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Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials in Cornish
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Cornish words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Cornish phrases in this lesson
- Yayah
- Yes
- Nanah
- No
- Da lowrdah LOWR
- Okay
- Ny gonvedhavnee gon-VEH-thav
- I don't understand
- A gewsydh Sowsnek?ah GEW-sith SOWZ-nek
- Do you speak English?
- Arta, mar plegAR-ta mar PLEHG
- Can you repeat that?
- Yn lent, mar plegun LENT mar PLEHG
- Slowly, please
- Pyth yw hemma?peeth ew HEM-ma
- What is this?
- Res yw dhymm...rez ew THIM
- I need...
- A yllydh ta ow gweres?a ILL-ith ta ow GWEH-res
- Can you help me?
A general yes. Cornish can also answer by repeating the verb used in the question.
A general no. More exact answers can change with the verb in the question.
Literally "good enough". It is a very common conversational response.
Use this when a conversation moves too quickly. The dh is voiced, like th in "this".
Most Cornish speakers also speak English, but this is useful practice for the question pattern.
Literally "again, please".
Literally "it is needed by me".
Addressed to one person.