Welsh Idioms, Phrases and Sayings
Introduction
This Article lists a number of popular Welsh idioms, sayings, phrases or expressions. Many of them are idioms, because they cannot be translated directly word-for-word from Welsh to English, or vice versa. They are sayings that add 'colour', 'richness' or context to the Welsh language.
Browse ALL Welsh Words, Phrases and Sayings
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Cenedl heb iaith yw cenedl heb galon
A nation without a language is a nation without a heart -
Heb ei fai, heb ei eni
He who is without fault is not born -
Dyfal donc a dyr y garreg
Perseverance is the key to success (“Tapping consistently will break the stone”) -
Nid aur yw popeth melyn
All that glitters is not gold (“Everything yellow isn’t gold) -
Ar y gweill
In progress ("On the (knitting) needles") -
Mae hi'n bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn
Its raining cats and dogs (“It's raining old ladies and sticks”) -
Cyntaf i'r felin caiff falu
First come, first served, the early bird catches the worm ("First to the mill will get to grind") -
A ddwg ŵy a ddwy fwy
A leopard never changes his spots ("He who steals an egg will steal more") -
Angel pen ffordd, diawl pen tân
Charming to outsiders, a devil in the home, two-faced ("An angel on the road, a devil at the fireplace") -
Cannwyll fy llygad oedd fy mab
My son is the apple of my eye (“My son is the candle of my eye”) -
Unwaith yn y pedwar amser
Once in a blue moon (“Once in the four seasons”) -
Mae'n draed moch arna fi
I've made a complete mess of something ("There is pigs feet on me") -
Ei wynt yn ei ddwrn
He/She's in a great hurry (“with his breath in his fist”) -
Siarad fel melin bupur
Talks no-stop (“Talks like a pepper mill”) - Llygad ei lleAbsolutely correct (“eye of his/her place”)
Browse ALL Welsh Words, Phrases and Sayings
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Rhoi'r ffidil yn y tô
To throw in the towel ("Put the fiddle in the roof") -
Paid â chodi pais ar ôl piso
Don't cry over spilt milk ("Don't raise your petticoat after peeing") -
Mae'r euog yn ffoi heb neb yn ei erlid
The guilty flee with no one chasing them -
Hir yw pob aros
All waiting is long ("Better late than never") -
Gorau prinder, prinder geiriau
The best shortage is a shortage of words -
Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau
Starting your work is two thirds of the work -
A fo ben, bid bont
He who want to be a leader should be a bridge -
A ddwg ŵy a ddwg fwy
He who would steal an egg will steal more
Côf a lithr, llythyrau a geidw
Memory slips, letters remain -
Dywedyn dda am dy gyfaill, am dy elyn dywed ddim
Speak well of your friend; of your enemy, say nothing -
Gwell swllt dda na sofren ddrwg
Better a good shilling than a dud sovereign -
Gwell fy mwthyn fy hun na phlas arall
Better my own cottage than the palace of another
Gair i gall, ffon i’r anghall
A word to the wise, a stick to the unwise. -
Haws twyllo maban na gwrachan
A boy is easier tricked than an old lady -
Na ad i’th dafod dorri’th wddf
Let not your tongue cut your throat. -
Segurdod yw clod y cledd
A sword’s honour is its idleness. -
Yn cerdded yn ling di long
To dilly dally ("To loiter or walk casually")
Welsh Words, Welsh Sayings, Welsh Phrases
This Page forms part of the Welsh Words section of this website which gives an English language translation for useful Welsh words, phrases and sayings.