I’m not sure what the status is with regards to the assessment stuff - I know there have been some changes in the staffing at Agored, with whom we were working on this - @iestyn might be able to give you more insight here…
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Just wanted to share a little story.
I was talking with a supplier yesterday about a project I’ve been working on.
She asked me how long I have been working with the client and I automatically answered “am biti mis nowr” without even realising it.
She looked at me funny “whaaaaat was that”.
I laughed and apologised. I spend so much time thinking yn gyraeg these days that it seems to be slipping out all over the place.
On another note, I’m happy to report that since being completely confused from challenge 13 last week, it’s all finally sunk in this morning after challenge 16 (98% with 2 pauses). I’m on another comfortable roll for the time being.
As Aran says, trusting the system and moving on has resulted in the content eventually sinking in and sticking. Though I did have to sit down last night with a pen and paper to figure out this bofi, boti, bod hi, fod e business. It’s all crystal clear today 
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Absolutely superb… I love stuff like that… 
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I love that story!!! 
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Hello Friends
Well, it is one month since my journey began and I have pretty much devoured level one (and most of course one).
I’m just as hooked now as when I created this post, actually I’ve become a bit obsessed and determined to become fluent in this beautiful language. Even though I have no immediate practical application for learning Welsh, I have set a few personal outcomes which I can look forward to:
- Bugging as many Welsh tourists as possible the next time there is an SA Rugby tour (I did meet 3 Welsh speakers during the FIFA world cup here in 2010, I hope they come back!)
- Making some friends right here on this forum and having regular Skype chats (I feel like I have made quite a few already).
- Having a beer with Aran and the team when they get Say Something in Zulu/ Afrikaans going
I think it would really well here and I certainly will do my bit to shout your name from the rooftops. - Planning a holiday to visit my family. Well, meet actually, I haven’t been "home since I was a baby (The trip will need to be strategically planned to co-inside with a boot camp) and you never know, I just might end up staying.
I’ll be subscribing this week (I can’t believe how much I have gained so far, for free and feel relieved to be making some sort of financial contribution to the team now). I’m looking forward trying Aran’s accelerated Welsh techniques when I start Level 2 (I’ll write an intro and keep you posted on the FB page @aran). I’m also really keen to get my ears onto these practice sessions.
Since this is a forum, I suppose I will end this update off with a question. In addition to Lleuwen Steffan, can anyone recommend some great Welsh music artists? I spend about 4 hours a day listening to Radio Cymru and there is some really good stuff out there (though I am only able to understand a sentence here and there and can never pick up who these artists are). I’m looking for some vibey rock/folk tunes. Besides enjoying the music, I guess an extra hour of Welsh a day, wouldn’t hurt either 
.
Thanks for everything everyone, chat soon and have a great day! 
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Peer in here. You might find some ideas Welsh Music
This sounds interesting … 
Ljubljana probably has some in Summer strading down the centre, but I never go there unless I really need it, so not many opportunity to bug Cymreig tourists in Slovenia though. This for I’d say GO AHEAD and bug them as many as you can find. - hehe
You lucky one … I wish thie plan of yours particularly comes true. Crossing fingers.
It looks like there were two “races” going on here, one is yours and one is that of @MarilynHames. Both of races exciting.
I’m a bit ashamed upon myself as I am learning already for more then 3 years and only now I came to the certain level when I can speak at least a bit, inventing quite some novelties (as I’ve heard) along the way … But I can bet I’m already behind you and many more who just started.
Dal ati @chris. Ti’n gwneud fe yn da iawn!
Oh, and … yes, good idea. Maybe I should set some goals ahead of me too, but I’m not sure they would be as high as yours are … Brave and determined man you are.
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At the rate you’re going, there is no doubt at all about you achieving your goal…
And I’m going to tag @robbruce for his input on ‘best places to start with Welsh music’…
Looking forward to seeing how the accelerated stuff goes for you on FB, Chris!
And thank you very, very much for your support - which really does make a huge difference.
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Awesome Thanks!
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From what I have seen around these parts, you are streets ahead 
Also take into account that you are learning a third language via a second language. Which I would compare to me attempting to learn how to speak Welsh from an Afrikaans base, I really do not think I would be able to do that! You have made an astronomical achievement. 
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Yes. I should agree on this. I’ve (just for fun of it) tried to learn some Spanish through Cymraeg … ups, that was but hard. If the lessons wouldn’t actually ground from the same fundation I’d be lost …
We shall meed at one crossroads, I’m sure.
Diolch yn fawr iawn!
That’s 'cos she’s a star!
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Helo pawb.
