break it down into small bite-sized syllables, shall we?