Welsh football words

Wales supporters celebrated the Wales men’s team qualification for the Fifa World Cup only a few years after the national squad did so well in the 2016 and 2020 EUROs. The national team, like the language, put Wales on the map. To bring them both together I’ve put together this list of Welsh football words specially for the occasion. If you’re a Welsh learner or thinking of learning the language, here’s a great chance to start learning some Welsh football vocabulary. UPDATE 30 Nov ’22: Well, Qatar didn’t quite work out as we’d hoped, but, hey, football never ends and but it ain’t you’ll still need your vocab.

The Football Association of Wales makes enthusiastic use of Welsh in its operations and materials. There’s a tradition of excellent football commentary on the Welsh-language TV channel S4C and BBC Radio Cymru, often praised in Wales as better than what’s availablle in English. If you want to look at some written footie reports, check out the coverage in the sports section of the Golwg360 news site.

Many players and lots of fans speak the language, so, whatever football circles you move in if you watch games in person, seek out a chance to practice a few words of football Welsh.

If you’re a beginner or lower intermediate learner still struggling to understand rapid spoken Welsh, here’s a great chance to get some listening practice in as you watch the match on TV or listen on the radio. A lot of the terms will come up again and again, which is great for recognition and vocabulary learning. If you’re not learning Welsh, learn one or two words on this list to impress your mates!

I’ve added a brief paragraph on the pronunciation of these Welsh soccer terms at the bottom of the post.

In the Welsh column, you’ll find useful plurals added (after a semi-colon). A “(b)” indicates a noun (naming word) that is feminine.

Words for different people ending in –wr have a feminine form -wraig (plurals: -wyr and -wragedd respectively). So, you’ll see rheolwr (male manager) and rheolwraig (female manager) in the table.

When you’ve had a look at the list, check out my sister post on Dafydd Iwan’s song Yma o hyd! the unofficial second national anthem at Welsh internationals.

All the Welsh football vocabulary you’ll ever need in one list

Without further ado, then, here’s your Welsh football vocabulary list:

