Encouraged after my first conversations in Welsh | If SSIW is helping you, why not help us? Get DAILY lessons: Become an SSIW Member!

[jPrichard10]

Dw I'n byw yn America a dwi newydd orffen y cwrs cyntaf. I can only listen to welsh podcasts and I have no one to talk to (that understands at least - my girlfriend hears quite a bit of Welsh from me every day). Her family invited me to come to the lake district with them and convinced (persuaded?) them to come to Gwynedd and Conwy.I was surprised how little Welsh I found in Conwy, but was pleasantly surprised in Llanberis! I had several conversations, most of which started as in lesson 6b, with the other person rattling off in Welsh before I could explain I was only learning. Most complemented on my pronounciation and accent and where shocked I was from America and had never had a conversation in Welsh before. I told them about SSiW and I can only attribute my ability to speak conversational Welsh to Aran and Catrin.

I also got a chance to go to the first day of yr Eisteddfod yr Urdd. We have much to see in Wales so we arrived very late and missed most of what we wanted to see. It looked like it would be a bust until the awards finished and everyone stood to sing the national anthem. I was very proud to join with them and didn't miss a word. It was truly a highlight of the trip as I have never got to sing it with other Welsh speakers. I'm sure you take it for granted, but it was a most treasured moment and I will never forget it.

I have so much I want to learn now and I learned a lot during the trip. But SSiW gave me the confidence to try out my Welsh and I was very much encouraged. Once I'm back in the States, one of the first things I'll do is register so I can begin the second course. Thank you so much for your work, all four of you!

[jashwntw]

Llongyfarchiadau

I lived in Wales a few years growing up and I can't sing the national anthem... Yet!

[Gail1]

Oh well done you!
I haven't been brave enough to speak to anybody properly yet. I've spoken to family in Welsh, showing off I suppose. They are always very encouraging but I could be spouting any old rubbish and they wouldn't know any different.
I do sing the anthem with much enthusiasm at the rugby but, as I sing like a wounded cat, it's not to anybody's delight apart from my own.

I'm so glad you enjoyed being in Wales and singing along. Hurry back soon.

[Sionned]

Anyone who watched Cariad@Iaith last week (on S4C) will be aware how strongly those Welsh celebs felt it when they could actually sing (and understand) the national anthem. Well done you!

[longdehua]

Da iawn Jesse!

Llanberis is nice isn't it? Was there last month. Did you visit the slate museum?

[Dee]

Anyone who watched Cariad@Iaith last week (on S4C) will be aware how strongly those Welsh celebs felt it when they could actually sing (and understand) the national anthem. Well done you!

I've sung the Welsh national anthem more times in my 4 years of living in Wales than I have ever sung any other national anthem living anywhere! It's incredible the feeling that goes with it, the respect of every single person standing to sing it, and the way people put their heart and soul into it. It's worth coming to Wales for the experience. I often get so choked up with the emotion of it that I can't sing at all

[vgh50]

I've sung the Welsh national anthem more times in my 4 years of living in Wales than I have ever sung any other national anthem living anywhere! It's incredible the feeling that goes with it, the respect of every single person standing to sing it, and the way people put their heart and soul into it. It's worth coming to Wales for the experience. I often get so choked up with the emotion of it that I can't sing at all

I'm like that too, can never get the whole of the anthem out, In fact I begin to get chocked up when I hear the intro
I do make sure I hit that last line of the anthem though

I had several conversations, most of which started as in lesson 6b, with the other person rattling off in Welsh before I could explain I was only learning. Most complemented on my pronounciation and accent and where shocked I was from America and had never had a conversation in Welsh before.

Llongyfarchiadau Jesse!!

So happy for you that you enjoyed your first trip to Wales and that you were able have several conversations in Welsh!! Brilliant, you must be delighted.

Now you're a Welsh speaker, you can build and build on what you already know. Have you thought about setting up a Skype account with a web cam and finding a partner or several? You will definitely find it to be great conversational practice. I haven't much time to use it, but when I have, its been brilliant

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Good luck with the second course and thanks for sharing your great story.

[Aran]

What a great story, Jesse - thank you so much for sharing it...

And with a 'throw yourself into it' attitude like that, I'm sure you're going to end up a very confident speaker. What a pity we didn't know you were coming to the Urdd Eisteddfod - although given the traffic chaos, I'm sure we'd probably left before you got there!

[Spenny]

What a great story, Jesse - thank you so much for sharing it...

And with a 'throw yourself into it' attitude like that, I'm sure you're going to end up a very confident speaker. What a pity we didn't know you were coming to the Urdd Eisteddfod - although given the traffic chaos, I'm sure we'd probably left before you got there!

I wonder if the natives are getting more used to the Just Do It approach? A little pin-prick at the moment, but you have a few thousand learners wandering in the Wild prepared to have a go, and I wonder how much that is going to rub off. I've only received pleasure from Welsh speakers when I've been trying to speak.

[Aran]

I wonder if the natives are getting more used to the Just Do It approach? A little pin-prick at the moment, but you have a few thousand learners wandering in the Wild prepared to have a go, and I wonder how much that is going to rub off. I've only received pleasure from Welsh speakers when I've been trying to speak.

I think over the next five years or so it's going to have an important and increasing effect...