Start speaking Welsh in just 5 minutes!

The best way to learn Welsh is the way that you enjoy. Unless you *have* to learn Welsh for some reason, then following a method that is boring or stressful is a sure way to fail.

Think about *when* and *how* you will learn best. Some people like the discipline of an evening class, or an online tutor. Most people find that the convenience of smart-phone based courses like I Can Speak Welsh or Duolingo hard to beat.

Finally, *what* do you want to learn? For conversation, speech based systems like I Can Speak Welsh are best. For reading, or to learn a wide vocabulary, you may prefer Duolingo, or if your priority is a recognised qualification, then the National Centre for Learning Welsh may be your best starting point.

This is a tough question.  Learning any new language is a lot of work. But if you enjoy the experience of learning, and get to use your new language in interesting new ways, then it doesn't need to feel like work.

Welsh is more different to English than, say, French, because the Celtic languages split off from the Germanic and Latin languages a long time ago, so they've developed different ways of doing things. But we hope to be able to give you all the resources you need here at CydSiarad, which should make the experience more fulfilling and fun. This, in turn, makes it easier.

There are a few sounds in Welsh that English speakers will struggle with to start with, and there are some grammar rules that people will point out as hard to master perfectly, but as long as you are happy to be 'not perfect', there is nothing in Welsh that is particularly difficult.

The best thing to do is try, and if you enjoy it, who cares if there are some difficult bits?

Here is where you will find most people struggle. If you only have one language at the moment, you may find it difficult being forced to speak badly, struggling to express yourself or not understanding the detail of what others are saying. So your main early goal should just be to find something you enjoy doing in Welsh. That may be listening to music, watching certain TV shows, or having conversations with a handful of interesting (and patient) people.

Don't aim for 'fluency' - it doesn't exist, and just leads to beating yourself up over never being *quite* good enough.

There's a bit more food for thought in our blogpost here.

What do you want to achieve? You could be greeting everyone in Welsh within 15 minutes, and having genuine conversations within an hour of starting I Can Speak Welsh. 

I know, I know, that sounds like a huge stretch. But follow the practice tips that come with each step of the I Can Speak Welsh system, and you will be bursting to use your Welsh straight away. 

The trick is to be bilingual - that is have two languages, and use them both. And you can do that immediately.

On the other hand, learning all there is to learn will take you the rest of your life. I was brought up Welsh speaking, and am still learning new things 50 years later.

The main factor that determines how long it takes for you to use your Welsh comfortably is not how much you have learnt, but how much you can develop the confidence to make do with what you have learnt. 

However you learn your Welsh, stick with CydSiarad to get you using what you have learnt confidently.