The Welsh language, or Cymraeg, is one of Europe’s oldest living languages, with roots stretching back over 1,500 years. It evolved from the Brythonic languages spoken by the ancient Celtic peoples of Britain. Following the Norman conquest and later the English annexation of Wales in the 13th century, Welsh began a long period of decline, especially after the 16th-century Acts of Union, which made English the official language of law and government.
During the Industrial Revolution, English dominance increased, and Welsh was actively discouraged in schools, often through punitive measures like the infamous “Welsh Not.” Despite these setbacks, Welsh endured, largely thanks to community resilience, cultural pride, and efforts by activists and educators.
The late 20th century saw a revival, with the Welsh Language Act of 1993 granting it official status, followed by stronger protections under the 2011 Welsh Language Measure. Today, Welsh is thriving in many parts of the country, especially in regions like Gwynedd and Eryri, supported by bilingual education, media, and public services. Efforts continue to grow the number of speakers, aiming for a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Most of the local population speak Welsh. They will be thrilled if you try the basics. Yes, it’s a very hard language to learn but why not give it a try.
Common Welsh Phrases
These everyday phrases are perfect for beginners and travellers alike. They’ll help you navigate daily situations, express politeness, and connect with Welsh speakers.
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation (English-style)
Helo
Hello
HEH-lo
Shwmae? / S’mae?
Hi, how are you?
SHOO-my / SMAE (like “smile” without “l”)
Bore da
Good morning
BOR-eh dah
Prynhawn da
Good afternoon
PRIN-hown dah
Noswaith dda
Good evening
NOSS-withe thah
Nos da
Good night
NOSS dah
Sut wyt ti?
How are you? (informal)
sit oyt tee
Dwi’n iawn, diolch.
I’m fine, thank you.
dween yahwn, DEE-olch
Diolch
Thank you
DEE-olch (the “ch” as in “loch”)
Os gwelwch yn dda
Please
oss GWELL-ooch un thah
Ga i…?
Can I have…?
guy eye…?
Ble mae…?
Where is…?
bleh my…?
Dwi’n ddim yn siarad Cymraeg
I don’t speak Welsh
dween thim un SHEE-arad kum-RAIG
Dwi’n dysgu Cymraeg
I’m learning Welsh
dween DUS-gee kum-RAIG
Hwyl fawr!
Goodbye!
hoo-eel vowr
Bonus Tip:
Welsh has regional accents and variations—don’t worry if locals pronounce things slightly differently. They’ll appreciate your effort no matter what!
Useful Phrases in Welsh
These are everyday phrases that can help you be polite, ask questions, and get around more easily—whether you’re visiting or just starting to learn Cymraeg (Welsh).
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation (English-style)
Os gwelwch yn dda
Please
oss GWELL-ooch un thah
Diolch
Thank you
DEE-olch (like “loch” in Scottish)
Diolch yn fawr
Thank you very much
DEE-olch un vowr
Ga i…?
Can I have…?
guy eye…?
Ble mae…?
Where is…?
bleh my…?
Sori
Sorry
SOR-ee
Iawn
Okay / Fine
yown (rhymes with “down”)
Beth yw…?
What is…?
beth you…?
Dwi ddim yn deall
I don’t understand
dwee thim un DEE-al
Wyt ti’n siarad Saesneg?
Do you speak English? (informal)
oyt teen SHEE-arad SIGHZ-neg?
Dwi’n siarad ychydig o Gymraeg
I speak a little Welsh
dween SHEE-arad uch-IG o gum-RAIG
Help!
Help!
Help! (same as English)
Ordering Food and Drinks in Welsh
Whether you’re in a café, restaurant, or pub, these phrases will help you order in Welsh—and show your appreciation for the local language and culture.
🗣️ Key Phrases
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation (English-style)
Ga i…?
Can I have…?
guy eye…?
Ga i fwydlen, os gwelwch yn dda?
Can I have a menu, please?
guy eye VOYD-len, oss GWELL-ooch un thah?
Beth sydd ar y fwydlen heddiw?
What’s on the menu today?
beth seethe ar uh VOYD-len HETH-eeoo?
Ga i ddiod, os gwelwch yn dda?
Can I have a drink, please?
guy eye THEE-odd, oss GWELL-ooch un thah?
🍽️ Food Vocabulary
Welsh Word
Meaning
Pronunciation
brechdan
sandwich
BRECH-dan (ch as in “loch”)
cawl
soup
cowl (rhymes with “towel”)
granola
granola
grah-NOH-la
cacen
cake
KAH-ken
salad
salad
SAH-lad
☕ Drink Vocabulary
Welsh Word
Meaning
Pronunciation
coffi
coffee
COFF-ee
te
tea
teh
dŵr
water
door
sudd oren
orange juice
sith OR-en
🥗 Dietary Preferences
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation
Ydy hyn yn fegan?
Is this vegan?
uh-dee hin un VEH-gan?
Ydy hyn yn llysieuol?
