Everyday Welsh

WELCOME - CROESO

2011-06-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Right, to begin, I would like firstly to explain (briefly) my intentions for this blog.

This blog should NOT be used as your PRIMARY source for learning Welsh.

I assume, that any visitors here have already delved somewhat into the beautiful language and know at least some basics. My goal is to IMMERSE you in modern/essential Welsh culture, current Welsh culture! Therefore, I have decided to aid all of your learning by teaching aspects of the language through Videos/Music etc. Short, engaging clips that you SHOULD watch OVER & OVER... and with my help you WILL come to UNDERSTAND their meanings.

I set the idea out, knowing that this EXPOSURE to Welsh IS very beneficial. Studies have been conducted PROVING that exposure to the target language (i.e. Welsh in this case) improves language acquisition, or, the rate it will take you to grasp the language. Although incomprehensible initially, YOU WILL start to know the media clips on this site WELL. You therefore will have a REPOSITORY or a WELL of available vocab etc. you can SQUEEZE into your conversations!!

One point I would like to stress.... ENJOY the clips! Have fun! Don't worry if you don't understand at first... YOU WILL BE ABLE TO. Good, so... relaxed??

Now For Some (unintentional) Comedy!

2011-06-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

This clip is from a Welsh film that is taught at GCSE every year... It's sooo good, because it's sooo bad!:L

It had quite a cult following now, it's very funny:L

We will use entertainment to good use!

Man:- Be' ydw i wedi 'neud i chi, pam?

Beth - What?

Ydw i wedi - have I done ("wedi" makes it 'did', makes it be in the past, "have done" something)

i.e. rydw i wedi ysgrifennu llythyr - I have written a letter

'neud = gwneud = (to) do / make

i chi - to you (respect, plural)

Pam? = why?

Be' ydw i wedi 'neud i chi, pam?

What I have done to you, why?

Or, in question order...

What have I done to you, why?

Woman:- Pam lai?

Pam - why

Pam lai - means, why not?

Man:- Just dudwch pam?

Just- Just

dudwch (North Wales accent) = dywedwch - you say ("chi" version - dywedwch chi)

pam - why

Woman:- Pam? (bad evil laugh)

Pam? - why?

struggle

Woman (being straggled):- Dyna 'dych chi isio te?

Dyna - There (that it)

'dych chi - ydych chi - you do/do you (cause its a question)

isio - eisiau (pronounced with North Wales accent)

te - then

Woman:- Eii? Come on!

no explanation needed

Man:- Chi ddim yn call

chi - you (plural, polite, formal)

ddim - not

yn - "is" (in the state of.. i.e. yn frown - is brown)

call - sane (should be "gall" but, just everyday speech)

... You're not sane!

FLASHBACKS....SUPER HUMAN STRENGTH.... KETCHUP (sôs coch- red sauce) EVERYWHERE

Y Corryn a'r Pry' - Cerys Mathews

2011-06-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here, we have our next video, a nice little song on Cerys Mathews acclaimed album "Awyren=Aeroplane!"

Relax:D

The song is entitled, "Y Corryn a'r Pry'" - The Spider and The Fly

Let's start!... Remember listen through it first... then chunk by chunk! The language in this, represents well how people speak Welsh now, and in a sense is more useful that "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau." It's less formal, slangy, more realistic usage!

Dwi am ddangos paradwys i ti (I am going to show you paradise)

'Dwi - Rydw i, I am

am - conveys "going to" - in the future

Rydw i am - I am going..(in the future, *not future tense, just its gonna happen)

dangos = show,

"dd" - like "the" because it follows "am" a preposition, mutates softly

therefore, (ry)dw i am ddangos

Paradwys = Paradise

I ti = to you (remember "i mi" (to me) from the other post?)

Dwi am ddangos paradwys i ti

I am going to show paradise to you/ - either "to you" at end or

I am going to show you paradise "show you" in English

Meddai'r corryn wrth y pry'

Meddai - (it/he/she/Gareth) said.. meddai exists only in a few forms, use like this

'r = meddai + y = two vowels, 'r (apostrophe)

y= the

corryn - spider

wrth - to ("wrth" used after "dweud" "to say" and "meddai" "said")

y = the

pry(f) = fly

Meddai'r corryn wrth y pry'

Said the spider to the fly

Ti am aros 'da fi

Ti - you (singular, informal)

am - are going (in the future sometime)

aros - (to) stay

'da = gyda = with

fi (like mi) = me

Ti am aros 'da fi

You are going to stay with me

*************

Mynd â chwmpawd drwy'r ddinas...

