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 39 names in this directory beginning with the letter O.
oblivion
ebargofiant

obvious
amlwg

occasion
achlysur

odd/weird
rhyfedd

Offas Dyke
Clawdd Offa

offender/criminal
troseddwr

offer/to offer
cynnig, kunnig

official (adj.)
swyddogol

often
yn aml, un amal

old age
henaint

older people
pobl hwn

on behalf of
ar ran, ahr rhan

on fire
ar dân, ahr dân

on his own head be it
rhyngddo fe ai gawl

on the basis of
ar sail

on the outskirts
ar gyrion

on the quiet
distaw bach (yn ddistaw bach)

on the shore of
ar lan

on the trail of
ar drywydd

on your own
ar dy ben dy hunan, ar duh ben duh hinan

once/as soon as...
siwrnai...

one time
un tro

online
ar-lein

only
dim ond, dim ond

open
ar agor, ahr agohr

opinion
barn (b), bah-rn

oppose (to)
gwrthwynebu

order (to)
archebu

organised
trefnus, trevniss

otherwise
fel arall

out of breath
gwynt yn ei ddwrn

out of the way
diarffordd

oven
ffwrn (b), ffoorn

over the top (to go)(idiom)
(mynd) dros ben llestri, dross ben llesstree

over there
draw fanna, drah-w vanah

overcome barriers (to)
goresgyn rhwystrau

overfull
gorlawn, gohr-lah-wn

owner
perchennog

Oxford
Rhydychen, Rheed-uch-en


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.

Y diweddaraf oddi wrth Resources