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[darren]

I have not been learning welsh long, i am currently doing the wlpan course with my wife, and listening to say something in welsh, we mess about at home speaking welsh and trying to outdo one another, and apart from that and the classroom, i have not tried speaking to a welsh speaker. So i thought I would give it a go, i knew of a cafe in Merthyr that was predominantly Welsh speaking, so i worked up the courage to go in, the frst day i stood in line and the girl in front of me was speaking English to the guy behind the counter, this knocked the wind out of my sails, and all i could manage was a very meek "can i have a cappucno please" which i took and sat very quietly attempting to read my Lingo newydd. Not wanting to be put off i tried again the next day, winding myself up all te way to the cafe, this time i did manage to speak Welsh even if it was only to ask for a coffee lol i asked the guy behind the counter " ga'i cappucino ac dau welsh cake os gwelwch yn dda" which he got for me, feeling happy i had managed this, the owner then went on to give me the price, in Welsh, i had not counted on this and became a jibbering mass of nerves, i managed to say " dw'i dysgu siarad cymraeg, ar hyn o bryd" he laughed worked out the price an then repeated what he said in English, i paid up and walked to my table shaking all the way lol, but on reflection I did manage if only to tell him I am learning, to say my first words to a fluent welsh speaker

[longdehua]

Llongyfarchiadau!

I still get pretty jumpy about talking Welsh to the Welsh unless it's in a learner-friendly environment ...

[leiafee]

Well done - and for all you may have felt nervous - you obviously sounded confident enough for the other chap to carry on in Welsh!

[Bryn-Daf]

Darren the easier way to do it, is to already know the price roughly. Have a tenner or fiver or whatever ready on you so they dont notice if you know the exact price or not and just hand over the cash.....if you understand the price take it as an added bonus!!

Another point is the phrase welsh cake(s), we may translate that to 'teisen(nau) cymreig' but this is also a name for welsh tart, a sweet tart made with gooseberries, currants, rhubarb or whatever hehe. But to be honest I dont think any welsh speakers would notice and they should understand

I believe welsh cake in posh welsh is teisen radell

..but "yn y De" in the South in your neck of the woods I think they say "picau ar y maen" - shortened version = "pice ar y maen" - or "pice bach" but then I aint no Hwntw (southerner)

[Bryn-Daf]

There is a welsh bingo game on this site to test your hearing for numbers btw

Punt = pound
Ceiniog = penny



http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/welshathome/textversion/sw_f_kitchen_fridge_money.shtml
BBC page for welsh money phrases (south dialect) above^^. Mwynha/Joia

Anyone else interested from North Wales - see the north version which varies only very slightly with a few words below

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/welshathome/textversion/nw_f_kitchen_fridge_money.shtml

[debw12]

the owner then went on to give me the price, in Welsh, i had not counted on this and became a jibbering mass of nerves, i managed to say " dw'i dysgu siarad cymraeg, ar hyn o bryd"

Hi Darren,
I am coming over for a bootcamp in Sept. and you have just described one of my biggest "fears"....siopa yn Gymraeg. Not only am I not familiar with names of foods and U.K. coinage, but I am really struggling with the Welsh number system with all its different rules and mutations. (And now that I've admitted it, I'll probably get sent on a shopping trip alone )
So good for brave you and I'll have to remember your strategy....
deb

[vgh50]

Llongyfarchiadau a croeso cynnes i'r fforwm Darren!!

That was a great first post, I really enjoyed reading your story. I know what a daunting prospect it is to speak welsh in public so you made a fantastic start

Definately a fluent welsh speaker in the making.

I hope you're enjoying the course - feel free to pop by the forum any time.

All the best,

Vaughan

[rob212]

'Cacen' means cake also. Is there any difference between 'cacen' and 'teisen'?

[Bryn-Daf]

Cacen is an english loan word mainly used in the north - english got it originally from the vikings (of all places heh) - Norse = kaka

I didnt mention cacen because he in near Merthyr in S Wales. I was taught cacen in school, but first language NE speakers in my area and my mid walian family say teisen (not the greatest sample, chwarae teg) so who knows too much variety

P.S. its all good

[RobertBruce]

Cacen is an english loan word

Loan word? We're keeping it!

It sounds nothing like 'cake', so it's Welsh. As far as I'm concerned, them's the rules.