Breton phrasebook

Breton (Brezhoneg) is a regional language of Brittany, France, spoken mainly in western, or "Lower" Brittany (Breizh-Izel in Breton, Basse-Bretagne in French). The number of people speaking Breton is diminishing, though still estimated to be around 200,000, including almost 15,000 schoolchildren. Breton is not closely related to French or any other Romance language; rather it is a Celtic language in the same family as Welsh, Cornish and, more distantly, Irish.

Everyone in Brittany also speaks French, and this is a much more useful language to have as a visitor, but if Celtic culture is your thing and you want to impress the locals, this phrasebook should be a handy source.

Pronunciation guide

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Demat dit.
Hello. (informal): Brav eo an amzer.
How are you?: Penaos eo ar bed ganit ?
Fine, thank you.: Dreist, trugarez dit.
What is your name?: Pe anv ho peus ?
My name is ______ .: Va anv 'zo _____ .
Nice to meet you.: Plijus eo daremprediñ.
Please.: Mar plij.
Thank you.: Trugarez.
You're welcome.: Da netra.
Yes.: Ya
No.: Nann
Excuse me. (getting attention): Digarezit ac'hanon.
Excuse me. (begging pardon): Digarezit ac'hanon.
I'm sorry.: .
Goodbye: Kenavo ar wech all.
Goodbye (informal): Kenavo
I can't speak Breton [well].: Brezhoneg ne gomzan ket [, nemet un tammig]
Do you speak English?: Komz a rit saozneg ?
Is there someone here who speaks English?: Tud 'zo amañ evit komz saozneg ?
Help!: D'am sikour !
Look out!: Sell 'ta !
Good morning.: Mintin vat.
Good evening.: Nozvezh vat.
Good night.: Noz vat.
Good night (to sleep): Kouskit vat.
I don't understand.: Ne gomprenan ket.
Where is the toilet?: Pelec'h emaint ar privezioù ?

Problems

Numbers

one: unan
two: daou (male)/ div (female)
three: tri (male)/ teir (female)
four: pevar (male)/ peder (female)
five: pemp
six: c'hwec'h
seven: seizh
eight: eizh
nine: nav
ten: dek
eleven: unnek
twelve: daouzek
thirteen: trizek
fourteen: pevarzek
fifteen: pempzek
sixteen: c'hwezek
seventeen: seitek
eighteen: eitek/triwec'h
nineteen: naontek
twenty: ugent
twenty-one: unan warn-ugent
twenty-two: daou warn-ugent
thirty: tregont

... Daou ugent ... Hanter kant ... Tri ugent ... pevar ugent ...

hundred: kant

... Mil ...

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

Monday: dilun/Lun
Tuesday: dimeurzh/Meurzh
Wednesday: dimerc'her/Merc'her
Thursday: diriaou/Yaou
Friday: digwener/Gwener
Saturday: disadorn/Sadorn
Sunday: disul/Sul

Months

January: Genver
February: C'hwevrer
March: Meurzh
April: Ebrel
May: Mae
June: Mezheven
July: Gouere
August: Eost
September: Gwengolo
October: Here
November: Du
December: Kerzu

Writing time and date

Colours

white: gwenn
black: du
yellow: melen
red/pink: ruz
green (artificial): gwer
green/blue (natural): glas
silver: arc'hant

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

Learning more

Wikiversity Breton courses

This Breton phrasebook is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!