Dim diolch
/dɪm ˈdiː.ɔlχ/word by word
To say no, thank you in Welsh, use Dim diolch.
Dim diolch politely declines an offer, such as more food or a drink.
What does it mean word for word?
Dim means "no" or "none" and diolch means "thanks".
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /dɪm ˈdiː.ɔlχ/. The ch at the end is a rough sound at the back of the throat like the ch in Scottish loch, and the stress is on the first syllable of diolch.
Did you know?
- The word diolch is deeply rooted in the concept of worship, connecting the simple act of saying thanks to the ancient Proto-Celtic idea of 'prayer'.
- In formal Welsh settings, you might hear Dim diolch, sir or Dim diolch, madam, but in modern casual conversation, adding titles to this phrase is almost never done.
- While it translates to 'no thanks', the phrase Dim diolch can also be used more broadly to mean 'none' or 'nothing' when refusing an amount of something, such as 'none at all'.
Examples in context
- Dim diolch, dwi'n llawn.No, thank you, I am full.
- Dim diolch, dwi'n iawn.No, thank you, I am fine.
Example conversation
Dylan offers Elowen a drink.
- ElowenWyt ti eisiau ddimau?Do you want a drink?
- DylanDim diolch, Dylan.No thank you, Dylan.
- ElowenYdy dŵr yn iawn?Is water okay?
- DylanDim diolch, dwi i'n iawn.No thank you, I am fine.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (dim, diolch) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dim, diolch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
