Geiriadur i Dysgwyr

Geiriadur i Ddysgwyr: Ar-lein / Dictionary for Learners: Online

This reference guide contains over 1600 common words. To support those new to the language, the most common words also have a pronunciation guide. Under the English word is the Welsh word on the left, with the approximate pronunciation using English sounds to the right. The stressed sound is underlined. For a fuller explanation, click the ‘How to Use This Guide’ button below. Full credit for the content goes to Mark Stonelake.

How to Use This Guide

All | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y
There are currently 100 names in this directory beginning with the letter B.
back to back
cefn wrth gefn, keven oorth geven

bail
mechnïaeth (b), mechnee-eth

bald
moel, môl

balm for the soul
balm i'r enaid, balm eer ened

ban (to)
gwahardd

bang to rights
reit i wala, right ee wah-lah

bank (of a lake/river)
glan (b)

bank account
cyfri banc

bare
llwm

bark (to)
cyfarth, kuvarth

barn(s)
ysgubor(iau) (b), sgibor (sgiboreh)

based on
yn seiliedig ar

bathe (to)
ymdrochi

battle
brwydr (b)

be set free (to)
cael dy draed yn rhydd

beauty
harddwch

because
am fod

become addicted to (to)
mynd yn gaeth i

bed and breakfast
gwely a brecwast, gwelee ah brecwast

before
cyn, kin

before (previously)
o’r blaen, o’r blân

before hand
ymlaen llaw

beginner(s)
dechreuwr (dechreuwyr), deh-chr-eye-oor

belong to (to)
perthyn i

bend (to)
plygu

bend(s)
tro(eon)

benefit/good
lles, llêss

bereavement
profedigaeth (b), proveh-digeth

best
gorau, goreh

best at
gorau am, goreh am

best friend
ffrind gorau, ffrind goreh

betray (to)
bradychu, braduchee

better (than)
gwell (na) (t.ll.), gweh-ll

between
rhwng

beyond
tu hwnt i

big wide world (the)
daear gron (b)

bigger/more
mwy, moo-ee

biggest/largest/most...
mwya(f), moo-ee-ah

bilingual
dwyieithog, doo-ee-eye-thog

bird (birds)
aderyn (adar), aderin

bite (to)
cnoi, knoy

bitter
chwerw

Black Plague (The)
Y Pla Du

blame
bai

blame/at fault
ar fai, ar vie

bleed (to)
gwaedu, gweye-dee

blind
dall

blood
gwaed, gwâd

blood test
prawf gwaed, prawv gwâd

Bloody hell! (literally - Hell fire!)
Uffern dân!, iffan dân!

blouse
blows (b), bloh-wz

blow (to)
chwythu

blow/shot
ergyd (b)

boat
cwch, kooch

boil the kettle (to)
berwi'r tegell, behr-wee

bone
asgwrn

book (to)
bwcio, bookoh

boost
hwb

border(s)
ffin(iau) (b)

bore (to)
diflasu

born (to be)
geni, genee

borough
bwrdeistref (b)

bosom
mynwes

bosom buddy
ffrind mynwesol, ffrind munwessol

bottom (of an object/place)
gwaelod, gw-eye-lod

bottom/bum/backside
pen ôl, pen ole

bowl(s)
powlen(ni) (b)

Boxing Day
Dydd San Steffan

boy (col. S.W.)
crwt

boy/chap/guy/mate/man
(b)achan, achan

brave
dewr, deh-wr

break (intermission)
toriad, toryad / egwyl, egoo-eel

break-up/ dispersal/ scattering
chwalfa (b)

break/rest
seibiant

breast(s)
bron(nau) (b)

breathe (to)
anadlu

breeze
awel

bridesmaids
morynion priodas, morunyon preeodas

bright
llachar, llah-chahr

brightness
gloywder

bring up (to)
magu, maggee

Britain
Prydain, Pruhden

British
Prydeinig

British Empire (The)
Yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig (b)

broadcast (to)
darlledu, dah-rlledee

browse (to)
pori

brush (to)
brwsio, brwshoh

building
adeilad, ad-eye-lad

bull
tarw, tah-roo

burn to a crisp (to)
llosgi'n ulw, llossggeen iloo

bury (to)
claddu

bush(es)/shrub(s)
llwyn(i), llooeen (llooeenee)

business
busnes, biss-ness

butter
menyn, menin

by (i.e. done by)
gan (t.m.), gan

by (the time that)
erbyn, ehrbin

by the seaside
ar lan y môr, ahr lan uh more

by the sweat of his brow
trwy chwys ei dalcen

by/near
ar bwys, ahr boo-eess

bypass
ffordd osgoi (b), ffordd ossgoy


Pronunciation Guide

In Welsh words the stress usually falls on the last but one syllable (a syllable is a unit of sound). Putting stress on a syllable means lengthening the sound with more emphasis in the voice.

For example, people with a Welsh accent would pronounce the surname Meredith as Mer-ed-ith, with the last sound but one ‘ed’ stressed. People with an English accent would tend to put equal weight on all three syllables – Mer-ed-ith.

If the stress falls on the last syllable of a Welsh word it is usually marked by an accent e.g. carafán. There are very few words like this in Welsh.

Try saying these words: – canol – canolfan. The stress moves on each time a unit of sound or syllable is added.

Abbreviations used

(adj) adjective- a describing word
(b) benywaidd – feminine (noun)
(col) colloquial– a word used in one area of Wales
(au) ….(s) plurals e.g. shop(s) – siop(au)
adre(f) (f) not pronounced
{rhed} root/stem of the verb e.g. rhedeg {rhed-}
(t.ll.) treiglad llaes – the word causes an aspirate mutation
(t.t.) treiglad trwynol – the word causes a nasal mutation
(t.m.) treiglad meddal – the word causes a soft mutation
(adj.) adjective
….(to) verb e.g. talk (to) – to talk
(tag) tags are short questions that we put on the end of sentences such as ‘…isn’t it?’
N.W. a word used in North Wales
S.W. a word used in South Wales

Further resources

For a complete learner’s dictionary I recommend Heini Gruffudd’s Welsh Learner’s Dictionary, and for a comprehensive online dictionary go to Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru.

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