A collection of useful phrases in Breton, a Celtic language spoken in Brittany in the northwest of France.
Key to abbreviations: inf = informal, frm = formal, sg = singular, pl = plural.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
English | brezhoneg (Breton) |
---|---|
Welcome | Degemer mat |
Hello (General greeting) | Salud Mat an traoù? Mat an traoù ganit? (inf) Mat an traoù ganeoc'h (frm/pl) |
How are you? | Mat an traoù? Mat an traoù ganit? (inf) Mat an traoù ganeoc'h? (frm/pl) |
Reply to 'How are you?' | Ya, mat-tre. Ha ganit? Ya, mat-tre. Ha ganeoc'h? |
Long time no see | Pell 'zo n'em boa ket gwelet ac'hanout N'out ket bet gwelet abaoe pell |
What's your name? | Petra eo da anv? Pe anv out? |
My name is ... | ... eo ma anv |
Where are you from? | Eus pelecʼh emaout? (inf) Eus pelecʼh emaocʼh? (frm) |
I'm from ... | Deus ... on |
Pleased to meet you | Plijet bras on oc'h ober anaoudegezh ganeoc'h |
Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Demat |
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Demat |
Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Nozvezh vat |
Good night | Noz vat |
Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Kenavo Ken ar wech all |
Good luck! | Chañs vat! |
Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Yec'hed mat! |
Have a nice day | Devezh vat dit (inf) Devezh vat deoc'h (frm/pl) |
Un dibenn-sizhun mat deoc'h! | |
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Kalon digor! Debrit ervat! Debrit a galon! |
Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Beaj vat! |
Do you understand? | Kompren a rez? (inf) Kompren a ret? (frm) |
I understand | Kompren a ran ... ... a gomprenan |
I don't understand | Ne gomprenan ket |
Please speak more slowly | Komzit gorrekoc'h mar plij |
Please say that again | Lavar-se en-dro, mar plij |
Please write it down | Skriv-se, mar plij |
Do you speak English? | Komz a rez saozneg ? (inf) Komz a rit saozneg ? (frm/pl) |
Do you speak Breton? | Komz a rez brezhoneg? (inf) Komz a rit brezhong? (frm/pl) |
Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Ya, un tammig hepken Ya, un tamm bihan |
Do you speak a language other than Breton? |
Goûd a ret ur yezh all estroc'h ewid ar brezhoneg? Hui 'gauja or lañgaj estroh eid er breton? (Lower Vannetais Breton) |
Speak to me in Breton | Komzit Brezhoneg ganin |
How do you say ... in Breton? | Petra eo ar ger brezhonek evit ...? |
Excuse me | Digarezit ac'hanon! Eskuzit ac'hanon! |
I would like ... | Me a garfe ... |
How much is this? | Pegement e koust an dra-mañ? |
Sorry | Eskuzit ac'hanon! Digarez! |
Please | Mar plij |
Thank you | Trug Trugarez Trugarez vras Trugarekadenn Mersi Mersi Brazh Bennozh Doue Damant |
Reply to thank you | Netra Mann bet |
Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Pelec'h emañ ar privezioù? |
This gentleman will pay for everything | An holl draoù a vo paeet gant an denjentilez-mañ |
This lady will pay for everything | An holl draoù a vo paeet gant an itron-mañ |
Would you like to dance with me? | C'hoant az peus da zañsal ganin? |
I love you | Karout a ran ac'hanout Da garout a ran Me az kar |
Get well soon | Ra vi yac'h ar buanañ ar gwellañ |
Leave me alone! | Laosk ac'hanon ma-unan! |
Help! | Sikour! |
Fire! | Tan! |
Stop! | Dihan! Paouez! |
Call the police! | Galv ar polis ! Galv an archerien ! Galv paotred Mari Robin! |
Christmas greetings | Nedeleg laouen Nedeleg laouen deoc'h holl (Merry Christmas to you all) |
New Year greetings | Bloavezh mat Bloavezh mat deoc'h |
Easter greetings | Pask Seder |
Birthday greetings | Deiz ha bloaz laouen Kalz a vloavezhioù all |
Congratulations! | Gourc'hemennoù! |
One language is never enough | Ur yezh hepken n'eo ket a-walc'h |
My hovercraft is full of eels | Leun gant sili eo ma dourruzer |
Corrections and additions by Tomaz Laquaine, Bleuenn Raynaudon and Mona Caroff
Hear some Breton phrases:
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Breton | Phrases | Numbers: Modern Breton, Middle Breton, Old Breton | Family words | Colours | Time | Weather words | Comparison of Celtic languages | Celtic cognates | Celtiadur | Tower of Babel | Breton courses on: Amazon.com and Amazon.com
Other collections of Breton phrases (some with audio)
http://www.kervarker.org/en/useful_phrases_01_Boued.html
http://www.bretagne.com/fr/culture/langue/dictionnaire
http://eurotalk.com/en/resources/learn/breton
Breton, Cornish, Cumbric, Irish, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Welsh (Gwentian)
[top]
You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.
If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.
Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.
[top]