The people	Y bobl
attacker	ymosodwr
the defence (players)	amddiffynwyr
defender	amddiffynnwr plural: amddiffynwyr
captain	capten
centre forward	blaenwr canol
chairman	cadeirydd
coach	hyfforddwr / hyffroddwraig
the crowd	y dorf
fan, fans	y ffan, y ffans
full back	cefnwr, cefnwyr
footballer	pȇl-droedwr   peyl
forward / striker	blaenwr
goalkeeper	gôl-geidwad
hooligan	hwligan; hwliganiaid  hooligan
left back	cefnwr chwith; cefnwyr chwith
linesman	llumanwr; llumanwyr
man/woman of the match	seren y gȇm
manager	rheolwr
midfielder	chwaraewr canol cae
opponent	gwrthwynebwr; gwrthwynebwyr
opposition	gwrthwynebwyr
owner	perchennog; perchnogion
player	chwaraewr; chwaraewyr
player on loan	chwaraewr ar fenthyg
referee	dyfarnwr
The Red Wall	Y Wal Goch
right back	cefnwr de; cefnwyr de
right winger	asgellwr de
substitute	eilydd; eilyddion
supporter	cefnogwr; cefnogwyr
team	tȋm
winger	asgellwr; asgellwyr
wing back	asgellwr gefn
Organisation, leagues and tournaments	Trefniadaeth, cyghreiriau a phencampwriaethau
away game	gȇm oddi cartref
Champions League	Cynghrair y Pencampwyr
championship	pencampwriaeth
contest	gornest (b)
competition	cystadleuaeth (b); cystadlaethau
football club	clwb pȇl-droed
cup	cwpan
Europa League	Cynghrair Europa
friendly (a game)	gȇm gyfeillgar
Football Association of Wales (FAW)	Cymdeithas Bȇl-Droed Cymru
FAW motto (The best play is team play)	Chwarae Gorau Cyd-Chwarae
FA cup	Cwpan FA
final	rownd derfynol
football club	clwb pȇl-droed
game	gȇm; gemau
home game	gȇm gartref
home team	tîm cartref
international (i.e. a game)	gȇm ryngwladol; gemau rhyngwladol
International Football Association Board	Bwrdd Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Rhyngwladol
national time	tîm cenedlaethol
playoff	gêm ail gyfle
programme (pamphlet, plan or broadcast)	rhaglen (b); rhaglenni
The Premiership (league)	Yr Uwch Gynghrair
to qualify	cymhwyso
quarter-final	rownd yr wyth olaf
season	tymor; tymhorau
semi-final	rownd cynderfynol
squad	carfan (b); carfannau
a transfer	trosglwyddiad; trosglwyddiadau
to transfer (a player)	trosglwyddo (chwaraewr)
transfer window	ffenestr (b) drosglwyddo
trophy	tlws; tlysau
Welsh Championship	Pencampwriaeth Cymru
Welsh Premier Divison/Cymru Premier	Uwch Cynghrair Cymru
Welsh Premier Women’s Football League	Uwch Cynghrair Merched Cymru
World Cup	Cwpan y Byd
Places at the ground and on the pitch	Llefydd wrth y maes ac ar y cae
Bench	mainc (y fainc); meinciau
box (penalty area)	y cwrt cosbi
byline (from posts to corner flag)	llinell (b) y postyn
centre mark	smotyn canol
centre circle	cylch canol
changing room	ystafell (b) newid; ystafelloedd newid
Corner	conel – y gornel; corneli
Crossbar	trawst; trawstiau
far corner	cornel bellaf
far post	posyn pellaf
field (place)	cae
first half	hanner cyntaf
goal (place)	gôl (b); goliau
goal line	llinell gôl; llinellau gôl
Goal post	postyn gôl; pyst gôl
grass	gwair
halfway line
line	llinell (b); llinelli
midfield	canol cae
net	rhwyd (b); rhwydi
penalty area	cwrt cosbi
pitch	cae
position	safle; safleoedd
side line	llinell ystlys; llinelli ystlys
stadium	stadiwm; stadiymau
stand(s)	eisteddle (esteiddleodd)
touchline	llinell ystlys; llinelli ystlys
wing	asgell (b); esgyll
On pitch action	Mynd ati ar y cae
attack	ymosodiad (ymosodiadau)
to attack	ymosod
to award a goal	dyfarnu gôl (b)
to award a free kick	dyfarnu cic (b) rhydd
to beat the opposition	curo’r gwrthwynebwyr
to catch the ball	dal y bȇl
to compete for	cystadlu am
to concede (a goal)	ildio gôl
to control the ball	rheoli’r bȇl
to corner (action)	corneli
to take a corner	cymryd cornel
corner kick	cic gornel; ciciau cornel
counter attack	gwrthymosodiad
to counter attack	gwrthymosod
cross	croesiad
to cross the ball	croesi’r bȇl
deciding goal	gôl fuddugol
decision	penderfyiadu
to defeat the opposition	trechu’r gwrthwynebwyr
the defence (style of play)	amddiffyn
to defend	amddiffyn
to dive for the ball	deifio am y bȇl
draw  (an equal score)	gȇm gyfartal
to draw (play a draw)	chawarae gȇm gyfartal
to dribble the ball	driblo’r bȇl
equaliser (goal)	gôl gyfartal
extra time	amser pellach
first half	hanner cyntaf
free kick	cic rydd
to take a free kick	cymryd cic rydd
a foul	trosedd; troseddau
to foul	troseddu
full time	amser llawn
goal (event)	gôl
goal kick	cic gôl; ciciau gôl
goal-less draw	gȇm  di-sgôr
to grab the ball	cydio yn y bȇl
half time	yr egwyl (eb); egwylion
handball	llawiad
to handle the ball	llawio’r bȇl
to head the ball	penio’r bȇl
header	peniad; peniadau
injury	anaf; anafiadau
interval	yr egwyl (b); egwylion
kick	cic; ciciau
kick-off	cic gychwyn; ciciau cychwyn
to mark a player	marcio chwaraewr
lose the ball	colli’r bȇl
lose the game	colli’r gȇm
offside	camsefyll
owngoal	gôl i’w rwyd ei hun
a pass	pàs; pasiau
to pass the ball	pasio’r bȇl
penalty kick	cic o’r smotyn
to take a penalty	cymryd cic o’r smotyn
penalty shootout	gornest ciciau o’r smotyn
to play	chwarae
to play at home	chwarae cartref
to play away from home	chwarae oddi cartref
to play badly	chawrae yn wael
to play well	chwarae yn dda
to possess the ball	meddiannu’r bȇl
possession	meddiant
to keep/maintain possession	cadw meddiant
red card	cerdyn coch
result	canlyniad; canlyniadau
to run	rhedeg
to run with the ball	rhedeg gyda’r bȇl
a save	arbediad; arbediadau
to save	arbed
second half	ail hanner
to send a player off	anfon chwaraewr o’r cae
to shield the ball	cysgodi’r bȇl
to show the red card	dangos y cerdyn coch
score	sgôr; sgorau
final score	sgôr terfynol
one : nil	un gôl i ddim
two : one	ddwy gôl i un
to score a goal	sgorio gôl
to shoot at the goal	saethu at y gôl
to shoot the ball	ergydio’r bȇl
shot	ergyd/saethiad
to spin the ball	troelli’r bȇl
to sprint	gwibio
to steal the ball	dwyn y bȇl
to substitute	eilyddio
to survive	goroesi
a tackle	tacl (b); taclau
to tackle	taclo
tactics	tactegau
a throw (also = throw in)	tafliad; tafliadau
to throw the ball	taflu’r bȇl
to throw in	taflu i mewn
to trip (or stumble)	baglu
VAR	technoleg (b) fideo
a whistle (instrument)	chwiban (b)
blow the whistle	chwythu’r chwiban
starting whistle	chwiban (b) gychwyn
a win (victory)	buddigoliaeth (b); buddigoliaethau
to win possession of the ball	ennill meddiant y bȇl
yellow card	cerdyn melyn
to get a yellow card	cael cerdyn melyn
The gear
cap	cap/ capiau
football boot(s)	esgid bȇl-droed (esgidiau pȇll droed)
foot	troed; traed
gloves	maneg (b); menig
hand	llaw (b); dwylaw
head	pen; penau
jersey	crys; crysiau
kit/strip	gwisg; y wisg
knee	pen-glin; pengliniau
leg	coes (b); coesau
shin	crimog; crimogau
shin ad	gard crimog; gardiau crimog
shirt	crys; crysiau
shorts	siorts
socks	hosan; hosannau (sannau)

