I’m with you here. When my neighbour opens her mouth to speak - even in English - the Arctic rolls in! But - listening is the way to go and I’ve been taking note of the comments here.
I told myself Radio Cymru is for ‘people who speak Welsh’…huh! Turns out they’ve got a cute series of podcasts for kids! Just listened to a sweet story about a baby hedgehog who wasn’t tired and couldn’t hibernate. I got three words…three! Yay!
Someone else said they watch TV without subtitles - yikes! But…I’ve realised that all my brainpower is used up with reading the subs on Pobl Y Cwm…and not concentrating on the language. I’ve just tried it - I ‘hear’ more words without subs - so - I’m going to try watching an episode with subs - to get the storyline - and again without. Whew!
You see - we’re having fun - aren’t we? 
I do it the other way around 
Watch TV without subtitles to see how much I understand just from hearing the Welsh (and seeing the action on screen).
Then, if I have time, watch the programme again with subtitles in Welsh, which often lets me catch a little more.
Then watch it a third time, with subtitles in English, to get the bits of storyline I might have missed in the first two runs.
Try switching around the order of your watching as well: without subtitles first, then with
I’m not talking about Welsh TV here, but I tend to use English subs with languages I am just starting to learn to get used to the rhythm of the language and prove to myself that I do understand a few words. Once I’m able to hold a conversation, I switch to monolingual subs when possible. Sadly they don’t always match up well to the spoken dialogue, but it is still a useful way to involve more senses in the language learning process.
If there are no subs available, I’ll go without, but it gets exhausting fast.
I’ll try that - but Welsh subtitles? Didn’t know you could get that - so I delved. At the start of a Pobl Y Cwm recording - it says - Welsh subs on the green button - English on the red (might be the other way around!)…but either way - I can only get English subs on my digi box. Very irritating. Welsh subs would be very useful. Brand new box - but obviously rubbish…(!)…unless someone knows what I’m doing wrong! Hhmmpphh!
Dunno about the telly thing (it’s all a bit of mystery to me…) but I do know that I can get the Welsh subtitles when they’re available if I watch through Clic (the online catchup site). For me, this means plugging my iPad into the telly (or just watching it on my iPad, which I don’t mind doing).
Yes, exactly all of this, it’s very useful, but a tad challenging to start with![quote=“CaerlanChris, post:1, topic:8107”]
I told myself Radio Cymru is for ‘people who speak Welsh’
[/quote]
It’s good to have Radio Cymru on in the background and not try to listen too hard, just let it ‘wash over’ you. It’s amazing when you suddenly realize that you understood what’s being said by getting the gist and the feel for it. Also you’ll come across some great music (and some average!) on the way!
Oh now you’re a total star! Just been on the S4C site and watched a bit of Pobl Y Cwm (Wobbly Doom as I like to call it!) and there they are…Welsh subs…the mist has been lifted, Diolch yn fawr iawn!!!
Way-hey! Glad to have been useful
(Oh, and what Richmountart said about Radio Cymru. Treat it as aural wallpaper … eventually you’ll start noticing that the seemingly random patterns have got pictures in them…)
What’s the frequency - can’t see it obviously reaching out to me from my radio!
104.6 in Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire, but it moves around a bit, which makes driving around Wales with an FM radio a bit of a nightmare.
We’re on 104.3 up here (Wrecsam area)
Ah – I live abroad so I watch over the Internet on S4C Clic.
I’m afraid I don’t know what is or isn’t possible with digi box.
They are indeed
TuneIn app has it all, whatever radio you can think of. If you have a device which is not to be batery dying so easily it’s good way to listen to the (as I said) whatever radio from allover the World. So if you don’t get the freequences where you are or you don’t know them, this is great substitution + very clear sound without interfearences. When I listen to the radio I’m listening to it through this app and when I watch S4C (what isn’t that so often though) I (have to) watch it on my PC. If I’m correctly informed there Clic app exists aswell but it’s not available abroad in restricted countries. I only get DalAti app but it’s not too useful. Whatever I’d like to watch I actually can’t. It’s obviously only intended to be a kind of timetable and info about “what’s new” stuff at least in my area.
About subtitles: I get them all - English and Welsh, but I never use them. I let myself enjoy the show and only if I really don’t understand something I’m switching English ones on just for that section and then I turn them off again.