Cornish Words & Phrases

Cornish Words & Phrases Picture 1

English to Cornish Translations

 

CORNISH PHRASES:

Greetings:

Durdatha whye!

Good day to you!

Deeth daa.

Good day.

Metten daa.

Good Morning.

Ha soce!

Hello mate.

Darzona!

God bless (on meeting).

Gothewhar daa.

Good evening.

Lowena tha whye! or

Betho whye lowenack!

Happiness to you!

Enquiry:

Fatla gena whye?

How are you?

Fatel era whye keele?

How are you doing?

Answers:

Ma genam a ehaz.

I am well.

Clave o ve.

I'm ill.

Skeeth o ve.

I'm tired.

Looan o ve.

I'm happy.

Tubm o ve.

I'm hot.

Yein o ve.

I'm cold.

Trawethack o ve.

I'm sad.

Daa lowar o ve.

I'm O.K.

Ma pedn droag thebm.

I've got a headache.

Ma annez thebm.

I've got a cold.

Choices:

Bolla tay/coffy.

A cup of tea/coffee.

Cor.

Beer.

Gwyne.

Wine.

Cyder.

Cider.

Dowr.

Water.

Hoggan.

A pasty

Tezan saffern .

Saffron cake.

Bara.

Bread.

Scubmaw.

Chips.

Pesk.

Fish.

Requests:

Me venga cawas

I'd like to have

Me venga ken

I'd prefer

Peidgy ry thebm

Please give me

Mouy.

More.

Badna mouy.

A drop more.

Tabm mouy.

A bit more. `

Mor pleag.

Please

Hints:

Thove gwage!

I'm hungry.

Thove zehez!

I'm thirsty.

Ethick zehez o ve!

I'm very thirsty!

Eze cor?

Is there any beer?

Eze mouy booz?

Is there any more food?

Eze muna thewh?

Have you got any money?

Thank You

Durdalada whye! or

Merastawhye! or

Gra'massy.

Thank you.

Farewells:

Dew boz geno.

God be with you.

Benatugana.

God bless.

Tereba nessa.

Till next time.

Anowre.

Bye

Comero weeth.

Take care.

Ternestatha or

Noze daa tha whye.

Good night to you.

Invitation:

Vedo whye cawas badna?

Do you want a drop to drink?

Vedo whye cawas tabm?

Do you want a bite to eat?

Pandra vedo 

whye comeras/cawas?

What would you like to have?

 

CORNISH WORDS:

Addled

Empty, cracked or broken

 

 

Ar'm

Are 'em/aren't they

 

 

Ay?

I beg your pardon?

 

 

Backalong

In former times

 

 

Bal

Mine

 

 

Berrin

Funeral (burying)

 

 

Better fit

It would be better if...

 

 

Bos

Homestead

 

 

Bre

Hill

 

 

Broder

Brother

 

 

Bulhorns

Snails

 

 

Bully

Large pebble

 

 

Cakey

Soft, feeble minded

 

 

Carn

heap of stones

 

 

Chacking

Thirsty

 

 

Chi

House

 

 

Crib

A mid-morning break for a snack

 

 

Cummas 'zon

Come on, hurry up

 

 

Dreckley / Dreckly

At some point in the future

 

 

Dreckzel

Threshold of a doorway

 

 

Dydhda

Hello

 

 

Eglos

Church

 

 

Ess

Yes

 

 

Fizzogg

Face

 

 

Giss on!

Don’t Talk Rubbish

 

 

Grammersow

Woodhouse

 

 

Grushans

Dregs

 

 

Gweli

Bed

 

 

Gwidgee-gwee

A blister

 

 

Gwin

Wine

 

 

Heller

Child who plays their parents up

 

 

Henting

Raining hard

 

 

Hwoer

Sister

 

 

Ilo

Music

 

 

Jowse

Shake or rattle

 

 

Knockers

Spirits that dwell underground

 

 

Korevow

Beer

 

 

Linhay

Lean-to (of a building)

 

 

Louster

To work hard

 

 

Made/meh'dy/Meh'd

Mate

 

 

Maid

Girl, girl-friend

 

 

Mamm

Mother

 

 

Marner

Sailor

 

 

Me 'ansum

Friendly form of address

 

 

Medhyk

Doctor

 

 

Meur rasta

Thank you

 

 

Mind

Remember

 

 

Morhogh

Dolphin

 

 

Morvoren

Mermaid

 

 

Mowhay

Barn, hay store, stackyard

 

 

Naedelik

Christmas

 

 

Nans

(a place-name element) valley

 

 

Nip

Narrow path or short steep rise

 

 

Oggy

Pasty

 

 

Oss

Horse

 

 

Pard

Friend

 

 

Party

A young woman

 

 

Pisky

Pixie

 

 

Porth

Harbour

 

 

Proper

Satisfactory; "proper job"

 

 

Quilkin

Frog

 

 

Raun

River

 

 

Right on

Informal way to say goodbye

 

 

Skol

School

 

 

Splatt

Patch of grass

 

 

Spriggan

Spirit

 

 

Squall

To cry

 

 

Tas

Father

 

 

Teasy

Bad-tempered

 

 

Tesenn

Cake

 

 

Tewes

Sand

 

 

Tiddy

Potato

 

 

Treath

Beach

 

 

Vellan

Villain

 

 

vug

Rock cavity

 

 

Wasson

What's going on?

 

 

Wheal

Mine or shaft

 

 

Zackley

Exactly