Is this vegetarian?
uh-dee hin un hlee-SHAY-ol?
Oes gennych chi opsiynau heb glwten?
Do you have gluten-free options?
oys GEN-uch chee op-SHUN-eh heb GLOO-ten?
💬 Bonus Phrase
Mae hyn yn flasus iawn! – This is very tasty! Pronounced: my hin un VLAH-sis YOW-n
Asking Where Things Are in Welsh
Whether you’re looking for the loo, a shop, or the bus stop, these handy Welsh phrases will help you find your way around and connect with locals.
🗣️ Key Phrase
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation (English-style)
Ble mae…?
Where is…?
bleh my…?
Just add the place you’re looking for!
🗺️ Common Places
Welsh
Meaning
Pronunciation
Ble mae’r toiledau?
Where are the toilets?
bleh myr toy-LED-eye?
Ble mae’r orsaf drenau?
Where is the train station?
bleh myr OR-sav DREN-eye?
Ble mae’r bws nesaf?
Where is the next bus?
bleh myr biss NESS-av?
Ble mae’r siop?
Where is the shop?
bleh myr shop?
Ble mae’r caffi?
Where is the café?
bleh myr CAF-ee?
Ble mae’r parc?
Where is the park?
bleh myr park?
🧭 Helpful Direction Words
Welsh
Meaning
Pronunciation
Yma
Here
uh-mah
Yno
There
uh-no
Gerllaw
Nearby
ger-HLAU (like “gair-hlau”)
Dim yn bell
Not far
dim un bell
These phrases are great for navigating Welsh-speaking areas and showing respect for the local language. If you’re unsure of a response, just smile and say:
These everyday phrases are perfect for starting friendly conversations, asking basic questions, and getting to know people in Welsh-speaking communities.
🗣️ Starting a Conversation
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation (English-style)
Shwmae? / S’mae?
Hi, how are you?
SHOO-my / SMAE (like “smile” without the “l”)
Sut wyt ti?
How are you? (informal)
sit oyt tee?
Sut dach chi?
How are you? (formal/pl.)
sit dach chee?
Helo
Hello
HEH-lo
Hwyl fawr!
Goodbye
hoo-eel vowr
😊 Responding
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation
Dwi’n iawn, diolch. A ti?
I’m fine, thank you. And you?
dween yahwn, DEE-olch. Ah tee?
Dwi’n flinedig
I’m tired
dween VLEE-ned-ig
Dwi’n hapus
I’m happy
dween HAP-iss
Dim yn ddrwg
Not bad
dim un THROOG
🧍♂️ Getting to Know Someone
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation
Beth yw dy enw di?
What’s your name? (informal)
beth you duh EN-oo dee?
Fy enw i yw…
My name is…
vuh EN-oo ee yoo…
O ble wyt ti’n dod?
Where are you from?
oh bleh oyt teen dod?
Dwi’n dod o…
I’m from…
dween dod oh…
📘 Helpful Learning Phrases
Welsh Phrase
Meaning
Pronunciation
Dwi’n dysgu Cymraeg
I’m learning Welsh
dween DUS-gee kum-RAIG
Dwi ddim yn siarad Cymraeg
I don’t speak Welsh
dween thim un SHEE-arad kum-RAIG
Wyt ti’n siarad Saesneg?
Do you speak English?
oyt teen SHEE-arad SIGHZ-neg?
The Welsh Alphabet (Yr Wyddor Gymraeg)
The Welsh alphabet has 28 letters—some are familiar, and some are unique to Welsh. Several are digraphs (two letters representing one sound). Below is the full alphabet with phonetic hints to guide your pronunciation:
Single Letters
Letter
Pronunciation (English Approx.)
A
a as in “cat”
B
b as in “bat”
C
k as in “cat”
CH
ch as in Scottish “loch”
D
d as in “dog”
DD
th as in “this”
E
e as in “pen”
F
v as in “van”
FF
f as in “fun”
G
g as in “go” (always hard)
NG
ng as in “sing”
H
h as in “hat”
I
ee as in “machine”
L
l as in “look”
LL
No exact English sound — blow air around your tongue (try saying “hl” together)
M
m as in “man”
N
n as in “net”
O
o as in “pot”
P
p as in “pen”
PH
f as in “photo”
R
Rolled or tapped, like in Spanish
RH
hr with a breathy ‘h’ sound first
S
s as in “sun”
T
t as in “top”
TH
th as in “think”
U
ee (South Wales) or a French-like u (North Wales)
W
oo as in “too” (when used as a vowel)
Y
Varies:
uh (most of the time),
ee in final syllables,
i as in “pit” in certain words |
A Few Tips:
There’s no “k”, “q”, “v”, “x”, or “z” in native Welsh words.
Digraphs like “ch”, “dd”, “ff”, “ll”, “rh”, “th” are each considered a single letter.
Don’t worry about perfect pronunciation—just try your best, and with practice, it will become easier!
