I’d agree with that, and the reading also clicks into place way before the writing does. I started leaning welsh a year ago using a few different book with cds, but it’s only from the last 4 months of focussing on SSiW that I’m actually learning a language rather than a disjointed collection of words.
I write my shopping lists in welsh now, and hopefully this will extend to other things in time.
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As Margaret mentioned, I’ve been learning Welsh outside Wales, and I started learning to read and write at the same time when I was doing SSIW. I tried not to break the SSIW rules and not to write down anything from the lessons, but, since I don’t get exposure to the language and can only practice it on skype, I started keeping a diary in Welsh to help me remember things.
If you need to see the words, there are guides for the Northern and the Southern course on the website, and there are also dictionaries online. The fact is that a lot of Welsh words get spelled differently even by the native speakers - there are variations that all seem to be acceptable, like eisiau/isie/ishe/isho and countless other examples. When I was reading a forum for Welsh speakers, I found many words that were spelled differently from how I’d learned them. I don’t know if this has to do with where the writer is from or whether it’s their individual choice, but, anyway, I don’t think you can go wrong if you spell the words how they are spelled in the dictionary:)
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Dioch yn fawr to everyone for your replies, I really appreciate it and am so happy at how active the forum turned out to be after all. Thank you for the advice and the links. I’m not ready yet to attempt writing, but was just wondering for down the road–speaking is the most necessary part for me right now, and is certainly enough! LOL. I’ve started Lesson 4 in Course 1 so am really a neophyte yet–and for this lesson I confess to needing to hit pause sometime yet, oooh no!
I’m planning to go to the Anglesey Eisteddfod this year and will be hanging out with a lot of Welsh speakers so would love to be able to put in my own 2 cents worth, and will have lots of practice then.
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Thanks for this Margaret, I have written that suggestion to my friend, but we don’t get together all that often. However, she is coming to Wales with me in August too, so she will be a great resource for me to practise on between now and then when we can get together–hmm the phone might work too of course.
Thanks Louis, I’ll try that after I’m finished here. You’re really close with the spelling of my name, it is Esmé
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Hi Rich(?ard), I’ve found that too–all reading and writing never really gets you talking does it? I’ve tried that once before, and though I could write to a friend in simple sentences (it was a different language) when we visited I just couldn’t get my tongue around it I’m aware that I’m sounding pretty Welsh now with this course–even if as a two-year-old LOL I think by the time I’m with my Welsh speaking friends in Wales at the Eisteddfod I’ll sound somewhat like them (North Wales version)
Thank you Seren–you make good points. I have checked the vocab section under each lesson and that has helped in most cases just to see the word there, but the mutations are not always there–so for e.g. is it fedru? or vedru? (medru). I think I’m getting more and more convinced that I’ll just concentrate on speaking Cymraeg for now, and not give it any more energy ((smiley face))
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In writing, the “v” sound corresponds to the letter “f”. There’s no “v” in modern Welsh, and no “k” either, though they were present in the Middle Welsh.
Even the name of my city would be written “Fitebsc”, probably:) (Vitebsk).
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@EsmBoone croeso! If you are attending Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2017, there is sure to be a get-together of SSiWers! @tatjana may help! There are a lot of books for folk learning. Use forum search (big Q on top line) also you can reply to more than one person In a post by typing their name like this
@margaretnock
@seren
If the name you want doesn’t pop up to be selected, add a letter or some until it does and then click on It! Lwc dda!
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Big CROESO from me @EsmBoone! As for reading/writing, there’s always the time later on despite I was prety impatient myself and just plunged into tweeting even before I’ve got on here to really learn Cymraeg and even before I actually determined to learn the language more siriously. Yes, tweeting was my first writing and reading replies to them was my first reading but if you don’t feel like just jump on your head into tworld, then you better not to as with writing before really learning to speak you can spoil your speaking abilities a bit.
I see you’ve found course guides so no need to post some links here for you. For all the rest how to and some resources and tools you might be interested in the process of learning and posting on the forum, it’s all gathered into one single topic with lists and links for easily find what you are searching for or what you wish to do on here. You can find this topic here and following the links under title “Very interesting and useful threads on this forum - almost MUST READ - before posting” or scrolling down the topic you can find the list of all sorts of useful things which might help you in the learning process which @seren has kindly prepared for us.
Unfortunately it probably won’t be possible for me to help you with SSiW get together on the Eisteddfod as I’m prety sure I won’t be comming this year (or quite some in the future aswell). Last magical July/August was unique in the way and might not repeat for a while but I’m sure there will be other people on this forum who will be there and they’re all usually very eager to get into quick organizing of kind of get-together meeting at some point of Eisteddfod.
Reading you’re from Canada, you might be interested to know that on here are people from Canada too and one of the most interesting and enthusiastic about Cymraeg for sure is @MarilynHames. (Oh, by the way, Marilyn, how are you? We didn’t hear from you for a while. Hope you’re doing well.)
All the rest was already said by the others so no need to be repeated.
Enjoy your learning process and if there’s anything you need to ask or if you have something to share, here we are, all yours to read (and listen if neccessary).
