Vocabulary of Common Cornish (Kernewek Kemmyn)

Nouns, definite articles, plurals
Adjectives masculine, feminine

1.    mother           mamm, an vamm, mammow
2.    father           tas, an tas, tasow
3.    sister           hwoer, an hwoer, hwerydh
4.    brother           broder, an broder, breder
5.    daughter           myrgh, an vyrgh, myrghes
6.    son           mab, an mab, mebyon


Rag kemmys y karas Dyw an bys, may ros ev y Vab unnik-genys, ma nag
ella dhe goll neb a grys ynno ev, mes may fe dhodho bywnans heb dhiwedh.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The Bible, John, 3, 16

Click on the words to learn more


1.    water           dowr, an dowr
2.    fire           tan, an tan, tanyow
3.    sun           howl, an howl
4.    moon           loer, an loer
5.    wind           gwyns, an gwyns, gwynsow
6.    rain           glaw, an glaw


1.    one           unn, unn
2.    two           dew, diw
3.    three           tri, teyr
4.    four           peswar, peder
5.    five           pymp
6.    six           hwegh


Ro dhyn ni hedhyw agan bara pub-dydhyek.

Give us today our daily bread.
The Bible, Matthew, 6, 11

Click on the words to learn more


1.    cat           kath, an gath, kathes
2.    dog           ki, an ki, keun
3.    horse           margh, an margh, mergh
4.    cow           bugh, an vugh, bughes
5.    fish           pysk, an pysk, puskes
6.    bird           edhen, an edhen, ydhyn
7.    tree           gwydhenn, an wydhenn, gwydh
8.    flower           bleujenn, an vleujenn, bleujennow


Dalleth aweyl Yesu Krist, Mab Dyw.

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Bible, Mark, 1,1

Click on the words to learn more


1.    white           gwynn, wynn
2.    black           du, dhu
3.    red           rudh, rudh
4.    green           gwyrdh, wyrdh
5.    yellow           melyn, velyn
6.    blue           glas, las
7.    grey           loes, loes
8.    brown           gell, ell


Ha herwydh an pyth a vynnowgh tus dhe wul orthowgh hwi,
gwrewgh hwi ynwedh y’n keth vaner orta i.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.
The Bible, Luke, 6,31

Click on the words to learn more


Gwra enora dha das ha’th vamm, ha
Kar dha gentrevek avelos ty dha honan.

Honour your father and mother; and love your neighbour as yourself.
The Bible, Matthew, 19,19

Click on the words to learn more


Cornish is spoken in:

Pennsans - Penzance
Porth Ia - St. Ives
Hellys - Helston
Aberfal - Falmouth
Truru - Truro
Tewynn Pleustri - Newquay
Sen Ostell - St. Austell
Bosveneghi - Bodmin
Lann Stefan - Launceston


Street Name Types in Cornwall

North Road (English)

Trewidden Road (Cornish and English)

Hendra Vean (Cornish)

Carrack Dhu (Cornish)


1. Ya. Na.
2. Mar pleg. Meur ras.
3. Gromersi.
4. Ple hallav vy prena tokyn?
5. Pygemmys yw hemma?
6. Ny wonn konvedhes.
7. Kows lenta, mar pleg.
8. Ple’ma’n arghantti?
9. Py eur yw?
10. Res yw dhymm kavoes medhyk.

9. Agan Tas ni usi y’n nevow, sanshes re bo dha hanow;
10. re dheffo dha wlaskor; dha vodh re bo gwrys, yn nor kepar hag y’n nev.
11. Ro dhyn ni hedhyw agan bara pub-dydhyek;
12. ha gav dhyn agan kendonow kepar dell evyn ni ynwedh dh’agan kendonoryon.
13. Ha na wra agan dri yn temptyans, mes delirv ni dhiworth drog.
The Bible, Matthew 6, 9-13 (The Lord's Prayer)

  1. dy’ Sul
  2. dy’ Lun
  3. dy’ Meurth
  4. dy’ Mergher
  5. dy’ Yow
  6. dy’ Gwener
  7. dy’ Sadorn
  1. mis Genver
  2. mis Hwevrer
  3. mis Meurth
  4. mis Ebryl
  5. mis Me
  6. mis Metheven
  7. mis Gortheren
  8. mis Est
  9. mis Gwynngala
  10. mis Hedra
  11. mis Du
  12. mis Kevardhu
  1. north
  2. soth
  3. est
  4. west
Back to menu