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[Greenwick]

I met up with Buddug today, after a previous failed attempt to do so. I was a bit too nervous, so not too much spoken in Welsh today. (Even after extensive reviewing of lessons, most of the Welsh flew right out of my head.) We discussed a lot about what we've been learning, though, and that was a lot of fun. We'll be meeting again next week, and hopefully having better luck with the conversation.

[Iestyn]

Great news, Greenwick! Sometimes it's far more important to "make a connection" on your first meet-up than it is to use every Welsh sentence that you've learned, so connections made, and you can relax next time.

Remember, there is no such thing as "a bit of a conversation", a "mini conversation", or any of those other things that we say to play down what we've just achieved. If you spoke some Welsh words and received a reply (or vice versa), then you had a conversation, in a language that you've been learning for, what, 6 months? Most Welsh learners leave it for 3 or 4 years before getting to that stage!

[crystaltipps65]

Well done Greenwick in taking that first bold step, its exhilarating isn't it!
Keep at it and your confidence will grow!

[bricol]

Nes i alw ar y Llandysul fferyllydd bore ma’, a dyn nesa i fi oedd siarad yn Gymraeg i staff. Dw i’n meddwl “dw i’n nabod a pherson hon”. Y person oedd Iestyn. Hynny’n oedd fy sgwrs fach gyntaf yn Gymraeg. Dw i newydd ddechrau gwers hugain cwrs cyntaf.

[Tahl]

Nes i alw ar y Llandysul fferyllydd bore ma’, a dyn nesa i fi oedd siarad yn Gymraeg i staff. Dw i’n meddwl “dw i’n nabod a pherson hon”. Y person oedd Iestyn. Hynny’n oedd fy sgwrs fach gyntaf yn Gymraeg. Dw i newydd ddechrau gwers hugain cwrs cyntaf.

Ha! Byd bach go iawn, yndefe? Da iawn, ti. Sgwrs gyntaf o lawer, dw i'n siwr.

[Greenwick]

I think you're right, Lestyn, and I really ought to stop downplaying how well I know Welsh so far. I don't feel discouraged, but I am probably being too cautious for fear of being overloaded with words I can't understand.

We had another meetup, which was a great deal of fun and very useful. I am finding with the prospect of actually talking to someone, I feel much more motivated while learning.

Inbetween meetups, I've started using phrases to talk to the cat. Mostly things like, Ti eisiau chwarae?; Ti wedi blino; and Ti'n mynd e ddysgin y lawr! Not that he particularly cares, but I like directing my five phrases a day at someone else if I can.

[sumsmeister]

Hi Greenwick, glad you sound so pleased to have had your first! I love the fact you are trying things out on your cat- I talk to the dog sometimes. I think it helps to do that as you get used to hearing yourself and can feel quite satisfied you sound ok. I sometimes "confirm" to myself the next thing on my agenda, just to feel comfortable describing stuff. Like "prynu bara a siwgr heddiw". Pob lwc - good luck!

[Iestyn]

Nes i alw ar y Llandysul fferyllydd bore ma’, a dyn nesa i fi oedd siarad yn Gymraeg i staff. Dw i’n meddwl “dw i’n nabod a pherson hon”. Y person oedd Iestyn. Hynny’n oedd fy sgwrs fach gyntaf yn Gymraeg. Dw i newydd ddechrau gwers hugain cwrs cyntaf.

Bricol - Dyna oedd dy sgwrs cyntaf di? Wow, mae dy Gymraeg yn dda iawn iawn! Nest ti ddweud dy fod ti wedi dysgu Cymraeg o'r blaen, ac wedi anghofio - wel llongyfarchiadau, mae'r Gymraeg yn dod nôl yn glou iawn. Byddi di'n gyfforddus ymhen dim (ymhen dim = at the end of nothing = very very soon indeed). Da iawn ti!

I would seriously recommend that you get out there and brave the Welsh speaking world, Brian, because you are already within touching distance of being really comfortable. If you are able to pop over to Theatr Mwldan (Aberteifi) on a Friday morning (11.00 I think), there is a lovely group of people there, a combination of learners, and new and from-birth speakers, who meet just to chat over a coffee. It's nice and relaxed. with a mix of Welsh and English being spoken: The bootcampers very often go down there on the Friday (so a week today, they may be there!). Really, break the ice in a safe environment like that, and then get out amongst it, and you will forget that there was ever such a thing as a "first conversation", because your Welsh will become as natural as your English.

[bricol]

Shwmae Iestyn, Dw i’n yn Aberteifi pob dydd OND, bydda i’n cwpla'r cwrs cyntaf cyn i fi ddangos fy wyneb i Bootcampers. Dwi wedi bod cadeirydd o Gymdeithas Tai ers blynyddoedd. The operational language of the association is Cymraeg, it shows how twp I am for not taking advantage of being surrounded by welsh speakers for almost twenty years. The target that I have set myself is; dw i’n bwriadi i fynd yr Eisteddfod Bro Morgannwg blwyddyn nesa a bydda i’n defnyddio dim ond Cymraeg yno. Oedd yn dda i gwrdd i ti ddoe.

[norafelicity]

Greenwick and Buddug, you both live in Bellingham, right? I'm looking for people here to practice with. This website is pretty hard to navigate. I don't know how to tag you in this, but maybe you'll see it?