Why not have a try at these Welsh phrases!

“Bore da”
Good morning
“Bor-eh dah”

“Prynhawn da”
Good afternoon  
“Prin-hound ah”

“Nos da”
Good night
“Noss da”

“Shw mae?”
How are you? 
“Shoo-my”

“Sut ydych chi”
How are you? (formal)  
“Sit uh-deech”

“Hwyl Fawr”
Goodbye  
“Hoyl vaur”

“Diolch”
Thank you  
“Dee-olch”

“Lechyd da”
Cheers!  
“Yeah-chid dah!”

Pronouncing Welsh can be a bit of a puzzle for newcomers. Letters like ‘w’ and ‘y’ serve as vowels, and sounds such as ‘ll’ which doesn’t exist in English require a unique technique: place your tongue behind your teeth and exhale gently. Other sounds include ‘dd’, pronounced like the ‘th’ in those, and ‘ch’, which resembles the Scottish loch. The good news? Once you’ve grasped the rules, Welsh pronunciation is refreshingly consistent compared to English.

The Welsh Language Act of 1993 marked a turning point, granting Welsh equal legal status with English. It led to the creation of the Welsh Language Board (Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg), which works to promote and support the use of Welsh. Thanks to this legislation, public services must now be available in both languages, allowing Welsh speakers to navigate daily life from banking and paperwork to education entirely in Welsh if they choose.

In regions like northwest Wales, Welsh is the dominant language in daily conversation. While this isn’t the case in areas like the Brecon Beacons, towns such as Llandovery and Llandeilo often echo with Welsh, especially on busy market days. Interest in learning the language has grown steadily, with evening classes attracting learners even in places where English tends to dominate, such as Abergavenny and Crickhowell.

Today, Welsh remains a vibrant part of life in Wales. Over a fifth of the population speaks it fluently, and its presence in education is strong, with schools across the country teaching the language. The 2001 census even recorded a rise in the number of Welsh speakers. Media in Welsh is thriving too, with dedicated outlets such as the TV channel S4C, Radio Cymru, and publications like Y Cymro and Golwg. Welsh language content spans everything from films and books to blogs and poetry.

“Cymru am byth!”