hwyl fawr
In Welsh, goodbye is expressed as hwyl fawr. Wiktionary also lists ffarwel.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Ways to say it
| Welsh |
|---|
| hwyl fawr |
| ffarwel |
The phrase is used to express farewell. You may also see the shorter version hwyl used among friends or acquaintances to mean 'bye'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hwyl fawr literally translates to 'great enthusiasm' or 'great spirit'.
Which one should you use?
Hwyl fawr is an informal and friendly way to say goodbye, whereas ffarwel is more formal or serious, often used when a parting is permanent or solemn.
Did you know?
- The word hwyl is a linguistic relative of the English word 'sail'.
- While hwyl fawr is a friendly goodbye, the word hwyl also describes a specific kind of emotional fervor or inspiration found in traditional Welsh singing and preaching.
- If you use ffarwel in a casual setting where friends are just parting for the day, you might accidentally sound like you are saying a final, permanent goodbye.
Examples in context
- Hwyl fawr a phob lwc.Goodbye and good luck.This sentence shows how to use hwyl fawr when wishing someone good luck.Tatoeba #6890110 by Sisial, translation #434818 by lukaszpp
- Hwyl fawr i ti!Goodbye to you!
- Hwyl fawr, mae angen i mi fynd.Goodbye, I need to go.
Example conversation
Catrin and Owain are leaving a cafe.
- CatrinMae'n amser i mi fynd nawr.It is time for me to go now.
- OwainDa iawn, Catrin. Hwyl fawr!Very well, Catrin. Goodbye!
- CatrinHwyl fawr, Owain!Goodbye, Owain!
- OwainWelwn i chi yn wyfnest.I will see you next week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hwyl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
