Skip to content

What's it like at the eisteddfod as a non-Welsh speaker?

BBC Sign with Eisteddfod spelt out in red over an arch with coloured green, blue, yellow and orange circles festooning the arch. In the background you can see festival flags in blue and yellow and orange and people walking around festival tentsBBC
About 150,000 attendees are expected to attend the event at Ynysangharad

This week, thousands of people have descended on the National Eisteddfod, a festival celebrating the Welsh language - but not all of them spoke Welsh.

People in Rhondda Cynon Taf, which is not a Welsh language heartland, currently have Europe's largest cultural festival on their doorsteps.

But what is it like to go along, to take in the activities and entertainment, when you do not speak the language?

One Pontypridd resident said she had never heard so much Welsh being spoken in the area and it made her wish she knew more, but others felt the festival could do more to cater to learners.

Rachel and Izabel Galliford, from Pontypridd, said they had "really enjoyed" the festival despite not speaking very much Welsh.

Izabel, 12, said she had been "excited" since her school, Ysgol Nant Gwyn, gave her free day tickets.

Her mum Rachel, 45, added: "There were loads of people, friends and family, who were saying 'why are you going because you don't speak Welsh. You won't understand everything'.

"But you don't need to understand it do you? You just come along and you take it all in.

"It's lovely hearing a lot of Welsh and you just think 'I wish I knew more'."

She said the map of the site was confusing as "obviously it's all in Welsh", but added people were quick to help.

"Everyone just seems lovely here."

Rachel stood to the left of the photo. She is wearing sunglasses, short red hair and a purple top, stood next to eight-year-old Owen who has shoulder length blond hair and is wearing an Adidas black and white jumper, stood next to 20-year-old Morgann who is wearing her brown long hair in a ponytail and she is wearing sunglasses and then Izabel is stood next to her who has long blond hair and wearing a black tank top with a pink jumper tied around her waist. Trees can be seen in the back ground and one of the festival tents poking through the trees
Rachel, Owen, Morgann and Izabel said they were excited to explore the festival and take everything in

Nerys and James Cook brought their two-year-old twins Lili-Wen and Gwenllian to their first eisteddfod on Tuesday.

While Nerys grew up in Wales and speaks a little bit of Welsh, James is from London and is still learning the basics.

Nerys, 39, from Talbot Green, said there were "lots of people encouraging you to speak Welsh".

"As soon as they find out [James] is a non-welsh speaker, they’ve been teaching him some words," she said.

James, 43, added: "It was an old-boy who was trying to teach me 'dy nae dy nae' which means 'there there' I think?"

The couple said they did not feel the festival catered for English speakers trying to learn Welsh.

James said he had a hard time understanding what was happening as the billboards had no English translation and the family were not told about the festival's mobile app, which featured an English-language schedule.

"It's not a criticism but maybe there should something with the basics on, like a card or on a site map," he said.

"Even just having a billboard that says 'if you don't know Welsh come and speak to us' would be good."

"Thankfully coffee is coffi," he added.

James Cook has blonde short hair, wearing sunglasses and a black patterned short-sleeved shirt. He is tall and standing next to Nerys Cook who has long brown hair and is wearing a turquoise chunky necklace, a black tank top and an orange patterned skirt. In front of them is a pink double pram with ginger-haired twins Lili-Wen and Gwenllian who both have a white bow on the left side of their head
James and Nerys Cook said their twins will be going to a Welsh language school

Nerys said: "As somebody who is Welsh and doesn't speak it fluently, there's a lot of people who approach you speaking Welsh, whereas normally people ask... it's a natural assumption here.

"If I speak a little bit, they'll reply in Welsh which is quite nice."

She said she had been able to understand and then reply in English.

"It does give that incentive... when you start speaking it you realise your limitations and it makes you want to do a bit more."

Lynsey is standing on the left of the photo, she has a beige bucket hat on. She is wearing a blue short sleeved top with a classic superman logo in red and yellow. Stood next to her is her daughter Clo who is grinning at the camera. She has short blond hair pushed back with a hair band. She is wearing an orange t-shirt with a Roblox design on. Audrey Lee is stood on the right, she is wearing a white and grey bucket hat, sunglasses and a black t-shirt with a 70s birthday badge pinned to it
Lynsey, Clo Lee-Brassington and Audrey Lee said they got lost when they entered the festival because they did not understand the map

Lynsey and Clo Lee-Brassington from Llanharan were exploring the festival but got lost as the map confused them.

Lynsey, 39, said: "We were a little bit apprehensive coming because obviously a lot of it is in Welsh and we don't understand it, but we've been alright.

"Unfortunately, I asked somebody for help in English and he only answered me in Welsh which was not helpful, but we worked it out ourselves.

"So obviously some people are upset, but you can only do what you can."

She added other people had been happy to help her in English, adding they "don't often hear that much Welsh, but it's been nice".

"It does make you think how little you do know, you think you know more than you do until you try and translate it," she said.

The National Eisteddfod has been approached for comment.