Hi @claire-29
I have just come out of my shop meeting. I think that @johnwilliams_6 is otherwise occupied at the moment, but the zoom meeting should still be available. I am sending you a personal message, and I hope that you will be able to find it.
Sue
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Good to speak to you, @claire-29, and I look forward to meeting you again at 12 on Friday.
Hwyl,
Sue
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Thank you all for making me feel very welcome at my first Zoom meet up. I understood a little of your conversation. I recognised lots of words but couldn’t remember their meaning so I was checking on my spreadsheet of vocabulary that I’ve learnt. I have a few questions:
Can anyone recommend :
- Any good programmes (aimed at learners) on S4C or online ?
- Any story books suitable for learners ? I’m quite happy to read kid’s picture books
Diolch yn fawr iawn
Hwyl
Claire
Hi @claire-29,
It was great to see you.
I started reading with “Cwm Grachod” then “Coed y Brenin” by Colin Jones published by Cadw sŵn. Unfortunately I lent them to someone some time ago, and I can’t remember who it was. Colin Jones wrote them for his own students and they have plenty of vocabulary and explanation.
I moved on to Ffenestri by Lois Arnold. It has short stories at three levels of difficulty, and I really enjoyed it. There is also “e-ffrindiau” by Lois Arnold. This was OK at first, but I rather lost interest part way through. “Sgŵp” by Lois Arnold is a great story, and worth a try in a little while. The Blodwyn Jones stories by Bethan Gwanas are popular, but use a northern dialect which I found more difficult at first, being a southern learner.
There is a good series “Cyfres Amdani”. At Mynediad level I have read “O Gaerfyrddin i Go Compare” which is the story of tenor Wynne Evans. He learned with SSiW. I have also read “Stryd y Bont” by Manon Steffan Ros. This is a very clever miniature thriller using easy language. After that there is a wide choice. “Stori Sydyn” is another good series of books, though it doesn’t include vocabulary, being aimed at reluctant readers who may be fluent in speaking Welsh.
Do you like “Mog the Forgetful Cat?” If so, then try “Mog y Gath Anghofus”. You can download a soundfile of someone reading it. I will try to find where it is and post a link. There is a very long thread of book suggestions on this forum, but it might be a bit overwhelming at first.
If you go to BBC i-Player and look for S4C, you will find a whole lot of children’s programmes, and also programmes for adults. You can watch them with subtitles and it’s all good even if you don’t understand much at first.
Hwyl,
Sue
Thank you very much Sue for all the book suggestions. I shall look them up on Amazon.
I’ve watched a few programmes on S4C and they’ve been good. I’ll have a look at the children’s programmes and see if they’re more at my level.
Have a good weekend.
CLaire
Hi @claire-29,
Here are some links.
Descriptions of books in the Cyfres Amdani.
https://parallel.cymru/amdani/
The thread with recommendations for books at various levels.
Audiobook versions of books for children.
As an alternative to Amazon, you could try http://www.gwales.com/intro/ or https://www.ylolfa.com/ I have bought books from both and they both gave good service.
Hwyl
Sue
I also started with a Colin Jones book. I think his ones are available on kindle if you can’t find them elsewhere. I also recommend Ffenestri & Sgŵp, and the Blodwen Jones books if you’re learning northern Welsh. I seem to have followed a similar reading trajectory to Sue albeit several steps behind and a lot slower!
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Many thanks to both of you for these recommendations. I really appreciate it.
Helo pawb - just to confirm this week’s Zoom meetups with login details as before (Zoom’s global technical hitch of the other day is now supposed to have been resolved 
)
- 10:30am Wednesday 20th May
- 12:00 Friday 22nd May
Do let me know if you’ve any queries/problems/comments etc 
Hwyl a chadwch yn iach , John
Helo pawb - as usual there’ll be two Zoom meetups this week
10:30am Wednesday 27th May
12:00 Friday 29nd May
Log in details were PM’d to most a few weeks ago, but please do let me know if you haven’t got them
Hwyl a chadwch yn iach , John
I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you today. Not sure about Friday. My son has a few days annual leave! Take care. Hwyl Bethan
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A quick confirmation of our Zoom meetups this week
- 10:30am Wednesday 3rd June
- 12:00 Friday 5th June
If you haven’t already joined us for one, do give it a try
Let me know if you’ve any questions, either here or PM me
Hwyl a chadwch yn saff, John
Helo pawb - Just to confirm our regular pattern of Zoom practice sessions this week (login details as before)
- 10:30am Wednesday 10th June
- 12:00 Friday 12th June
Post a message or get in touch via PM if you’ve any questions or concerns
Hwyl a chadwch yn saff
John
Hello all. I was hoping to be able to join you briefly today before work but then drains troubles intervened and needed attention! It looks like I’ll be at work for the next 3 meetups but I hope to be around on the 24th.
Tan y tro nesaf, Chris.
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Helo pawb - two more Zoom meetup sessions this week (login as before)
- 10:30am Wednesday 17th June
- 12:00 Friday 19th June
As before, do get in touch if you’ve any questions or concerns (and don’t forget also there are the Welsh Speaking Practice sessions via Slack hangouts)
Hwyl a chadwch yn saff
John
Sorry I won’t be able to join you’ today as am going out for walk! Enjoy your scwrs! Hwyl fawr Bethan
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Hope you enjoyed the walk. See you next time.
Sue
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It was good to see you today, @claire-29, and the sentences are going well. Although I have learned using the Southern course (since my family are from the South), I find that after spending time with others, particularly @johnwilliams_6 and @RichardBuck, I sometimes find myself using “northern” words or expressions. I think that you adapt your language towards the people you meet. Certain words such as “moyn” and “gallu” are well embedded though. If I hear “medru”, I have to pause and mentally convert to “gallu” before I get the meaning!
Hope to see you again soon. Are there more sentences to come?
Sue
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Tyrd draws i’r ochr tywyll, Sue You know it makes sense!
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HI Sue,
Thanks v much for your kind message. It was nice to see everyone this morning and to be able to say my few sentences! As I mentioned I’ve decided to swap from South Waleian to North Waleian because I think I’m more likely to visit North Wales for holidays than the South. I’ve realised also that I need to know the basics of Welsh before continuing with SSiW. I’ve almost finished Level 1 but I’m still v v shaky on the basics, so I’ve stepped up my Duolingo learning, I’m writing daily sentences and I’m gone back to Challenge 1 with SSiW but this time in North Waleian. Have you any tips I can try ?
I hope you’re keeping well.
Best wishes
CLaire