http://www.gwybodiadur.co.uk

Some Welsh Phrases

Now, this site is not in any way whatsoever meant to be a dictionary or a means of translating things from or into Welsh. There is no shortage of Welsh online dictionaries and phrasebooks if that is what you want. But judging by search engine hits, so many people seem to want to know the Welsh for phrases like “I love you”, or what Cymru am byth means in English, that there now follows a tiny list of such favourite expressions, accompanied by ridiculously crude phonetic transcriptions. The unusual Welsh sound LL is represented here as HL; if you want to know how to pronounce it properly, click here.

Welsh–English

Cymru Wales
Cymry Welsh [the people]
Cymraeg Welsh [the language]
Lloegr England
Sais an Englishman
Saeson English [the people]
Saesneg English [the language]
Saesneg (adj.) English-language, English-speaking
Saesnig English [from England]
Cymru am byth! Wales for ever!
Y Ddraig Goch ddyry gychwyn The Red Dragon will show the way (slogan often accompanying the Red Dragon, symbol of Wales)
Twll dîn pob Sais! Down with the English! (literally ‘an arsehole every Englishman’)
Bore da Good morning
Prynhawn da Good afternoon
Noswaith dda Good evening
Nos da Goodnight
Helô or Hylô Hello
Sut mae? (North Welsh) How are you?
Shw mae? (South Welsh) How are you?
Croeso Welcome
Hwyl Bye
Hwyl am rwan/nawr Bye for now (North/South)
Dal ati!, Daliwch ati! Keep at it!, Don’t give up!
Nadolig Llawen Merry Christmas
Blwyddwyn Newydd Dda Happy New Year
Penblwydd Hapus Happy Birthday
Cyfarchion y Tymor Season’s greetings
Pob lwc Good luck
Dymuniadau da, Dymuniadau gorau, Pob dymuniad da Best wishes
Llongyfarchiadau Congratulations
Cofion cynnes Yours (at end of letter/mail)
Cariad Love, Darling
Dw i’n dy garu di I love you
Hen Wlad fy Nhadau Land of My Fathers (the Welsh national anthem)

English–Welsh

Wales Cymru [“CUMree”]
Welsh [the people] Cymry [“CUMree”]
Welsh [the language] Cymraeg [“cumRYGE”]
Welsh (adj.) [Welsh-lanaguge, Welsh-speaking] Cymraeg [“cumRYGE”]
Welsh [from Wales] Cymreig [“cumREYG”]
England Lloegr [“HLOYgr”]
Englishman Sais [“sysse”]
English [the people] Saeson [“SYSSE-on”]
English [the language] Saesneg [“SYSSE-neg”]
English (adj.) [English-language, English-speaking] Saesneg [“SYSSE-neg”]
English [from England] Saesnig [“SYSSE-nig”]
Good morning Bore da [“BORreh da”]
Good afternoon Prynhawn da [“pnaown da”]
Good evening Noswaith dda [“NOSSwythe dha”]
Goodnight Nos da [“nos da”]
Hello Helo [“heLO”]
Hi!, How are you? Sut mae? [“sit mye”] (North Welsh), Shw mae? [“shoo mye”] (South Welsh)
Welcome Croeso [“CROY-so”]
Goodbye Hwyl [“hooil”]
Bye Hwyl [“hooil”]
Merry Christmas Nadolig Llawen [“naDOLLig HLAwen”
Happy New Year Blwyddwyn Newydd Dda [“BLOOdhin NEHwidh dha”]
Season’s greetings Cyfarchion y Tymor [“kuhVARKHyon uh TUHmor”]
Happy Birthday Penblwydd Hapus [“PENblwidh HAPiss”]
Good luck Pob lwc [“pawb look”]
Best wishes Pob dymuniad da [“pawb duhMINyad da”]
Yours (at end of letter/mail) Cofion cynnes [“KOVVyon KUHNess”]
Congratulations Llongyfarchiadau [“hlong-guhvarkhYADeye”]
Darling Cariad [“CARRYad”]
I love you Dw i’n dy garu di [“doo een duh GARee dee”]
Land of My Fathers (the Welsh national anthem) Hen Wlad fy Nhadau [“hen wlad vuhn HAD-eye”]

For other sources of basic Welsh phrases, try the following:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/about/language-justenough.shtml (BBC Wales)
http://www.travlang.com/languages/ (“Welsh for Travellers”)
http://www.croeso-cynnes-wales.co.uk/iaith/phrases.html (includes .wav sound files to illustrate the pronunciation)
http://www.clwbmalucachu.co.uk/cheatsheets.htm
http://www.radioacen.fm/welsh/