Martial Arts

1. Ga i ymuno am un sesiwn?

   Ga ee um-ee-no am een ses-yoon?

   May I join for one session?

   Usage

   The standard way to ask about dropping in. Boxing and MMA gyms in Wales are used to one-off visitors and many run a free first session. Cardiff and Swansea have the largest gyms, and Wales has a strong boxing pedigree, having produced world champions such as Joe Calzaghe

   Grammar Note

   "Ga i" + verb is the commonest way to ask permission and comes from the interrogative of "cael" (to get). Welsh is a VSO language, so the verb comes first in the sentence

2. Ga i wylio'r sesiwn yn gyntaf?

   Ga ee wil-yor ses-yoon un gun-tav?

   May I watch the session first?

   Usage

   Use this when you want to size up the atmosphere and the coaching before committing. Welsh boxing clubs often double as community facilities and are welcoming to spectators. The 18:00-21:00 slot is busiest, with children's classes running before it

   Grammar Note

   The verb after "ga i" undergoes soft mutation, turning "gwylio" into "wylio", and "yn" causes the same change in "cyntaf" to "gyntaf". Grammatically triggered changes to the first consonant are a hallmark of the Celtic languages

3. Ydych chi'n llogi menig bocsio?

   Uh-dikh kheen llo-gee men-ig box-yo?

   Do you hire out boxing gloves?

   Usage

   Welsh boxing clubs usually keep club gloves and will lend a pair free on your trial day, but hand wraps ("rhwymynnau") are sold rather than hired for hygiene reasons, generally around 10 pounds. Headgear is normally club equipment

   Grammar Note

   "Ll" is a Welsh voiceless lateral: hold the tongue as for "l" and blow air past the sides. English has no equivalent, so it is left as "ll" in the pronunciation guide. The plural of "maneg" (glove) is the irregular "menig"

4. Dechreuwr ydw i, does gen i ddim profiad.

   Dekh-ray-oor uh-doo ee, doyss gen ee thim prov-yad.

   I am a beginner, I have no experience.

   Usage

   Say this to both the desk and the coach up front and they will keep you on light pad work. Welsh clubs post no skill levels and rely on you speaking up; stay quiet and you may end up in a session pitched at experienced boxers. A woman would say "dechreuwraig"

   Grammar Note

   Fronting the emphasised word gives "dechreuwr ydw i", literally "a beginner is what I am". Possession is "mae gen i" (I have), negated as "does gen i ddim". Northern and southern Welsh differ here — in the south you would hear "mae gyda fi"

5. Yn ysgafn, os gwelwch yn dda.

   Un us-gavn, oss gwel-ookh un tha.

   Lightly, please.

   Usage

   The shortest way to ask for lower intensity in pad work or sparring. To ask for the opposite, say "yn galetach" (harder). With someone you know well you would say "os gweli di'n dda", or simply "plis"

   Grammar Note

   "Os gwelwch yn dda" literally means "if you see it as good" and is the set polite request formula. "Yn" also turns adjectives into adverbs: "ysgafn" (light) becomes "yn ysgafn" (lightly)

6. Mae anaf ar fy mhen-glin, felly bydda i'n osgoi'r ciciau.

   My an-av ar vun men-gleen, feth-lee buth-a een os-goyr kick-yai.

   I have an injury to my knee, so I will avoid the kicking drills.

   Usage

   Say this before training starts. Some Welsh clubs use an intake form, but at smaller ones speaking up is the only way to flag an injury. Swap "pen-glin" (knee) for "ysgwydd" (shoulder), "cefn" (back) or "ffêr" (ankle)

   Grammar Note

   The possessive "fy" (my) triggers nasal mutation, turning "pen-glin" into "fy mhen-glin". Welsh has three initial mutations in all: soft, nasal and aspirate

7. Faint yw un sesiwn?

   Vynt ew een ses-yoon?

   How much is one session?

   Usage

   The standard way to ask the drop-in rate. Many Welsh boxing clubs are local amateur clubs and charge as little as 3-8 pounds a session. Private MMA and kickboxing gyms run about 10-15 pounds a session, or 35-60 pounds a month ("y mis")

   Grammar Note

   "Faint" is the soft-mutated form of "maint" (size, quantity). "Yw" is a third-person form of "bod" (to be); in the south you will often hear "ydy" instead

8. Oes dosbarth i fenywod yn unig?

   Oyss dos-barth ee ven-uh-wod un ee-nig?

   Is there a women-only class?

   Usage

   Many Welsh gyms run women's boxercise or self-defence ("hunanamddiffyn") classes, which are a popular way into combat sports. Some clubs have female coaches, so it is worth asking in advance if that matters to you

   Grammar Note

   "Oes" asks about the existence of something indefinite, while "ydy" is used for definite subjects. The preposition "i" causes soft mutation, so "menywod" becomes "fenywod"

9. Ble alla i weld yr amserlen?

   Bleh alla ee weld ur am-ser-len?

   Where can I see the timetable?

   Usage

   Welsh clubs usually post the timetable on a board by the door or on Facebook. It changes substantially during school holidays and over Christmas, so check for the current week. Notices are typically bilingual in Welsh and English

   Grammar Note

   The verb after "alla i" softens, so "gweld" becomes "weld". "Amserlen" is a compound of "amser" (time) and "llen" (sheet). The definite article is "yr" before a vowel and "y" before a consonant

10. Pa grefft ymladd ydych chi'n ei dysgu yma?

    Pa greft um-llath uh-dikh kheen ay dus-gee uh-ma?