Quick pronunciation tips for the Welsh football terms

These are just some quick-and-dirty guidelines to set you on your way with pronouncing the Welsh football words correctly (or well enough! 😉 ).

Most Welsh sounds are found in English and the use of the letters to represent them on paper is much more logical than in English.

Vowels: if you see a circumflex accent or “to bach” (little hat) as in pȇl (ball), the vowel is long. So, the “ȇ” sound is like in English “bear” rather than in “set”. The “ô” in gôl sounds like the “o” in English “throw” not the short “o” in, erm, “not”. Short “a” is like in “bat” and long “ȃ” is like in “father”.

The “w” symbol in Welsh is used for sounds where English usually has “u” but English spelling is so crazy that it could be “oo”. Short Welsh “w” sounds like the “u” in “book” which long “ŵ” is like in “groove”.

Welsh “u“, “i” and “y” stand for the roughly the same sounds as English “i” sounds: short like in “mint”, long like in “need”. The stand-alone “y” meaning “the” is pronounced like the “y” in English “myrtle”. Before a vowel, “y” becomes “yr” (rather like “a” becomes “an”: a dog; an apple. After a vowel, “y” becomes “-‘r” “mynd i’r cae” – go to the pitch.

Consonants: generally the same as English but look out for “ff” = English “f”, while just “f” = English “v”. “Th” is English “th” as in “thing”, which “dd” is the English “th” in “that”. “

Ch” is pronounced like the “ch” in Scottish “loch” or German “Buch”. The “ll” sound is rare – not found in English – but it sounds a bit like “thl”. Letter “c” is always stands for a hard “k”, like in “cat” not like the first “c” in “cycle”.

Lwc dda (good luck) as you learn some football terms in Welsh and lwc dda to tȋm Cymru!

Learn more about Welsh with the Dabbler’s Guide to Welsh

My fellow Welsh-learning, language expert Kerstin Cable for Fluent Language has put together a great little intro course to Welsh that’s just the thing for you if you want to find out more about the language and get a bit of a taster. Check out her info and enrolment page here: Kerstin’s “Dabbler’s Guide“.

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