Cael diwrnod da
/kaːɨ̯l ˈdɪu̯rnɔd daː/word by word
To say "have a good day" in Welsh, you say Cael diwrnod da.
Cael diwrnod da is a polite greeting used when saying goodbye to someone. While this phrase is a direct translation of the English expression, it is often preceded or replaced by the common parting Hwyl!, which means "Bye!"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cael (to get or have), diwrnod (day) and da (good).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase informal when speaking to a single person, you can add the pronoun ti (you) at the end to create Cael diwrnod da ti.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaːɨ̯l ˈdɪu̯rnɔd daː/
Did you know?
- While Cael diwrnod da is a polite parting, Welsh speakers often prefer the shorter Hwyl!, which literally translates to 'fun' or 'spirit'.
- The word diwrnod for 'day' was borrowed into Welsh from Latin diurnāta, which specifically referred to a day's work or journey.
- The Welsh language handles the concept of 'getting' and 'having' through the same word cael, unlike English which uses two different verbs.
Example conversation
Sian and Dylan are leaving a cafe.
- SianHwyl am y tro, Dylan.Bye for now, Dylan.
- DylanHwyl, Sian. Cael diwrnod da!Bye, Sian. Have a good day!
- SianDiolch, ti hefyd.Thanks, you too.
- DylanWelai di yn hwyr.See you later.