    Which martial art do you teach here?

    Usage

    What you can actually train in Wales is modern gym disciplines — boxing, kickboxing, MMA, jiu-jitsu. Wales has no indigenous combat tradition comparable to Japanese budo or Georgian chidaoba; its national sports are rugby and boxing. Be sceptical of any group claiming to teach an ancient Welsh martial art

    Grammar Note

    "Pa" causes soft mutation, so "crefft" becomes "grefft". "Crefft ymladd" literally means "craft of fighting", with the plural "crefftau ymladd". "Dysgu" covers both learning and teaching

11. Allwch chi ddangos y dechneg yna eto?

    Allookh khee thang-os uh dekh-neg uh-na eh-to?

    Could you show that technique again?

    Usage

    Welsh gyms run day to day in English; Welsh is strongest as an everyday language in the north and west, in counties such as Gwynedd and Ceredigion. Even so, a line of Welsh is warmly received. Add "yn araf" (slowly) and they will break the movement down

    Grammar Note

    The verb after "allwch chi" softens, giving "ddangos". "Techneg" is feminine, so it mutates to "dechneg" after the definite article — in Welsh only feminine nouns do this

12. Pryd ga i sbario?

    Preed ga ee sbar-yo?

    When may I spar?

    Usage

    Sparring carries injury risk, so Welsh clubs gate it behind the coach's approval. Amateur boxing is tightly governed: headgear and a gumshield are mandatory for sparring and some clubs require you to be registered. Let the coach decide rather than pushing to join

    Grammar Note

    Verbs borrowed from English are naturalised with the ending "-io", giving "sbario" from "spar" and "bocsio" from "box". Welsh spelling writes initial "sp-" as "sb-"

13. Oes cawodydd yma?

    Oyss ka-wod-ith uh-ma?

    Are there showers here?

    Usage

    Local Welsh boxing clubs often occupy old buildings or community halls, and it is not unusual for there to be no shower, or only one. Towels are your own responsibility. Halls get cold in winter, so bring dry clothes to change into straight after training

    Grammar Note

    "Cawod" means both a rain shower and a shower for washing; the plural is "cawodydd". Welsh plurals are formed by adding endings, changing vowels, or both, so they largely have to be learned word by word

14. Ble mae'r cornestau bocsio'n cael eu cynnal?

    Bleh myr kor-nes-tie box-yon kyle ay kun-al?

    Where are the boxing bouts held?

    Usage

    Welsh amateur boxing runs regular club shows around the country, and local inter-club nights are cheap to get into and easy for a visitor to attend. Professional cards are staged at the arena in Cardiff. Your gym's coach is the most reliable source of dates

    Grammar Note

    The Welsh passive uses a distinctive frame: "cael" plus a possessive plus the verb, so "cael eu cynnal" means "they get held". "Cornestau" is plural, so it does not mutate after the definite article (the singular feminine "cornest" would become "y gornest")

15. Cadwch eich dwylo i fyny, edrychwch yn llygaid eich gwrthwynebydd!

    Kad-ookh aykh dwil-o ee vun-ee, ed-rukh-ookh un llug-ide aykh gwrth-wun-eb-ith!

    Keep your hands up, look into your opponent's eyes!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. One of the most frequent cues during pad work and sparring. Welsh coaches bark instructions in the bare imperative and there is nothing rude about it — though in practice you are more likely to hear "hands up!" in English

    Grammar Note

    Imperatives take "-wch" for the polite or plural form and "-a" for the familiar singular. The plural of "llaw" is the irregular "dwylo", and "llygad" becomes "llygaid". The preposition "yn" only becomes "ym" before a following m from the nasal mutation, so before "llygaid" it stays "yn"

16. Ciciwch mor galed ag y gallwch, peidiwch â dal yn ôl!

    Kik-yookh mor gal-ed ag uh gallookh, payd-yookh ah dal un ohl!

    Kick as hard as you can, do not hold back!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. The standard call when the coach on the pads wants full power, and also a signal that you may hit at full force. If instead you hear "ymlaciwch" (relax), you are tensing up too much

    Grammar Note

    Prohibitions use "peidiwch â" plus a verb, never the imperative itself. "Mor" causes soft mutation, so "caled" becomes "galed". "Mor" + adjective + "ag y gallwch" is the frame for "as ... as you can"

17. Egwyl o bum munud, yfwch ddŵr.

    Eg-ooil o beem min-id, uv-ookh thoor.

    Five-minute break, drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Wales is cool, but indoor training still means heavy sweating, so water breaks are called between rounds. Bring your own bottle — many clubs have no vending machine. Tap water is fine to drink

    Grammar Note

    The numeral "pump" shortens to "pum" before a noun and softens to "bum" after the preposition "o". The circumflex in "ŵ" marks a long vowel — in Welsh, "w" functions as a vowel

18. Dyna ni am heddiw. Da iawn ti!

    Duh-na nee am heth-yoo. Da yown tee!

    That is us for today. Well done!

    Usage

    Said by the coach to wrap up the session; a glove touch or a handshake usually follows. Reply with "diolch yn fawr" (thank you very much). Welsh clubs have no tipping culture, but amateur clubs often run on donations, so dropping a few coins in the collection box is appreciated

    Grammar Note

    "Dyna ni" literally means "there we are" and is the everyday way to signal that something is finished. "Da iawn" means "very good" and is the most widely used expression of praise

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