Wikijunior:Languages/Welsh

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What writing system(s) does this language use?

Welsh uses the Roman (English) alphabet, without the letters K, Q, V, X and Z. Welsh adds the "letters" CH, DD, FF, NG, LL, PH, RH, and TH. Therefore, Welsh has this 35-letter alphabet:

Upper case	A	B	C	Ch	D	Dd	E	F	Ff	G	Ng	H	I	J	L	Ll	M	N	O	P	Ph	R	Rh	S	T	Th	U	W	Y
Lower case	a	b	c	ch	d	dd	e	f	ff	g	ng	h	i	j	l	ll	m	n	o	p	ph	r	rh	s	t	th	u	w	y

How many people speak this language?

About 892,200 people speak Welsh in Wales with more around the world.

Where is this language spoken?

Welsh is mainly spoken in Wales, one of the four nations of the United Kingdom (click here to learn about the United Kingdom). It is also spoken in England and Argentina.

What is the history of this language?

The date when people started speaking Welsh is not known. Some historians claim that it was first spoken as late as the 9th century and others much earlier.

Who are some famous authors or poets in this language?

• Aneirin
• Caradoc Evans
• Dafydd ap Gwilym
• Dylan Thomas
• Gillian Clarke
• Hedd Wyn
• Ifor ap Glyn
• Iolo Morganwg
• Jan Morris
• Kate Roberts
• Owen Sheers
• Philip Pullman
• Roald Dahl
• RS Thomas
• Sarah Waters
• Taliesin

What are some basic words in this language that I can learn?

English	Welsh
English	Saesneg
Welsh	Cymraeg
Hello	Helo.
Good morning	Bore da.
Good afternoon.	Prynhawn da.
Good evening.	Noswaith dda.
What is your name?	Beth ydy dy enw di?
My name is Iolo.	Iolo ydw i.
How are you?	Sut wyt ti?
I'm happy.	Dw i'n hapus.
I'm sad.	Dw i'n drist.
I'm tired.	Dw i wedi blino.
Do you speak Welsh?	Wyt ti'n siarad Cymraeg?
I speak a little bit of Welsh.	Dw i'n siarad tipyn bach o Gymraeg.
Where is the bathroom?	Ble mae'r tŷ bach?
Can I go to the bathroom?	Ga i fynd i'r tŷ bach?
Can I have a drink?	Ga i ddiod?
Can I have a pencil / some paper?	Ga i bensil / bapur?
Please.	Os gweli di'n dda.
Thank you.	Diolch.
(You're) welcome.	Croeso.
Very good.	Da iawn.
Goodbye.	Hwyl.
Good night.	Nos da.

What is a simple song/poem/story that I can learn in this language?

English	Welsh
Head, shoulders, knees, toes, knees, toes Head, shoulders, knees, toes, knees, toes and eyes, and ears, and nose and mouth Head, shoulders, knees, toes, knees, toes	Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed a llygaid, a chlustiau, a thrwyn a cheg Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed