Basic Expressions in Welsh

Overview

Basic expressions are your survival kit for Welsh conversation at the A1 level. These phrases cover greetings, introductions, polite requests, and essential everyday interactions. Many of these expressions are formulaic — you learn them as fixed phrases before you fully understand their grammar.

Welsh greetings vary by time of day and formality level. The language has a warm tradition of greeting and enquiring about someone's well-being, and knowing these phrases will make an excellent first impression on Welsh speakers, who are typically delighted when learners make the effort.

These expressions also introduce you to some important grammatical patterns that you will study in more depth later, such as forms of "bod" (to be) and soft mutation in greetings.

How It Works

Greetings

Welsh	English	When to use
Bore da	Good morning	Morning
Prynhawn da	Good afternoon	Afternoon
Noswaith dda	Good evening	Evening
Nos da	Good night	Departing at night
S'mae / Sut mae?	How's it going? / How are you?	Informal greeting
Sut dych chi?	How are you?	Formal greeting
Sut wyt ti?	How are you?	Informal greeting
Hwyl fawr!	Goodbye!	Departing

Introductions

Welsh	English
... ydw i.	I am ...
... dw i.	I am ...
Beth ydy dy enw di?	What is your name? (informal)
Beth ydy eich enw chi?	What is your name? (formal)
Braf cwrdd â chi.	Nice to meet you.

Polite Phrases

Welsh	English
Os gwelwch yn dda	Please (formal)
Os gweli di'n dda	Please (informal)
Diolch	Thank you
Diolch yn fawr	Thank you very much
Dim diolch	No thank you
Mae'n flin gen i / Sori	I'm sorry
Esgusodwch fi	Excuse me

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Bore da!	Good morning!	Standard morning greeting
Sut dych chi?	How are you?	Formal
Diolch yn fawr.	Thank you very much.	Polite response
Os gwelwch yn dda.	Please.	Formal politeness
Siân ydw i.	I am Siân.	Introduction
Da iawn, diolch.	Very well, thank you.	Response to "How are you?"
Hwyl fawr!	Goodbye!	Friendly farewell
Beth ydy dy enw di?	What is your name?	Informal
Braf cwrdd â chi.	Nice to meet you.	Formal
Esgusodwch fi, ble mae'r orsaf?	Excuse me, where is the station?	Asking for directions

Common Mistakes

Using "bore" without "da"

• Wrong: Bore! (as a greeting)
• Right: Bore da!
• Why: "Bore" alone just means "morning" — you need "da" (good) to make it a greeting.

Mixing formal and informal register

• Wrong: Sut wyt ti, Mr Jones?
• Right: Sut dych chi, Mr Jones?
• Why: Use "chi" forms with people you address formally.

Forgetting mutation in "Noswaith dda"

• Wrong: Noswaith da
• Right: Noswaith dda (soft mutation: da → dda after feminine noun)
• Why: "Noswaith" is feminine, so "da" mutates to "dda."

Practice Tips

1. Start every study session with greetings: Say "Bore da" or "Prynhawn da" aloud at the appropriate time of day. This builds a Welsh-speaking habit.

2. Practice introductions: Introduce yourself in Welsh to the mirror. Add information: "Siân ydw i. Dw i'n byw yng Nghaerdydd."

3. Use expressions with real people: If you have Welsh-speaking friends or attend a Welsh class, use these phrases at every opportunity. They are the gateway to genuine conversation.

Related Concepts

• Food and Drink Vocabulary