te
/teː/masculine
The English word "tea" is te in Welsh.
te refers to the drink made from the leaves of the tea plant. You can specify the type of tea by adding adjectives, such as te du for black tea or te gwyn for white tea.
Meaning: drink made from leaves of tea plant (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Wales, particularly on Anglesey, the word paned is used to mean a "cup" or "cuppa" and refers to the act of enjoying a cup of tea.
How does it change in a sentence?
te is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/teː/
Did you know?
- The word te comes from the Hokkien dialect of Chinese tê and travelled through Dutch and French before entering Welsh.
- The tradition of offering te to visitors is so deeply ingrained in Welsh culture that refusing it can sometimes be seen as a slight to the host.
- In a social context, asking someone if they want 'a paned' is often more of an invitation to sit and chat than a simple offer of a beverage.
Examples in context
- Dw i'n yfed te.I drink tea.This sentence shows the use of te in a simple statement about drinking.Tatoeba #7067946 by azraelgnosis, translation #7067947 by azraelgnosis
- Wyt ti'n hoffi te?Do you like tea?This sentence is useful for asking a question about a preference for te.Tatoeba #1415426 by vashti, translation #1098230 by cntrational
- Mae'r te yn rhy oer.The tea is too cold.This sentence demonstrates describing the temperature of te.Tatoeba #4748860 by Sglod, translation #8250662 by shekitten
- Dw i'n mwynhau paned poeth o de hyfrydI am enjoying a hot cup of delightful tea
Example conversation
Elowen and Gareth are in the kitchen.
- ElowenWyt ti eisiau te, Gareth?Do you want tea, Gareth?
- GarethYdw, os gwelwch yn dda.Yes, please.
- ElowenWisg ti siwgr yn dy de?Do you take sugar in your tea?
- GarethNa, dim siwgr i fi.No, no sugar for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea” translations and entries te, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
