Words Archives - Page 26 of 30

Welsh Word of the Day: Pensel (pencil)

There was once a time when we all relied on pencils for jotting down notes and lists. However, with the rise of smartphones and computers, pencils have shifted from being essential writing tools to more of a go-to for sketching and drawing. In Welsh, the word for this stalwart tool is pensel. pensel pencil Note: …

Every country has its own unique customs, and Wales is no exception. For instance, it used to be customary to gift a llwy garu (lovespoon) to your beloved as a symbol of affection. In modern Wales, a more common tradition is enjoying a paned (cup) of tea in the afternoon, often accompanied by a slice …

The Welsh word for ‘milk’ in Welsh is llefrith or llaeth. Generally speaking, llefrith is used more in North Wales whereas llaeth is used more in South Wales. However, saying that, there are also some regional variations, depending where you are in the country. llefrith llaeth For example, in Bala, North Wales, people generally use …

Cacen is the Welsh word for cake, and in the south Wales dialect, you can also use teisen. Additionally, teisen is heard in some parts of north Wales, particularly on Ynys Môn – the Isle of Anglesey. In certain areas of north Wales, especially in the west and parts of Conwy county, variations like cacan …

Hydref has two meanings in Welsh: the season of Autumn and the month of October. To differentiate between the two, a lowercase ‘h’ is used for the season, and an uppercase ‘H’ is used for the month. Hydref, referring to Autumn, is viewed as the season between summer and winter, spanning through September, October, and …

Today’s word of the day is lleuad (North Wales dialect), or lloer (South Wales dialect / literary form) which translates to ‘moon’ in English or ‘luna’ in Latin, the natural satellite that is approximately 238,000 miles away from earth.

Hiraeth is a comforting Welsh word that describes a mix of feelings or emotions. Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru translates it as:

‘grief or sadness after the lost or departed, longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness, homesickness.’

In Welsh, the verb drysu means (to get / be) confused.

drysu

to get / be confused

One notable feature associated with Wales, in addition to its rugby team and male voice choirs, is its unpredictable climate. A day can commence with bright sunshine and warmth, only to swiftly shift into a blustery, rain-soaked tempest. It’s one of the reasons we love living here – you never know what to expect!

Today we will be focusing on the weather phenomenon that gives Wales its luscious green hills: the rain, or glaw in Welsh. It is a masculine noun that is usually uncountable, although the plural forms glawiau or glawogydd do exist.

The Welsh word for owl is tylluan and the plural is tylluanod. This word is used across Wales in all dialects.

Tylluan – Tylluanod

Owl – Owls

The word makes its earliest appearance in the Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch (the White Book of Rhydderch), a significant 14th-century manuscript that holds a collection of Welsh legends known as the Mabinogi.

Welsh Word of the Day: Pensel (pencil)

Welsh Word of the Day: Arfer (custom / habit / usually / used to)

Welsh Word of the Day: Llefrith / Llaeth (milk)

Welsh Word of the Day: Cacen (cake)

Welsh Word of the Day: Hydref (autumn / October)

Welsh Word of the Day: Lleuad / Lloer (moon)

Welsh Word of the Day: Hiraeth

Welsh Word of the Day: Drysu (confused)

How to Say “Rain” in Welsh – Glaw

How to Say “Owl” in Welsh – Tylluan