They’re only distantly related, but Welsh borrowed so much vocabulary from Latin that there’s actually quite a lot you might recognise:
Ceffyl, pont, eglwys, braich, ysgol, ysgol, ysgrifennu, dydd Llun, dydd Mawrth, dydd Mercher, dydd Iau, dydd Gwener…
Caballo, puente, iglesia, brazo, escala, escuela, escribir, lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes…
I don’t know any Spanish, but what about diwrnod (Welsh)/jornada (Spanish) meaning ‘day’? Just occurred to me yesterday that ‘diwrnod’ is probably of Latin origin?
Absolutely - in French it went via journede (the -d- was pronounced like -dd-, so jwrnedda in Welsh spelling) to journée and English ‘journey’.
Where in Kansas do you live? I live in Leawood Kansas and am a Welsh learner also. - Bob
Hello - I am a New Zealander living in Australia for last eight years. I Learned Some Latin at school a long time ago - Maori is NZ’s 2nd official language so put effort into that and love that language Then Spanish on and off most recently with Duolingo where I discovered Welsh and cannot for the life of me write it. My Grandfather - John Owen- emigrated to this part of the world after WW1 and died when I was too young to know him. But I feel a kinship with that part of the world and want to learn more. This one sentence a day challenge is fun !! I can’t help but think how easy it would be for children at school to learn in this way - make as many mistakes as you need - just do it!! Listening and repeating is such a relief and so good for our brains 
And can anyone tell me more about the beautiful song and singer that leads into each lesson? I’d love any suggestions about artists to listen to and info about folk music in Wales. Thanks so much
Welcome Carolyne!
Have a look at this thread to start with - The intro song - 'Wela i efo llygad bach i' and there are various threads about music (folk and otherwise!) but this is the main (huge) one - Welsh Music Videos and Audio Files
Thank you Siaron - I’ve been haunted by that little earworm , can’t wait to hear more…
C
Just a quick message to say hello to this community - which already feels, just from reading through some of the postings, a good place to be!
I’m 47, a psychotherapist living in Cornwall with my two children, but all of my family on my mother’s side come from South Wales (Resolven and later Llanelli) and for me, this has always been ‘home’ even though I was raised in England. They were and those still with us are all first language Welsh speakers but somehow I dipped out as a child and have felt slightly cheated ever since… sounds odd, perhaps, but not being able to use the words and phrases that feel and sound like ‘home’ has always made me feel as if something is missing. So. I’ve decided the time has come to put that right and after several valiant but ultimately doomed attempts over the years back before the wonders of the internet where a learn Welsh book in the middle of a Cornish village didn’t get me very far I’m determined now to make some real progress. Just one question; I’ve been using Duolingo for the last couple of weeks and seem to be making good progress But now that I’ve found this website and all its resources my questions are as follows:
Hi Ros, and a very warm welcome to the forum!
It’s going to be great to hear how the journey goes for you - it’s often particularly entertaining when people have got a fair bit of passive Welsh to begin with…
Lots of people use Duolingo and SSiW - some have a preference, others see it as a horses for courses kind of thing - so don’t worry, however you choose to go will be good…
North or south… I don’t think it matters in terms of fitting with Duolingo, it’s more about you and how you feel… your sense of belonging to the south inclines me to think that’s the best way forward for you, because you’ll adapt to northernisms easily enough if you find yourself living up here (you can also do selected challenges from the northern course, and the northern listening work, to help you adapt when necessary)…
Keep us posted on how it goes! And where’s your mother? Catrin and I are just outside Carmel, Stine is in Penygroes, Beca is in Llanrug, so ‘foot of Snowdon’ is pretty much SSiW territory… 
Many thanks for your welcome Aran - lovely to be a part of this! I have just completed day three of the one sentence programme and the buzz I got from being able to to say it all in one go by the end was amazing! 30 seconds of fluency feels just great even if I am completely stuck thereafter at the moment!!
My mother lives in Brynrefail so only just around the corner and, bizarrely, having explored the site a little more, her partner runs a small business at Parc Menai - so a very small world! I actually lived in Llanberis for a couple of years back in the early 90s when I was doing a lot of climbing and mountaineering and it is definitely where I would like to end up again one day.
I have, after doing lesson three both ways, settled on the South Wales version for now as it just ‘felt’ more familiar and, as you say, I think it will just make it easier for me to learn because the rhythms and accent are more ingrained and familiar - speaking it is like slipping into a known yet not known pattern - but I know any Northern variations will be easy to come by and understand in time.
