Problem
I was not getting on with Welsh. I could cope with the sound and sight of German and Dutch, Italian and Spanish and Portuguese and Romanian which is like Italian. But Welsh. A foreign language.
Answer
I knew it was just a case of persisting. I wrote the words down in two columns, English first and then the Welsh.
I did the Duolingo test methodically using my notes as prompts. I did the review, using my notes as prompts. I complained to members of the family.
As I did so I started to see patterns. Here they are to help you as well as me to remember.
English - Welsh
beer - c w r w (pronounced like 'cor oo') look at it and you will see that both words start with adjacent letters b and c. Both have double letters, two times e e, two times w w which is pronounced like a vowel, so two double letters, two vowels. Last hint, both words, English and Welsh, contain the letter r.
beer - c w r w
beer - c w r w
beer - c w r w
c w r w - beer
c w r w = beer
c w r w = beer
If you see the sign in the window of a shop, cafe, supermarket, you will know the c w r w is beer.
Coffee is an easy word to learn.
Coffee - c o f f i.
The word bread in Welsh has the letters b r and a.
bread - b a r a
Cheese in Welsh contains the letters c and s.
cheese - caws
Tea is easy, Just drop the last letter, rather like the French. T e is Welsh.
I is dw (think of will you take this glass of water this woman to be your wife - I do
I is dw
Like is h o f f i
Do you like to drink coffee?
h o f f i c o f f i (like coffee, happy to drink coffee)
y f e d is to drink (fed up with drinking what - now we are fed, let's drink
y f e d - (to) drink
water is d w r - containing the letter w followed by r. t and d are close sounds. Leave out the vowels a and e and you have
d w r - water
water - d w r
Now let's look at the lists and the words will start to seem familiar.
English - Welsh
also, as well, too - h e f y d (pronounced h e f f - id) (M memory aid is He Eats Four Young Ducks AS WELL
beer - c w r w
bread - b a r a
cheese - c a w s
coffee - c o f f i
(to) drink - y f e d
h o f f i - like to / happy to
I - d w
tea - t e
water - d w r
Welsh - English
b a r a - bread
c a w s - cheese
c o f f i - coffee
c w r w - beer
d w - I
d w r - water
h e f y d - also, as well, too
h o f f i - like to (or happy to)
t e - tea
y f e d - (to) drink
Tips
To practise your welsh go to Wales or look at a map of Wales. If you are going to Wales, learn a few words.
TOURISM & Holidays
Holidays
Upcoming holidays
Writers holiday in Fishguard, Wales (July and autumn in 2017, spring, summer and autumn in 2018)
www.writersholiday.net
Tourism
www.visitwales.com
Tickets by rail from Paddington in central London to Cardiff, the capital, just across the border in South East Wales, and if you change trains (routes depending on time of day, day of week and time of year and starting point, as far as as Fishguard in the far north west):
Travel
www.GWR.com (Great Western railway)
Tips
Look for special deals such as a Senior Railcard
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker and teacher of English and other languages. See my other posts on learning Welsh, learning other languages, holidays in Wales, writers holidays and Fishguard. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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