prynhawn da
/ˌprənhau̯n ˈdaː/
prynhawn da is the Welsh way to say good afternoon.
This phrase is a greeting used specifically during the afternoon.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of prynhawn, meaning 'afternoon' and da, meaning 'good'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
A shorter version, P'nawn da, is used to say good afternoon in northern Wales, particularly around Anglesey and Gwynedd.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌprənhau̯n ˈdaː/
Did you know?
- In Welsh, the word da is used in the common phrase da fi to mean 'my bad' or 'my fault' in informal settings.
- Unlike English where 'good' usually precedes the time of day, the Welsh prynhawn da follows a similar adjective-after-noun pattern found in many Romance languages.
- The concept of 'afternoon' in the word prynhawn is etymologically tied to the idea of a 'look' or 'appearance' via the root pryd.
Examples in context
- Prynhawn da!Good afternoon!This example shows how to use the phrase as an enthusiastic greeting.Tatoeba #11544346 by deniko, translation #3552554 by Meruert
- Prynhawn da.Good afternoon.This example shows how to use the phrase as a standard greeting.Tatoeba #11544349 by deniko, translation #499689 by CK
- Prynhawn da i chi!Good afternoon to you!
Example conversation
Rhys enters a small cafe where Catrin is working.
- CatrinPrynhawn da, Rhys.Good afternoon, Rhys.
- RhysPrynhawn da, Catrin.Good afternoon, Catrin.
- CatrinA oes angen coffi arnoch chi?Do you need a coffee?
- RhysIe, os gwelwch yn dda.Yes, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries prynhawn da, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries da, prynhawn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