Dwi’n hapus iawn dweud wrth iti heddiw, bo’ fi newydd cwpla gyda lefel un bore ma! Joies i fe yn fawr iawn ac Dwi wedi dysgu llawer mewn amser byr iawn.
Diolch i fi ffrindiau am i helpu fi. Alla i ddim aros dechrau lefel dau.
Siarad gyda ti yn fuan eto.
Oh a galla i siarad Cymraeg nawr! Yay. Amser mynd i ddechrau gwella fory.
Lechyd da ffrindiau, a diolch eto.
Pob hwyl
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Wow @chris, your progress has been quite phenomenal ! Sorry, I can’t say that in Welsh, but da iawn, ti!
How on earth have you managed to come to grips with written Welsh in such a short time? It still scares the living daylights out of me, and the sight of it has me reaching for the smelling salts. I’ve completed Course One of SSiW and I think I did reasonably OK, but ONLY because I didn’t look up or try to spell or read anything at all. I relied entirely on the spoken word and the sound and it’s only because of that that I managed to make fairly good progress - past failures to learn even basic Cymraeg was because the written language completely floored me. (A positive advertisement for the SSi method, methinks!)
My language learning is currently “suspended”, but when I restart I’ve been seriously considering learning some basic reading and writing of Welsh before going any further. (I’ll probably need the fortification of a couple of Cwrw Castell before each session, but there you are!)
Anyway, keep up the brilliant work, and pob lwc!
Gavin
- Apologies i bawb for the SouthAfricanism. Castle Lager is one of South Africa’s prime tipples!
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Superb! Huge, huge congratulations - llongyfarchiadau mawr iawn! 
You really are flying along. Have you seen our new Accelerated Welsh Facebook group? I think you might fit in there really well:
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Hi Gavin
I hope you are well. Thanks very much for the message, it’s greatly appreciated.
The reading and writing kind of happened by accident. Working through lessons in the morning and writing down what I have learned in the evening. I originally wrote everything down phonetically but then I found the lesson guides which changed my routine a bit.
I’m no expert but I’m happy to share my experience if it would be of any assistance:
I started keeping a spreadsheet with three columns.
- Word/ pattern (which I would take from the guide)
- Meaning (translation)
- Sounds like (english phonetic spelling)
I have read that welsh spelling is almost perfectly phonetic. The only problem is that it is phonetic as per the welsh alphabet, I tried deciphering the grid but it was too much like hard work :-).
But as I went along I started picking up on patterns:
w sounds like oo
y sound like uh
dd sounds like th
ff like f
f like v
Once you get the hang of this then spelling is quite phonetic, I just write it as it sounds.
I would often look at a word in the guide and think “what the heck is this? I didn’t learn this word today!”. Then I would have to run through the days lessons in my head until I found a match.
I spend about 20 minutes a night writing sentences and comparing spelling with my spreadsheet. By doing this everyday, I eventually became relatively comfortable with welsh phonetics. So now I am able to read most words correctly without having any idea what a word means yet. There are quite a few sites and apps which include sound bites (cadw swn is one that comes to mind).
The key was definitely listening first. I never hold a pen while doing a lesson.
I hope you get a chance to get back to your lessons soon, I know life gets in the way sometimes. The new level one material is really good stuff.
Wow, this post became an essay rather quickly.
Best of luck and chat soon.
PS: I’d be happy to swop some Castle for a few Brains SA!
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Thanks so much Aran, both for this resource and always finding the time to comment and encourage.
I’ve been on the accelerated FB group for a while now, following closely but have been laying low until level one was finished. Level 2 challenges are sitting in my app ready to be downloaded tomorrow morning.
Next week is looking flexible and I would like to use the opportunity to destroy what’s available in level 2 completely. I will create an event and share my experience with everyone on FB. I have a few questions but will post them in the group tomorrow so that the other members can benefit.
Have a great evening and chat soon.
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Hi Chris,
Great to catch up on your progress and Congratulations at getting so far!
Hwyl
That sounds like a superb plan! 
Hi Friends
Hope everyone is doing well.
I was hoping you could help me to clear up a small issue.
I’ve noticed that “ti” seems to have changed to “chi” in level 2.
Are these interchangeable? for example could I chop and change between “gyda chi” or “gyda ti” or do they differ depending on the context?
Similarly are the below also interchangeable?:
“i fi” and “i mi”
“i ti” and “i chi”
Thanks
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This will be quick one I can give:
ti is singular you
chi is plural or “polite” you.
Depends of what you need to use it changes from “ew ti?” to “Ydy chi”
However I’m glad you’ve noticed that. I tend to use ti where Iestyn and Cat tend to use chi and oposite. As long as you use them right no matter what is OK, depends of how many people you are talking to.
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