Many people assume Welsh is a difficult language to learn because of its unique spelling and long words.

The truth is that Welsh is actually much easier for English speakers to master than languages like Russian or Mandarin.

Welsh uses the same basic alphabet as English and has highly predictable pronunciation rules.

Once you understand a few core grammar concepts, learning Welsh becomes a very straightforward process.

The hardest parts of learning Welsh

Welsh has two main features that usually confuse English speakers at first.

The first is the word order.

English uses a Subject-Verb-Object word order.

Welsh uses a Verb-Subject-Object word order.

This means the action always comes first in the sentence.

The second challenging feature is consonant mutations.

In Welsh, the first letter of a word sometimes changes depending on the word that comes right before it.

Let’s use the word for Wales as an example.

This takes time to get used to, but it eventually becomes second nature.

Why Welsh is actually easy to learn

Despite these differences, Welsh has many features that make it highly accessible.

Welsh is a completely phonetic language.

This means words are always pronounced exactly as they’re spelled.

English has silent letters and inconsistent vowel sounds.

Welsh pronunciation rules never change once you learn the alphabet.

Welsh also shares a massive amount of vocabulary with English.

These shared words are called loanwords.

You already know hundreds of Welsh words without even studying.

Finally, forming verbs in the present tense is incredibly simple.

You just use a helper verb instead of changing the main verb itself.

North vs South: regional variations

One thing you’ll notice quickly is that Welsh has regional variations.

The language is broadly split into North Welsh and South Welsh dialects.

The grammar remains mostly the same, but some vocabulary words are completely different.

For example, the word for “milk” changes depending on where you are.

You don’t need to worry about learning both dialects.

Pick one region to focus on from the beginning and stick with it.

Welsh speakers from the North can still perfectly understand Welsh speakers from the South.

The best tools to learn Welsh

Choosing the right resources will make learning Welsh significantly easier.

Traditional textbooks often focus too much on complicated grammar rules.

You need modern tools that prioritize speaking and listening.

Here’s a breakdown of the best platforms for learning Welsh today.

Talk In Welsh is the absolute best way to reach conversational fluency.

Our platform focuses on real-life speaking exercises and practical vocabulary.

SaySomethingInWelsh is another great audio-based course for pronunciation practice.

Duolingo is a fun, free app for building a basic daily vocabulary habit.

I highly recommend using Talk In Welsh as your main curriculum while watching Welsh television on S4C for immersion.