Kindest regards and many thanks for such an amazing resource
Ros
Hallo, I’m Sue, I’m 68 and I’ve been learning Welsh since I was a child, but I still feel like a beginner. I was born and grew up in London but my Nain and her sister, who were first language Welsh speakers, lived with us. They’d talk to each other in Cymraeg when they didn’t want the rest of the family to know what they said! I learnt only a few words from them, but I did learn to pronounce. Wind forward 50 years, and my husband and I agreed we’d move to Wales when we retired. By now we were living in Sussex and there were no classes I could get to, but the London Welsh Centre pointed me to Nant Gwrtheyrn, and for the next few years I went there for a course every year. Six years ago, we came to live in Llandudno, and we love it. Since we’ve lived here, I’ve
attended weekly classes.
Hi everyone. SSI was recommended to me by a teacher friend and I’ve just joined. Apologies for not having read through all of this thread, but I hope to get to know you all by and by.
I’m German and have lived in Llangattock near Crickhowell for the last seven years. Not exactly a Welsh-speaking area, so my attempts at picking something up on the go haven’t been successful. Hubby and I have tried a course, but I’m sorry to say it bored us out of our minds, so here I am!
I did the first eight of Aran’s Lockdown Welsh sessions on YouTube last night and enjoyed them very much! I’ve got a question though: In one of your “lead-in documents” you say how learning by translation is so difficult and ineffective (with which I’ve always agreed, having been a language teacher and teacher trainer myself - as you know, the most difficult customers, haha …). However, the one-sentence method here involves translating from English all the time - how does that add up?
I love the “chunking” that seems to be a central part of your method, and the NOT focussing on grammar. I work as a copy editor for a language education publisher these days, and the fact that even new coursebooks still revolve around grammar topics just drives me to distraction. Many colleagues agree, but unfortunately it’s what the customers (i.e. the language teachers) want.
Sorry about the tangent rant. It was actually meant as praise by contrast!
So - Dw i’n edrych ymlaen at dysgu Cymraeg â chi!
or: at ddysgu?
Hi, everyone, I’m a bit shy, so bare with me. I have just started the taster course, if someone had told me I would be able to say these sentences a few days ago, I wouldn’t have believed them. It just sort of works, I don’t know how though! I have been trying to learn Welsh for years, my grandchildren speak Welsh as their first language, and I want to speak with them. I know I have a long way to go, but I’m so enjoying the taster lessons. I’m going to sign up for the course. I want to wish everyone good luck, and also we’ll done.
Hi everyone! Just completed day 3 & I have got the biggest smile on my face!!! I am absolutely loving learning the beautiful Welsh language (or should I say, yr iaith Gymraeg ).
I’ve chosen to learn the South Wales option, as my family are originally from Llywnypia (maternal grandmother & her sister). What options have others chosen & why?
Hello Victoria, I think you sent me a message asking how things were going, I couldn’t find where to click reply as it sent me here, I apologise as I’m not good with new sites. I’m glad to see you’re enjoying the course, its encouraging for people like me who have tried to learn Welsh for years and not got anywhere. Like you I’m smiling and so proud of myself, and that’s only after the taster! I’ve chosen North region as that’s my home. Good luck.
Interesting point. I suppose that it’s because we have to start to learn in a medium that we understand already.
I’m new to the site. I’ve started learning Welsh because my Grandmother lived in Wales and my Mum was born there. They didn’t speak any Welsh around me, but I’m hoping to move there one day. I love the sound of Welsh and I love Wales. I’m enjoying Say Something loads so far - after my first five days. I’ve been trying Duolingo but it doesn’t feel very satisfying…
Hi there! I’ve finally moved to the beautiful Gower which is where I’ve always considered home to be having been coming here my whole life and my mum being from here. Learning Welsh has been on my bucket list for far too many years but I have finally taken the first steps and completed Day 1. Your website was recommended by a friend of mine who is willing to help me practice my Welsh as I go through the course. Through learning the language I am looking forward to becoming more connected to my heritage and hoping to play a small part in keeping this language alive! I’m excited to be a part of this community
Hi. I was born in Pontycymmer, lived in Swansea and Rhyl till I was 18, learned to speak Welsh up to “O”level standard but then moved to England (Harrogate at present) where I’ve lived for the last 50 years. I’ve always wanted to relearn & reclaim my ability to speak Welsh and I’m surprised after three sessions how many words I remember although it’s a bit of a struggle sometimes, but enjoying the challenge.