helo
The English phrase "hello" is translated into Welsh as helo. Wiktionary also lists hylo.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Welsh |
|---|
| helo |
| hylo |
helo is used as a greeting. While it is understood, it is a relatively modern loanword and is less common than traditional Welsh greetings like 'S'mae' or 'Shwmae'.
Did you know?
- Because helo is a loanword, it does not undergo the initial consonant mutation that usually happens to Welsh words in different grammatical positions.
- The greeting S'mae is actually a contraction of the phrase Sut mae, which literally translates to 'How is it?'
- Welsh speakers often bypass helo entirely and start conversations with bore da for 'good morning' or prynhawn da for 'good afternoon' regardless of the level of formality.
Examples in context
- Bore da! Sut wyt ti heddiw?Good morning! How are you today?
- Prynhawn da! Ydy'r dydd yn mynd yn dda i ti?Good afternoon! Is your day going well?
- Noswaith dda! Sut mae'r tywydd heddiw?Good evening! How is the weather today?
- Shwmae! Beth wyt ti'n gwneud heno?Hi! What are you doing tonight?
- Helo! Ti'n barod am y penwythnos?Hello! Are you ready for the weekend?
- Helo, sut wyt ti?Hello, how are you?
- Helo, dwi'n hapus i weld ti.Hello, I am happy to see you.
Example conversation
Catrin and Owain meet on a street.
- CatrinHelo, Owain!Hello, Owain!
- OwainHelo, Catrin, sut wyt ti?Hello, Catrin, how are you?
- CatrinDwi'n dda, diolch.I am well, thanks.
- OwainDa iawn.Very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries helo, hylo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
