How Do You Say…?

An extremely handy reference guide to common idiomatic Welsh sayings and expressions, concentrating on those which do not translate word-for-word into English. An essential tool for advanced-level Welsh learners, who will still be perplexed when coming across unfamiliar phrases like this, and who will have difficulty working out the meaning using an ordinary dictionary.

Examples include: antagonize – tynnu blewyn o drwyn; drop in on – taro heibio; get something off your chest – bwrw dy fol; hopping mad – gwyllt gacwn; settle an argument – torri’r dadl; Thank goodness! – Diolch byth! and What’s the matter? – Beth sy’n bod?

To help you find the right phrase in Welsh, they are broken down into categories: Emotions; Exclamations; Who?; Where?; When?; Degree; Actions/How?; State/What?

By D. Geraint Lewis, author of many popular books for Welsh learners.