Mynd - (to) go

â - with (gyda, used after verbs) mynd gyda (mynd â) (circumflex "^" stretches vowel)

cwmpawd = a compass (after "â" and "gyda", c, p, t mutate - c -> "ch" "loch")

therefore, ...â chwmpawd

drwy - through

'r - drwy + y = drwy'r (two vowels)

y = "the"

dinas - city (note, ddinas, after "y" (dinas is singular, feminine!, like "Gwlad" from other post.)

Mynd â chwmpawd drwy'r ddinas

Go with a compass through the city

Next...

...Bydda' i'n disgwyl 'na i ti,
i ddangos y ffordd.

Byddaf i = I will (be) (future tense)

disgwyl = wait/expect you

'na, yna = there

i ti = to you (singular, informal)

i - to (in order to)

ddangos - (to) show (after "i" - "to" (in order to) soft mutation) d-- dd

y - the

ffordd - way

Bydda' i'n disgwyl 'na i ti, i ddangos y ffordd.
I will wait there for you, to show the way. or, re-ordered,
I will wait for you there , to show the way

...'Dwi am droi y gofod rhyngom,
a'i wneud e yn gan gradd.

'Dwi, rydw i am - I am going

troi - (to) turn (droi - after "am", soft mutation, t->d)

y - the

gofod - space

rhyngom - between us

a'i wneud e - and make it:- "a", "and" + "gwneud" "(to) make" "e/ef" "he/it"

a+ei - a'i (you need "ei" before the "e/ef"

yn - ("is")

can - 100 (soft mutation after "yn" "is")

gradd- degree (think compass, degrees, as in 360 with a circle)

'Dwi am droi y gofod rhyngom,
a'i wneud e yn gan gradd

I am going to turn the space between us,
and make it a hundred (100) degrees...

Am i ni fod 'da'n gilydd

Am i - for (in order to)

ni - we/us

bod - "(to) be" (infinitive - like it'd be in a dictionary):-
soft mutation after "ni" (same with fi, ti etc.)

'da - gyda = with

'n - ein (latches onto the vowel on the end of "'da", shortens)

i.e. 'da + ein = 'da'n

gilydd = together

Am i ni fod 'da'n gilydd.
In order that... we be together
/so that

...Wyt ti'n barod am noson fel hon, fel hon.

Wyt ti - Are you?

yn barod - to be (is) ready - yn fawr (is big)

ti + yn = ti'n (vowels together merge)

am - for

noson - a night

fel - like

hon - this (feminine "this", because "noson" is feminine, like "dinas")

Wyt ti'n barod am noson fel hon, fel hon?
Are you ready for a night like this, like this?

Onwards...

Os rhoi di bopeth sydd gen ti,
mi gei di bopeth sydd gen i...

Os = if

rhoi di = you give (you- ti/di) (rhoi = (to) give)

popeth - everything (mutates softly after "ti/di" remember? Like "ni" and "fi/mi'

sydd - which

gen ti - I have ("gen" is a conjugated form of "gan" = "have - posses, own")

Mi or Fe - adds more emphasis

gei di - you can have ("gei" has mutated softly after "mi/fe" from "cei",

cei di - you can have (you informal, "di/ti" - conjugated form of "cael" "to have"

bopeth - everything - everything - same mutation "popeth"

sydd - which

gen i - I have (conjugated "gan" again, this time for "fi/mi" (gennyf fi- gen i)

...next,

a chymaint mwy

a = and

cymaint - so much

a chymaint... after "a" meaning "and" - mutates c - ch (loch)

mwy - more

a chymaint mwy
and so much more

This is rather amusing...

...Mae'n cymryd dau i wneud y tango...
mae gennym wahaniaethau mawr, ti byth yn gofyn dim.

