Hwyl fawr (HOO-il VAOWR) means goodbye. From Monday 28 September, learners and staff across Bryncoch, Theodore Road and Velindre use hwyl fawr as our Ymadrodd yr Wythnos, our Welsh phrase of the week.

Hwyl fawr comes with a wave. Learners see the waving figure on our classroom posters, and the gesture gives them a way into the phrase before the words arrive. Learners say it at the end of lessons, at transitions and at home time as they head to taxis and buses.

This one completes the set.

Since September our learners have learned bore da (good morning), prynhawn da (good afternoon), shwmae (hello) and now hwyl fawr (goodbye). Four phrases. Enough to open and close any conversation in Welsh.

Every learner takes part in their own way. Some speak the words. Others sign, use symbols, make a sound or press a button on a communication device. Each of those counts as Welsh in use, and each one moves our learners forward.

How you help at home

Say hwyl fawr when your child leaves the house or when a visitor goes.
Wave as you say it, the way we do in school.
Use the earlier phrases too. Bore da at breakfast, prynhawn da after lunch, shwmae any time.

Ymadrodd yr Wythnos is part of our work towards the Siarter Iaith Bronze Award, run by the Welsh Government to support learners to use Welsh every day. Our Criw Cymraeg, our learner-led Welsh language group, helps choose and promote each phrase.

Hwyl fawr from all of us at Ysgol Hendrefelin.