Some Welsh phrases I've learned from my new book about Wynne Evans.
By Sharon Elton
@sharonelton (28846)
Lichfield, England
October 25, 2024 6:39am CST
The first phrase of interest from the book is:-
pan o'n i'n ifanc
This phrase means in English:- When I was young
So I know that in that section of the book he's talking about when he was young. I don't know what the rest of the sentence means which includes this phrase, but there you go!
Here's another interesting phrase from the book:-
ddeng mlynedd yn henach na
This phrase means in English:- Ten years older than
I love the way the Welsh phrase seems to go on forever, but then the English equivalent is so much shorter! 
The context here is that he has a brother, Huw, who is ten years older than him.
He also has another brother, Mark, who is ddwy flynedd a hanner = two and a half years older than him.
Now, there are some mutations here. In the first phrase we have mlynedd and in the second phrase we have flynedd. These are both the same word, but one of them is mutated. I don't know which one is the mutation! I presume this is the word for years as it's the only word that is repeated in both phrases.
The other mutation is ddwy which I presume is the word for two. In the text of the book it is written as here. But at the bottom, where it lists some of the Welsh words and phrases and their English translations, it's written as dwy. So the mutation is the added d.
I hope you enjoyed your Welsh lesson for today. 
The context here is that he has a brother, Huw, who is ten years older than him.
He also has another brother, Mark, who is ddwy flynedd a hanner = two and a half years older than him.
Now, there are some mutations here. In the first phrase we have mlynedd and in the second phrase we have flynedd. These are both the same word, but one of them is mutated. I don't know which one is the mutation! I presume this is the word for years as it's the only word that is repeated in both phrases.
The other mutation is ddwy which I presume is the word for two. In the text of the book it is written as here. But at the bottom, where it lists some of the Welsh words and phrases and their English translations, it's written as dwy. So the mutation is the added d.
I hope you enjoyed your Welsh lesson for today. 7 people like this
7 responses
@Fleura (30388)
• United Kingdom
26 Oct
@anya12adwi Yes. Yn wir, rydyn ni yn siarad Cymraeg.
3 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
28 Oct
@rakski Because I've always loved the Welsh language. I love how people sound when they talk in Welsh, but I could never understand a word they said. Then when I decided I would like to go and live in Cardiff I thought I'd learn Welsh, even though plenty of people in Cardiff speak English. Plus we really need to keep the Welsh language alive. 
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166911)
• Boise, Idaho
25 Oct
How very interesting. I have some Welsh blood.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166911)
• Boise, Idaho
26 Oct
@sharonelton .......No. It's is an interesting language though isn't it?
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
28 Oct
@celticeagle Yes, it is. I love it, but it's so hard! I'll do some more Welsh language learning this afternoon!
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
26 Oct
You do? Oh, wow! That is brilliant! Can you speak Welsh?
2 people like this
@Orson_Kart (6776)
• United Kingdom
28 Oct
Isn’t he doing well on Strictly? He looks far too overweight to be as light on his feet as he is. Very impressive!
I find the Welsh language very difficult and unnecessary. My favourite word is “Popty ping”, which is microwave. Unless it was a joke. I’m sure Blodwyn will correct me if I’m wrong!
2 people like this
@Orson_Kart (6776)
• United Kingdom
28 Oct
@sharonelton I’d be exhausted too! Dancing with Katya must be tiring. I bet she only weighs about 6 stone though, so will be easy to chuck about.
No, I’m English, so no time to learn Welsh. Imagine The Beatles singing in Welsh? I can’t! 
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
29 Oct
@Orson_Kart Yes, he was crawling on the ground to go and face the judges! Yes, she does look very light.
I'm English too but I'm trying to learn Welsh. I spend an hour now and then on it in the afternoon. I've got a drawing to do today though ready for painting on Thursday. If I've got time after that I might try learning some more Welsh.
If the Beatles sung in Welsh would they do it with a Liverpudlian accent? 
Yes, she does look very light.
I'm English too but I'm trying to learn Welsh. I spend an hour now and then on it in the afternoon. I've got a drawing to do today though ready for painting on Thursday. If I've got time after that I might try learning some more Welsh.
If the Beatles sung in Welsh would they do it with a Liverpudlian accent? 2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
28 Oct
Yes, he is! He has surprised me no end! And weren't those lifts great? The poor chap was exhausted afterwards!
The Welsh language is very difficult, but I don't think it's unnecessary. It's the language of Wales and we should keep it alive. It's amazing how it has survived when the English wanted to get rid of it! You should listen to the song Yma o Hyd. There are videos on YouTube that show the translation.
The Welsh language is very difficult, but I don't think it's unnecessary. It's the language of Wales and we should keep it alive. It's amazing how it has survived when the English wanted to get rid of it! You should listen to the song Yma o Hyd. There are videos on YouTube that show the translation. 2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (79833)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
29 Oct
That is very interesting, Welsh appears to me a difficult language particularly if you have to spell the words, Enjoy,
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
30 Oct
Yes, you're right. Interesting and difficult. You know what the Welsh for please is? os gwelwch yn dda!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178568)
• United States
26 Oct
Looks like a very difficult language. Have a good weekend.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (178568)
• United States
29 Oct
@sharonelton You're very welcome. Good for Wynne Evans!
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
28 Oct
Thank you very much. Yes, it is rather hard. It's the mutations that get me.
I did have a good weekend, thank you very much. Wynne Evans is through to next week again on Strictly Come Dancing!
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
29 Oct
@LindaOHio Thank you very much.
Yes, there's a new themed week on Strictly this week, to celebrate their 20 year Anniversary. It's Icons week, and Wynne is doing Shirley Bassey. I don't think he's dressing up as Shirley Bassey!
Yes, there's a new themed week on Strictly this week, to celebrate their 20 year Anniversary. It's Icons week, and Wynne is doing Shirley Bassey. I don't think he's dressing up as Shirley Bassey! 2 people like this
@Fleura (30388)
• United Kingdom
25 Oct
Who is Wynne Evans?
And why are you reading a book in Welsh that you can't understand?
I'm confused - but well done for trying!
*the word for year is 'blynedd' - so both mlynedd and flynedd are mutated, but in different ways depending on what comes before them.
As you said the word for two is 'dwy' or 'dau' depending on what you are talking about. And the mutation of dwy to ddwy is not really adding a 'd' but changing the letter 'd' to the letter 'dd' which is a different letter in the Welsh alphabet.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (30388)
• United Kingdom
26 Oct
@sharonelton As you can probably tell I don't watch television! But I'm impressed by your efforts, well done!
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
28 Oct
@Fleura Thank you very much. And I appreciate your help.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (28846)
• Lichfield, England
26 Oct
Wynne Evans is a Welsh opera singer. He also is the face of the Go Compare adverts, has a radio programme on BBC Radio Wales and is currently participating in Strictly Come Dancing in the UK. I'm reading a book in Welsh that I can't understand because I'm trying to learn Welsh.
Thank you for enlightening me on the Welsh word for year.
Thank you. Yes, I did know that the letter dd is a different letter in the Welsh alphabet, it just didn't register that that's what had happened with that word! 
Thank you. Yes, I did know that the letter dd is a different letter in the Welsh alphabet, it just didn't register that that's what had happened with that word! 1 person likes this
