Welsh (Cymraeg) has two main dialects: Northern (Gogledd) and Southern (De).

It’s important to know that they’re the same language.

A person from Cardiff (South) can understand a person from Caernarfon (North). It’s very similar to the difference between American English and British English. An American says “elevator” and a Brit says “lift”, but they still understand each other perfectly.

However, for a beginner, these differences can be tricky.

In this guide, I’ll break down the most common differences so you know exactly what is going on.

Pronunciation differences

The biggest giveaway that someone is from the North or the South is their accent.

There are many subtle differences, but there is one major vowel sound that changes everything. This is the letter u.

The letter ‘U’

In South Wales, the letter ‘u’ is pronounced exactly like the letter ‘i’. It sounds like the ‘ee’ in “see”.

In North Wales, the letter ‘u’ (and often ‘y’) is pronounced deeper in the throat. It’s a sound that doesn’t really exist in English, but it sounds a bit like the ‘u’ in the English word “hums” but with your lips rounded, or a very deep “ee”.

Let’s look at the word for “Wales” (Cymru).

Vocabulary differences

This is where most beginners get stuck.

Imagine you learn the word for “milk”. You go to a shop in North Wales and ask for llaeth, and they might look at you slightly confused (because to some Northerners, llaeth specifically means buttermilk, though they will understand you).

Here is a table of the most common everyday words that differ between North and South.

There are more than this, but these are the ones you will hear in almost every conversation.

Grammar and phrase differences

It isn’t just single words that change. The way we build sentences can be slightly different too.

Don’t worry, the rules are generally the same, but the “helper words” we use to build sentences change.

Saying “I want”

This is probably the most common phrase you will use.

In the South, it’s very common to use the word moyn. In the North (and in standard written Welsh), they use eisiau (often pronounced “ish-io”).

Saying “I have” (Possession)

Welsh doesn’t have a simple verb for “to have”. Instead, we say that something is “with me”.

In the South, the word for “with” is gyda. In the North, the word for “with” is gan.

If you wanted to say “I have a dog” (literally: A dog is with me):

Notice that in the North, gan changes to gen when talking about “me”.

Negative sentences

When we say “no” or make a sentence negative in Welsh, we use the word dim.

In the South, dim usually sits after the subject. In the North, it can sometimes sit before the verb, or be used slightly differently in short form verbs.

However, for beginners, the main difference you will hear is in the past tense.

The Southern version uses a helper verb (gwneud - to do), while the Northern version often conjugates the verb itself. Both regions actually use both forms, but these are strong tendencies.

Which dialect should you learn?

I get asked this question all the time.

The short answer is: It doesn’t matter.

Because everyone understands everyone, you will be fine whichever one you pick. However, here are a few tips to help you decide:

1. Where do you live or plan to visit?

If you are moving to Cardiff or Swansea, learn South Welsh. If you are visiting Snowdonia (Eryri) or Anglesey (Ynys Môn), learn North Welsh.

2. Which course are you using?

Some apps like Duolingo tend to mix them a bit, but courses like SaySomethinginWelsh ask you to choose at the very beginning. Stick to the one your course teaches so you don’t get confused.

3. Stick to one (for now).

Consistency is key. Try not to use nain (North) and tad-cu (South) in the same sentence. It sounds a bit odd! Pick one dialect and get comfortable with it.

Once you are fluent, you will naturally start to mix them up or at least understand both easily.

Do you have a favorite Welsh word from the North or South?