Tiny questions with quick answers - continuing thread

Ah, somebody else asked this question quite recently…I’ve copied, pasted and tweaked that answer!..

…using eisiau to mean ‘need’ rather than ‘want’ - uses ‘i’ - if you need to do an action

eg. You need to run - mae eisiau i chi redeg…

…literally - there is a want for you to run

…but if you need a ‘thing’ - like a few other things such as emotions and illnesses in Welsh - it is ‘on you’ - and uses ‘ar’ …

Eg. I need food - mae eisiau bwyd arna i

…literally - there is a ‘want of food’ on me…

This seems confusing initially but settles down in no time!

Rich :slight_smile:

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Thank you for that explanation Rich. It makes sense to me. So is it arna i and arna ti? I haven’t seen it written down before.

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Yes, that’s right - so…

Arna i
Arnat ti
Arno fe
Arni hi
Arnon ni
Arnoch chi
Arnyn nhw

Rich :slight_smile:

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That’s so helpful. I really appreciate it. Diolch yn fawr iawn!

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Absolutely fantastic. Thanks Rich. At last an idiot proof demo.
Diolch y n fawr iawn.

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Thanks also to you Rich. I also was not sure why, but now seeing it like that it makes sense! Diolch eto

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Tiny quick question if it’s ok:

In Cymraeg, what’s the idiomatic way to say “I’m going to have a coffee”
Would I be right with: Dw i’n mind i cael coffi?

I only ask because I know different languages use different verbs for this. Many European languages seem to say "I’m going to take a coffee’ (French: je vais prendre un cafe)
US English is more likely to be “I’m going to get a coffee”
etc

Thanks!

yes, cael is fine (in Welsh it kind of covers both ‘have’ and ‘get’ in this context anyway)
Dwi’n mynd i gael coffi
or (for “a cup of”)
Dwi’n mynd i gael panad o goffi (Northern)
Wi’n mynd i gael disgled o goffi (Southern)

Diolch!
Perfect timing too - I’ve got two hours til I finish work so, wi’n mynd i gael disgled o goffi.

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A while back there a couple of SSIW people had created a website of places/shops etc where you could go and be able to speak Welsh. Only I can’t for the life of me remember what they are called and I’m going to Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire for a couple of days and would like to choose places to eat where I can use my Welsh. I’m already booked into the Tafarn Sinc for Sunday lunch!

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I don’t remember the website, but I know I wrote a few places I’ve been to here in case you can’t find that and these may be interesting for you (scroll down after the pre-covid tips about public transport!!)

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Hi, Yes, Neil Rowlands had the original idea, which he kindly allowed me to take over. There isn’t a map any longer but the idea is for people to add places they can recommend to the thread below. It went a bit quiet so sorry, not much on there at the moment for your trip.

To be honest it’s still slightly early days for some places after the lockdown but there are some possibilities.

If you are travelling in via Swansea, siop Ty Tawe is now open Thurs to Sat 11AM to 2PM No refreshments I don’t think but they will love a chat (very learner and Covid safety friendly).

Regarding Ceredigion, I went to Llandysul last week. A few places are starting to open. Be aware that there are roadworks in Bridge Street, but some shops are open now including I think the Chippy. The thing is if just say Shwmae to someone in a shop or the street, they will speak to you. perhaps have one sentence ready about the weather or I enjoy speaking welsh or something. Otherwise a small supermarket will be a good place to buy something in Welsh. The same will go for Lampeter or Aberystwyth; any where in Carmarthenshire (past Crosshands), northern Pembs (Newport onwards) or Ceredigion to be honest.

I hope this helps. here are the links - should be cafe at soar, not cage :smiley:

http://www.sioptytawe.co.uk/

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Ah, coincidentally, there is currently an item on this running in the facebook group called: Iaith

Thanks. It’s just coming back to me! Nicky Roberts (?) started one too

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Nicky will know for definite. especially Aberystwyth or Swansea. he is also on Twitter.

So I want to get ‘out into the wild’ and do a bit of Welsh practice. To order food, how would I start the conversation? Would it be something like ‘gallwn i gael’ (context being ‘could I have 2 soups please?’) Thank you!

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Just: Ga i cawl plis. I’m not 100% sure about “2 soups” as such. You won’t go far wrong with dwy o gawl, I guess.

You don’t need the “cael” bit because it’s already in “ga i” although you might hear some Welsh speakers using it twice.

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Hello all
12 minutes from the end of challenge 4 they start to say bod and I don’t know why because I can’t hear “that” in the English ie I think I must go now - Dwi’n meddwl bod rhaid i mi fynd rwan

Any ideas as to why there is a bod thrown in? And why it wouldn’t be in other sentences? It’s used a for a few subsequent sentences.
Thankyou in anticipation!

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Hi @alexandra-greenwood

This is an area where in English we become used to dropping the ‘that’ - even though it is there - this sentence is:

I think that I must go.

In Welsh the ‘that’ in the present tense - ‘bod’ - is particularly important In the structure of the sentence - joining the two parts of the sentence together and often having the form of the person in the second half associated with it… Eg

That I… Bod fi’n…

that he… Bod e’n

So it is always there in Welsh. You will will get totally used to this in no time!

Rich :slight_smile:

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Thank you, appreciated!

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