Enjoy reading? Helen Prosser, Director of Teaching and Learning at the National Centre for Learning Welsh, says “Ewch Amdani!” (Go for it!)

Since the publication of the first novel in 2018, the Amdani book series has gone from strength to strength.  

The books are tailored for the Learn Welsh levels, and are a great way to practise and enjoy your Welsh, whether you’re starting your language journey, or a new speaker.  

What is the Amdani series?

You can find books of all kinds in the Amdani series. There’s something for everyone, from novels and short stories to biographies and factual books.  

The Books Council of Wales has worked with the Centre to develop the series, and there are currently over 40 titles. The books use language patterns and vocabulary suitable for the different learning levels: Mynediad (Entry), Sylfaen (Foundation), Canolradd (Intermediate) and Uwch (Advanced).

Almost 17,000 people are learning Welsh with the Centre, and there’s a high demand for the Amdani books.

Why was the series necessary?  

There was a gap in the market in the provision of suitable books for adults learning Welsh. At first, we had help from Cambridge University Press, who have written books for English second-language speakers. We were given permission to adapt five books into Welsh. The process was very important, and valuable lessons were learnt.  

After the first five books, all the others in the series have been original works by Welsh authors. Some books are written by people who have learnt Welsh, and others are written by well-known Welsh authors, such as Bethan Gwanas and Manon Steffan Ros.

The importance of the series

The series is very important for learners because they know the reading material is suitable for the learning level. It’s an opportunity to revise, and learn new words. It makes the learning process fun and enjoyable.

Where can I find the Amdani books?  

You can find the Amdani books in your local Welsh bookshop, or the library. Follow the next link to use the interactive map to find your local bookshop: interactive map. The books are also available to buy on the Gwales.com website. It’s possible to buy the Amdani books as e-books and audiobooks, too. Watch this video to see how you can buy the audiobooks on ffolio.cymru: