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Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials in Galician
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Galician 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 Galician phrases in this lesson
- Sisee
- Yes
- Nonnon
- No
- Está beneh-STAH ben
- Okay
- Non entendonon en-TEN-doh
- I don't understand
- Fala inglés?FAH-lah een-GLESH
- Do you speak English?
- Pode repetir?POH-deh reh-peh-TEER
- Can you repeat that?
- Máis amodo, por favormah-EES ah-MOH-doh por fah-VOR
- Slowly, please
- Que é isto?keh eh EES-toh
- What is this?
- Necesito...neh-theh-SEE-toh
- I need...
- Pode axudarme?POH-deh ah-shoo-DAR-meh
- Can you help me?
A clear, confident "si" closes questions fast. Nod along to reinforce it.
Note the Galician spelling "non," distinct from Spanish "no." Perfectly polite on its own.
Literally "it is good." Used to confirm an arrangement or accept a suggestion.
Say this slowly and most Galicians will switch to simpler words, Spanish, or helpful gestures.
Younger Galicians in cities often do. In rural areas, Spanish may be the shared bridge language.
Polite form.
Literally "more gently".