To celebrate our recent Cynnig Cymraeg certification from the Welsh Language Commissioner, Sgema has partnered with leading publishers Y Lolfa to distribute far and wide ‘Wales in 100 Words’ – a small, pocket-sized book capturing some of Wales’s most unique and distinctive, off-beat words and phrases. Some are ancient, tracing back to Early Welsh, while others reflect Wales’s vibrant cultural and social traditions. Here are the top three standout words from the book, chosen by our team this week:

Ych a fi

‘yuck’. Something really disgusting or revolting. The ‘ch’ should be pronounced as the ‘ch’ in ‘loch’ and emphasised.

Cynefin

‘habitat’ is the nearest translation in English or ‘heimat’ in German. Somewhere a person or animal ought to live, where the surroundings feel right and welcoming and familiar.

Clatsho bant

clatsho is one of many words in Welsh for fighting: ‘clatsho bant’ means to start off, similar to the term ‘fire away’ in English.

If you’d like a copy, get in touch! The only condition – use it! Learn a few words and pass them on in everyday conversation. Whether you speak Welsh or not, we’re confident they’ll get people talking and learning.