Pob lwc ac dal ati!
Tatjana 
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Hi @EsmBoone - I’m one of those people (and one of the “Margarets” on the forum). I’m in Manitoba. Where are you (no need to be specific - all I’m wondering is if you’re close enough to get together for practice or not)?
Personally, I haven’t been brave enough to practice by phone, as I can’t always understand people in English on the phone (i.e. poor line quality, soft voice, etc.). I’m much more comfortable with Skype. You still get to hear and be heard, but you also have the opportunity to read body language and even read lips (not kidding here - I actually find it easier to understand someone speaking another language if I can see their lips making the sounds). Just my opinion, of course, but it might be worth a shot. I Skype in Welsh weekly with a friend in Powys, and I’ve also just started Skyping with @Novem (in Finland, no less!) who I met on this forum.
Pob lwc it ti, a croeso i’r forwm!
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Hi Margaret, thank you for the offer to get together–I live in Kenora and go to Winnipeg quite often. I’d love to get together if you’re close–that’d be wonderful. Unfortunately I’m going to be overseas for several weeks but would love to contact you when I get back. Is there a way on the forum to give contact information e.g. personal emails or phone numbers before I leave so I can let you know when I’m home? I’ll be leaving from Winnipeg but won’t have time to get together before I go. Will practise while I’m away so might get a bit further along by the time I get back.
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Here you go. There’s all you need to know about sending personal messages on this forum and the way to access this function.
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Hi @tatjana thank you so much for all your helpful and thoughtful information. Sorry you won’t be at the Eisteddfod but as you say, I might find something there by August. I’m going to go over your links to helpful posts here when I have enough time, it’s only by using the forum that I will get comfortable with it.
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You’re welcome.
Agreed.
Yes, I’m sorry too. It was fun and interesting to meet all of the SSiWers who were there at the time. For the taste of how it was all swiftly organized more or less spontaniously you can go through this topic. It more or less began with the enthusiastic @margaretnock’s post with the question if anybody is for the meeting and ended with crowd of around 30 people meeting on Wednesday Eisteddfod week. I even prolonged my staying in Cymru just to be able to meet all. So, you never know. It might happen something similar this year too (without my famous hat this time though )
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Blwyddyn Newydd Dda Tatiana! I hope you are well.
Just been doing some revision of Level 2, going over the final 2 lessons, before heading into Level 3. I only have to hear the musical introduction and it feels like coming home and joining old friends–and see, here you are, just as I hope and imagine. Beautiful!
I also love the way every lesson ends with such great encouragement–it is like having a squad of cheer-leaders willing you ‘over the line’! And sometimes it feels as if I’ve just run the full length of the pitch, been tackled and tripped a few times, got muddy, but made it. Phew!
Sorry to have gone quiet, but I am still ‘on track’ and as enthusiastic as ever. I actually entered the SSiW eisteddfod, had some wonderful Welsh Christmas celebrations right here with the Vancouver Welsh Society, organized a reading of ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ in a local church (about forty+ people showed up for this and had a great time), and have kept in touch with my SSiW Skyping buddy who has become a wonderful friend and mentor in 101 ways (including Welsh).
A group of us here in Vancouver are working our way slowly through the novel ‘Bore Da’–that is fun too.
My plans for the year… to complete Level 3, visit Wales and get to use what I have been learning. You will see me back on the Forum too.
Very best wishes to you and everyone at SSiW!
Marilyn
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YAY! I’m so happy for you. Blwyddyn newydd dda to you too!
I’ve read this post here when it was written, but the time somehow wasn’t just right to answer.
I know you’re always here somewhere even if you don’t post so that’s in majority why I’ve mentioned you here in this thread. It always inspires me how enthusiastic you are ahd … what a storyteller!
I wish all your plans come true this year. Have a nice time in Cymru and enjoy every bit of it! I don’t doubt we’ll hear all about your staying there when you return back to Vancouver.
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Great to hear from you Tatiana, I was worried you were not well when there was a tiny, tiny delay 
I just posted something on the Petition thread which is tangentially relevant to this discussion. SSiW is exactly that–vital to preserving and passing on the oral tradition which is the very bedrock of the language.
For those wanting to write, like me, why not start with inserting Welsh words and phrases here–my iPad can always mangle it so excuse/cover any mistakes 
For anyone wanting to tackle the grammar, try looking at the Vancouver Welsh Society language classes. Antone has done an amazing job dividing each topic into three levels to allow us to self-diagnose our needs so select the level to suit.
He freely acknowledges the benefits of SSiW, but also encourages those of us hoping to read and write Welsh too.
Personally, I found that having some SSiW (at least Level 1) gave me the confidence and enthusiasm to dip a toe in the water on the written word–it is amazing how some familiarity acts like a personal pat on the back as I can say to myself ‘Yeh, I know that… I recognise that word…’
Lastly, there is no substitute for a friendly, encouraging community of learners like this–what a gift!
Marilyn
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Sounds brilliant @MarilynHames, fach! Do I just Google Vancouver Welsh? (After I’ve finished all the Challenges I’ve promised to do! Oh, and learned to Skype @Pete2!!)
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