Mae - remember this just sits nicely at the start of such sentences, that just state something.

yn cymryd - (to) take (yn cymryd - does take, "being")

dau - 2 (plural unknown gender, always 'dau' if at least 1 male, even if there's a 1000 women, 'dwy' for 1 or more females only.)

i - to (in order to) (remember softly mutate after this, g drops!, disappears!)

gwneud - (to) do/ make

y - the

tango - tango!

Mae'n cymryd dau i wneud y tango
It takes 2 to do the tango

...mae gennym wahaniaethau mawr.

Mae - same goes, (stating the fact they have big differences)

gennym - we have ('gan' - possess, have conjugated preposition) *you treiglo after 'gan' - and this is a form of that! - Softly :) Gs drop!

gwahaniaeth - difference

gwahaniaethau - differences

mawr - big...

Mae gennym wahaniaethau mawr
We have big differences

....Next,

Ti byth yn gofyn dim

... ti - you (singular, informal i.e. friends etc.)

byth - never

gofyn - (to) ask *yn gofyn... why 'yn?':-

For the curious, http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Welsh/Verbs#Group_1_-_yn

dim - nothing but anything, unless in English you wanna double-negative!

So... Ti byth yn gofyn dim
You never ask anything

************************

Repeats

************************

CHORUS

Fflamau, fflamau
Yn fy mhen, fy mer, fy nghalon
Fy enaid, tyrd yn 'gosach
Gad imi deimlo dy fysedd arnaf.

Fflam - Flame (f - v, ff - f (fun) )

Fflamau - Flames

Yn - In

Fy - My

Now here's a good bit to see how different letters mutate after 'Fy' - Nasal

Learn this well!!
It will be handy to be able to refer to a melody with examples!

Pen -> Mhen = Head P - Mh

mêr -> mêr = Marrow (in bone) - M - M

Calon -> Nghalon = Heart --> C - Ngh

Tyrd! = Come... "dod" is (to) come, however this is the command form! (imperative) - informal, singular

agosach - closer ('gosach - slangy)

:D Learn these you'll look impressive ;)

Gad - from Gadael = (to) leave/allow

i mi - (for) me

teimlo - (to) feel - Mutation! after "mi" - Soft!

t-d

dy - your (possession) (singular, personal) - Treiglo like with after 'My' = 'Fy'
But SOFTLY now!

B-F (f=v sound)

bysedd - fingers

arnaf ---> ar = preposition, "on" - arnaf, conjugated "on me" (many prepositions conjugate like 'am' 'ar' and 'gan' etc.)

So....

Flames, flames
In my head, my marrow, my heart,
Come closer! Let/Allow me feel your
fingers on me!

VÓILA, There we go... Now, sit back relax, take your time, and read over and over, and try and try to sing along... You will get there!

Remember, doing a little bit every day, is far better than doing 3 hours on a Monday and nothing for the rest of the week!!

Learning Welsh from Music: Let's Start With the Anthem!

2011-06-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

(Old Land of My Fathers)

Let's begin!

PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THIS MAY BE THE MOST DIFFICULT IN A SENSE FOR A WHILE, NOT BECAUSE IT'S HARD AT ALL, WE ALL KNOW THE WORDS, BUT THE LANGUAGE IS QUITE 'POSH,' IT IS FROM THE OLDEN DAYS! IT'S NOT, NOT HARD THOUGH REALLY!!

This is the Welsh National Anthem: Listen to it in its entirety :)

Right, so... I would like to explain the meaning and words in this song, chunk by chunk.

So, I will firstly deal with the FIRST STANZA, so after I've walked you through it, play just this part again, NOT the whole thing... Just to where I've explained. This will be the pattern through the whole song.

The first lyrics are...

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,

So, firstly you'll notice the word 'Mae'.

'Mae' is a very common word in Welsh, but, it appears to serve no purpose.

Simply, and let's NOT COMPLICATE this, shove 'MAE' at the start of a positive, indicative statement, i.e. a sentence that says something is something (positive). Just use it... it goes at the beginning, when we simply state (not question) something.

Next, Hen means OLD and this is one of the very few adjectives (describing words, green, small, long etc.) that comes BEFORE the thing it is describing... most, most, most come after,

i.e. Gwlad hir (long country)

So, Hen means Old,

Wlad means Country/Land - in the dictionary it would have a 'G' at the start (GWLAD) but the word Hen comes before (exception not rule), so the letter G get's dropped, left out.

So, we have, HEN WLAD: OLD LAND/COUNTRY

Therefore, Mae hen wlad - The old land (we see how Mae is at the front, it Starts statements like this.) If it isn't a question or negative statement (there are NO, Doesn't etc.)

There's a good chance you'll simply need to shove 'Mae' at the start. SIMPLE, really, think of it as simply as that! :D

So, Mae hen wlad

The old land

Next, fy nhadau...

tad = dad (father) (simple enough!)

tadau - dads (fathers) the plural.

FY means My - it's possessive, i.e. belongs to, it's MY fathers, Mine!

So, Fy tadau = My Fathers

Howver... like with Hen... the word after mutates, or changes.

So... after Fy it gets nasal, all nosey, like a blocked nose version,

T goes to Nh after 'FY'

That's quite simple, don't worry, just remember that! Trying to say 'T' through your nose comes out that way!:L

So - Fy tadau, becomes..... Fy nhadau (my fathers)

Quite simple. T -> Nh.

It will get shorter...

Next, "yn annwyl" meaning "is dear"

Yn - Is
annwyl - dear

"i mi" - "to me"

The old land of my fathers is dear to me.

Mae Hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi.

Notice... how we don't need OF... as in, Gareth's bag (the bag OF Gareth) it's his!

In Welsh is "Bag Gareth" ...bag = bag ;) SEE!, NOTHING for this OF. Just Bag Gareth, Gareth's bag! :)

Easy!... The explanations will get shorter and shorter, TRUST ME!...

I'll continue, shorter, in the next post... We Will fly through it!... Remember the START was always gonna be the most detailed.

Just listen to the song, relax, read the lyrics, over and over :D... Until soon!

The Rest: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

2011-06-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

Right so,

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi.
The old land of my fathers is dear to me.

Next,

Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri.

Gwlad = Land/ Country - remember?

Beirdd = Poets / Bards - Plural

Bardd = Poet / Bard - Singular (see the resemblance with bards?)

a = and

Chantorion = musicians (cantor - musician)

After "a" meaning "and," C changes to CH

Cantorion --> Chantorion

CH as in LOCH (Scottish lake)

So,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion
Land of bards/poets and musicians

Sounds about right!

Remember last time when I said... "Bag Gareth" "Gareth's Bag" i.e. we don't need anything for "OF" meaning "belongs to"

... next

...Enwogion o fri.

Enwog = Famous

Enwogion = Famous people (plural)

"O fri"
O - Of, in the sense, "of esteem" - NOT "OF" - MEANING POSSESSION (BAG GARETH)

Fri - esteem, regard, thought of well, admired etc... that idea (greatness)

O fri - Of esteem (great)

Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri.
Land of bards and musicians, famous people of esteem.

Next,

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd

Ei = His/Her - in this case... "Her" - referring to Wales, a country (gwlad) which is a feminine word!

Gwrol - courageous/brave/gallant

Rhyfelwyr - Warriors (plural)... (rhyfel = war) (rhyfelwr = warrrior)

Gwlad - Land/Country

Garrwyr - Lovers... Plural.... (caru - to love) (carwr - lover)

Note, Garrwyr not Carrwyr!
Remember I said, Gwlad was a feminine word?
After a singular feminine word i.e. gwlad or merch (girl) the following word mutates.
C - G - because it softens - C is harder sounding

Tra - Highly/Very

Mâd - good, splendid, great etc. (used often in the past for "Da" "Good")
the roof (cirumflex- to be posh) on the "a" extends the sound!:D

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwlad garwyr tra mâd
Her brave warriors, highly splendid country lovers (i.e. compatriots)

Next...

Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed

Dros = Over (you mutate after this word, a preposition, you soften, like c-g, rh-r) - just remember!

But, it isn't the end of the world if you don't mutate at the start... when you get more advanced you can worry more.

Rhyddid = Freedom

Collasant = They did loose/ (They lost - Said a lot in speech) (Colli - to lose)... this is is pluperfect tense, it was done a long time ago and was completed in simple terms! - the "-ant" ending shows it's "they."

Eu - Their - Remember Ei? Meaning her/his... Eu is the plural... so Their, they own it! It's theirs!

