Everything You Need To Learn Welsh
Welsh (Cymraeg) is a Celtic language spoken natively in Wales, by over 500,000 people. It’s closely related to Breton and Cornish, which are Celtic languages spoken in Brittany (France) and Cornwall (UK) respectively.
All three languages belong to the Brythonic branch of the Celtic language family, though they’re not mutually intelligible. If you already speak another Celtic language, chances are you’ll find it easy to pick up Welsh as well.
Welsh is one of the official languages of the UK, and is considered to be one of the oldest languages in Europe, with a history going back over 3000 years.
Though the language isn’t yet considered endangered, the number of native speakers is on the decline, with less than 15% of the Welsh population able to speak it. There has been a push by the Welsh government, however, to increase the number of speakers to 1 million by 2050.
We’ve put together a list of materials for learning Welsh. There’s more than enough here to get you to a good level of fluency on your own.
Welsh Language Learning Books
As an introduction to the language, you can’t go wrong with a Welsh course or study book. They’re great for absolute beginners, as they teach you the language from scratch, covering things like Welsh grammar, the Welsh alphabet, language and sentence structure and more.
Next on your list should be a concise Welsh dictionary, because you won’t be able to do much without one. Along your journey to fluency, you’ll come across many words you don’t understand, and you’ll need a reliable dictionary that will not only give you their meanings, but show examples of the different ways they can be used.
A Welsh phrasebook might also come in handy for anyone visiting Wales in the near future. These books will teach you the essential Welsh words and phrases to use with native speakers.
Welsh Children’s Books
You can improve your language skills by reading children’s books in Welsh. They’re designed to be fun and easy to read, so beginners don’t have to worry getting too overwhelmed. Welsh kids’ books also typically use simple language and familiar subjects to help you pick up commonly-used vocabulary.
Welsh Fiction
When you’re ready for more challenging reading material, you should consider reading some Welsh-language books for older/adult readers, as these use more complex language, cover more complex themes, and thus give your overall language skills, not just your reading comprehension, a huge boost.
Welsh Digital Courses
Welsh e-courses are few and far between, which is a shame, as they’re great for those who don’t have the time or will to study using textbooks. Digital Welsh courses usually take the form of audiovisual instruction that more often than not places emphasis on nurturing listening and speaking skills.
One such course is the Hands-Free Welsh audio course, which is aimed at absolute beginners, and introduces you to essential words and phrases, spoken by native Welsh speakers. It’s designed to get you speaking Welsh, fast.
WELSH AUDIO COURSES
Hands-Free Welsh: Welsh Language Audio Course
Free Welsh Worksheets
We know that practice is important, which is why we’ve created a free Welsh word search puzzle PDF for you to download and print out at home. These are a great way to pick up new Welsh vocabulary whilst having fun.
