Picau ar y maen
Welsh cakes is translated into Welsh as Picau ar y maen.
The term refers to small, flat cakes that are traditionally cooked on a griddle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Picau ar y maen literally means cakes on the stone, which describes the traditional method of cooking these cakes on a stone griddle.
Which one should you use?
Picau ar y maen is the informal way to refer to these treats, whereas Cacenau Cymreig is the formal way to say Welsh cakes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cacen means cake, while teisen is also a singular form meaning cake. The word Cymreig is the Welsh word for Welsh.
Did you know?
- While Cacenau Cymreig is the formal term, the word cacen is actually a loanword from the English 'cake', whereas teisen is the indigenous Welsh word for a cake.
- The word maen in the phrase is a cognate of the Cornish word 'men', showing how the Welsh-speaking world shares linguistic roots across the Brythonic languages.
- Traditional Picau ar y maen are often dusted with caster sugar while hot, a custom that differentiates them from the 'bakewell' style cakes found elsewhere in the UK.
Examples in context
- Dw i'n bwyta Cacenau Cymreig bob dydd!I eat Welsh cakes every day!
- Mae fy nghariad yn coginio picau ar y maen y Sul yma.My partner is cooking Welsh cakes on the griddle this Sunday.
- Mae Picau ar y maen yn flasus.Welsh cakes are delicious.
Example conversation
Gareth and Elowen are in the kitchen.
- GarethMae'r picau ar y maen yn sych.The welsh cakes are dry.
- ElowenOedd y maen yn rhy wneg?Was the griddle too hot?
- GarethYn ôl drwy, roedd hi'n rhy wneg.Actually, it was too hot.
- ElowenByddwn i'n ceisio eto.I will try again.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ar, maen, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