Gwaed - Blood

Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed
Over freedom they did loose (they lost) their blood.

And that's the end of the first verse.

Chorus next!!!

The Chorus: Gwlad! Gwlad!

2011-06-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

Gwlad! Gwlad!

Easy enough... Country! Country! ("Nation!" would fit nicely.)

Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad

Pleidiol = True/ Faithful/ Favourable

Note. Think "Plaid Cymru"... "Party of Wales."... They too being nationalist, like this song, are faithful!

(yr) Wyf = I am -- the same as... 'rydw i, or, 'rwyf i'

Vital... 'Rwyf i or Rydw i :- They mean 'I am' (1st person singular present)
- Rydw i'n hapus = I am happy!

Next,

i'm = i + fy

Remember "i" = "to" (...annwyl i mi)

" 'm " (apostrophe m) is what you get when you push "i" and "fy" together!! Simple.

(remember "fy" = "my") (fy nhadau)

i'm = to my (i + fy)

Moving on..!

Gwlad - land/country (note although 'gwlad' would mutate after "Fy" it doesn't after "i'm" ("i" + "fy")

Simple, Remember to continue playing through each part after we've covered it here!

Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad
Faithful, I am to my country/land ... (nation would fit well, besides it's the same meaning)

or if you please, in the normal layout

I am faithful to my country

Onwards...

Tra = Highly... Sorry not this time (it can also mean "while" "whilst")

Môr = Sea (mere, French, mar, Spanish) (remember the roof "^" stretches the vowel, "mâd")

Yn = Is ... Remember "yn annwyl" - "is dear"?? :D

Mur = Wall (same as French)

Note:- Yn fur = is (a) wall
therefore, "mur" changes to "fur" (veeeeer) because it's saying it IS something.
It mutates and... softens here!

(not a big deal for absolute beginners, but it's not hard to remember after "yn" meaning "is" you
soft mutate a word!) :)

Tra môr yn fur
While the sea is a wall

Almost DONE!

I'r bur hoff bau

I = To (again)

I'R = "I" + "Y"

Y = The ("y bag" = "the bag")

"To the"

"Pur" = Pure (look similar)

Note:- After "y" found in "I'r" singular feminine words like "Gwlad" mutate.
P mutates to B (softens)

Hoff = Favourite (one of the other few words that come before like "hen" (all in this song:L))

Note:- Like with "Hen" you mutate after "Hoff" - it softens the "P" to a "B"

Pau = Dated/Old word for "country"... you will only ever use this word in the anthem, for sure!

Remember, isn't vital yet, but

"Pau" after "Hoff" (like "Hen")

= Hoff bau

I'r bur hoff bau
To/for the pur country

Tra môr yn fur, i'r bur hoff bau
While the sea is (a) will, for/to the pure country

Just to clarify, that sentence above is honestly, challenging Welsh!.. We may not get Welsh that challenging for a while!... Bear with me! :D

Last line:-

O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau!

O = just a noise :L "Oh"

Bydded - "may" (not the month, a form of "to be" - "May I?" - not used often, (the subjunctive mood) used often in the Bible, and in Poetry... Appropriate tone for an anthem, powerful!

From Genesis:-
May there be light!
Bydded goleuni!

O bydded - Oh may ("to be")

I'r - to the... that idea

hen - old (again before, vowels don't mutate)

iaith - language ("th" here is soft... "think")

parhau - endure, prolong, continue

Note:- "iaith" is like "gwlad" - A singular ("language") feminine object... you gotta mutate :D Softly!

Again... Not vital (you will be understood w/o mutating this!) "P" mutates to "B" (again)

O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau!
O may the old language endure/prolong/continue!

The end!! Keep on playing through the anthem, chunk by chunk, picking it apart, until you know the lyrics and can sing along in time with understanding/consciously (not a mimic version!)

Bear in mind.... This is one of the MOST DIFFICULT

But everyone's familiar with it, so that's a good base!! :D

Enjoy your listening :D

Mutatations - Treigladau

2011-06-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

Here is an explanation of the most common mutations in Welsh...
If you need further assistance, or if you want to ask ANYTHING else... Please, let me know!
I'm willing to help with any aspect of learning Welsh or any other lagnuage!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/pdf/welshgrammar_mutations.pdf