Useful Breton phrases

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 Salud dit Demat Demat dit
How are you?	Mat an traoù? (inf) Mat an traoù ganit? (inf) Mont a ra mat ganit? (inf) Mat an traoù ganeoc’h? (frm/pl)
Reply to 'How are you?'	Ya, mat-tre. Ha ganit? Ya, mont a ra mat. Ha ganit? Ya, mont a ra mat ganin. Ha ganit? Ganin ivez, mat-tre. Trugarez dit Ya, mat-tre. Ha ganeoc’h? (frm/pl)
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 pelec’h emaout? (inf) Eus pelec’h emaoc’h? (frm)
I'm from ...	Deus ... on
Pleased to meet you	Plijet bras on oc’h ober anaoudegezh ganeoc’h
Good morning (Morning greeting)	Demat Demat dit
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting)	Demat Demat dit
Good evening (Evening greeting)	Nozvezh vat
Good night	Noz vat
Goodbye (Parting phrases)	Kenavo Ken ar wech all Ken arc’hoazh (see you tomorrow)
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)
Have a nice weekend	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!
I don't know	N'ouzon ket
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
Bless you! (Said when sb sneezes)	Doue d'ho pennigo! (God will bless you!)
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. Recordings mainly made with Sintezenn

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.

Links

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

Phrases in Celtic languages

Breton, Cornish, Cumbric, Irish, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Welsh (Gwentian)

Phrases in other languages

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