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Learn Welsh

Mutations, the ll sound and verb-first sentences, made manageable one lesson at a time.

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Welsh is a Celtic language with a living community of speakers in Wales and a spelling system that is far more regular than its reputation suggests. Its 29-letter alphabet treats ch, dd, ff, ll, ng, ph, rh and th as single letters, and w and y work as vowels. The real puzzle for newcomers is mutation, where the first sound of a word shifts after certain words, so cath (cat) becomes dy gath, fy nghath or ei chath. Learnr builds a Welsh course around your goal and drills these patterns in short, interactive lessons.

How to learn Welsh, step by step

Learn the alphabet as letters, not combinations. Treat ll, dd, ch and rh as single sounds. Place your tongue for an l and blow air past its sides for ll, as in Llanelli, and remember that f sounds like English v while ff sounds like f. Once these click, Welsh spelling almost never surprises you.
Start speaking with Dw i'n and the bod verb. Most spoken Welsh builds on forms of bod (to be) plus a verb-noun: Dw i'n dysgu Cymraeg means I am learning Welsh. Learn the patterns for I, you, he and she first, along with the question and negative forms, before worrying about literary tenses.
Tackle soft mutation one trigger at a time. Soft mutation is the most frequent, turning c to g, p to b, t to d, b and m to f, and dropping g altogether. Learn its triggers in small groups, such as after dy (your), after i (to) and on feminine nouns following y, rather than memorizing a giant table.
Add nasal and aspirate mutations through possessives. Fy (my) brings nasal mutation, so Caerdydd becomes yng Nghaerdydd, while ei meaning her brings aspirate mutation. Practicing my cat, your cat, his cat and her cat side by side shows all three systems in a single drill you can repeat daily.
Answer questions by echoing the verb. Welsh has no single word for yes. You reply with the verb in the right person, so Wyt ti'n hoffi coffi? gets Ydw or Nac ydw. Practice question and answer pairs aloud until choosing ydw, ydy, oes or do feels automatic.
Pick a region and listen every day. North and South Wales differ in vocabulary and pronunciation, for example nawr and rŵan both meaning now. Choose the variety you will hear most, keep a daily Learnr streak for grammar, and add S4C programs or Radio Cymru for real listening.

What you'll learn

Read any Welsh word aloud using the regular spelling rules, including ll, dd and the vowel w
Apply the soft, nasal and aspirate mutations after the words that trigger them
Build present, past and future sentences with the bod verb and its short forms
Answer yes or no correctly by echoing the verb instead of a single word
Hold simple conversations about family, work, weather and plans

What's inside your Welsh course

A sample path Learnr builds for Welsh. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. The Welsh alphabet, digraphs and pronunciation
2. Greetings, introductions and the verb bod
3. Soft mutation and the words that trigger it
4. Nasal and aspirate mutations with possessives
5. Past and future tenses, short and long forms
6. Conjugated prepositions and everyday conversation

How long does it take to learn Welsh?

Welsh grammar is compact and its spelling regular, so with 30 to 45 minutes a day many learners hold basic conversations in 6 to 12 months. Fluent, effortless use of the mutations in fast speech usually takes a few years and depends mostly on how much time you spend with other speakers.

What you need before you start

No previous language is needed. It helps to know what nouns, verbs and pronouns are, and a little patience with sounds like ll that English lacks.

Common mistakes to avoid

Ignoring mutations in the hope that people will understand anyway; they will, but it slows your listening because mutated words look unfamiliar until you know the patterns.
Pronouncing f as English f and w as a consonant everywhere, which makes words like cwm and fferm unrecognizable to listeners.
Learning only formal written Welsh from old textbooks, then struggling with the contracted spoken forms such as dw i and o'n i that everyone actually uses.

How Learnr builds your course

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Welsh questions, answered

Is Welsh hard for English speakers?

Pronunciation and mutation take some getting used to, but the spelling is consistent, verbs are regular in spoken Welsh, and many everyday patterns repeat. Most learners find the early stages more approachable than they expected.

Should I learn North or South Walian Welsh?

Either works, since speakers understand each other. Choose the region where you live or have family, and expose yourself to the other variety so words like rŵan and nawr both feel normal.

Can Learnr focus on Welsh for work or school?

Yes. Describe your goal, such as using Welsh in a classroom or office, and Learnr shapes the vocabulary and situations in your course around it.