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[BekB]

I've had a few brief chances to use a bit of Welsh recently. Truthfully they could have been a little less brief if it wasn't for me!

I've had a few occasions where I have been asked a question which has a yes or no answer and when that happens brain no worky!! I understand the question but the answer doesn't come.

Well, i say brain no worky - brain ends up thinking of the answer in English and then thumbs through it's filing system until it finds the correct phrase. By which time the person who has asked the question, now a little bored of watching the tumbleweed blow by, translates the question for me and I'm feeling a bit of a tool so I giggle and answer in English .

I really freeze on yes and no unless it's a possesive question where the clue is in the question!

Any tips for dealing with this?

[Kinetic]

I'd say that in situations like this, keeping the conversation going is more important than answering perfectly. If someone asks you a question that should be answered with a "do" and you answer with an "ydw" they're still going to understand what you mean - and more importantly, they'll know that you understood the question properly, so will be less likely to switch to English

[leiafee]

Mumble and nod/shake your head and skip to the next bit of the conversation!

[Aran]

I'd say that in situations like this, keeping the conversation going is more important than answering perfectly.

What he said...

Bek, why not just use 'Ia' and 'Na' all the time? Everyone will understand you, only occasional insensitive types will try and correct you, and you can just get on with having conversations and using all the rest of your Welsh (until one day you find out that you're using more 'correct' ways of saying yes and no without even really having thought about it)...

[LynneA]

How about learning some non yes/no answers like when you play that game where you are not allowed to answer yes or no. For example, then in a problem situation if you don't know the right yes/no you could say something like "of course" (wrth gwrs) "certainly" (sîwr iawn) or the appropriate negatives (can't think what they are though!)

[Kinetic]

How about learning some non yes/no answers like when you play that game where you are not allowed to answer yes or no. For example, then in a problem situation if you don't know the right yes/no you could say something like "of course" (wrth gwrs) "certainly" (sîwr iawn) or the appropriate negatives (can't think what they are though!)

Heh, I do that too - lazy eh! Wrth gwrs, yn union, pam lai, siŵr o fod, 'na ni... and I'm pretty sure I over-use "ie" too Not sure if I have any for negatives, except just "na" I suppose...

[RobertBruce]

Not sure if I have any for negatives, except just "na" I suppose...

Na is fine. A lot of first language speakers use over-use it, so why shouldn't we?

[TelBoy]

I've only just seen this, and I fully sympathise. My few opportunities have been blighted by this.. most recently when I phoned to subscibe to Lingo... (I forgot to use the "yn arafach" strategy too).

But I find I'm concentrating far more on what the person is saying than noting what verb starts the sentence to then follow up with the correct reply.

I like the "Ie", "Nage" solution, as the point is to keep communicating.

[BekB]

Diolch pawb.

Some great ideas there. I'll arm myself with some alternatives and will try not to panic!

[Dee]

I still struggle with this as well. I've recently decided to try a new approach, so I'll let you know how it goes. What I"m going to TRY to do, is not think that I want to answer "Yes" or "No", but to banish those words completely and think that I want to answer "I do" or "I did" or "I don't" etc, and see if that gives me the clue as to what to say. I figure it's worth a try anyway.