Asking for Things

pe? = which? what? (SWF: py)
tra = a thing (SWF: tra)
an dra = the thing (SWF: an dra)
Pandra? = What thing? (from pe an dra) (SWF: pandra)
Would you like………? = Vendzhah hwei…………..? (SWF: venja hwei)
What would you like? = Pandra vendzhah hwei? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei?)
What would you like to drink? = Pandra vendzhah hwei êvah? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei eva?)
What would you like to eat? = Pandra vendzhah hwei debbri? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei dybri?)
What would you like to buy? = Pandra vendzhah hwei perna? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei perna?)
Would you like something to drink? = Vendzhah hwei nepeth dho êvah?
I would like…………. = Mi vendzhah ………….. (SWF: me venja)

There are two correct ways of saying please
Either “mi a pidzhi” or just “pidzhi”.
Pidzhi is the verb “to pray/beg/ask”. (SWF: pyji)
Dick Gendall says that “mar pleak” (if it pleases) should not be used in a request.

There are two main ways of saying “Thank you” or “Thanks!”God repay you = durdala dy hwei / durdala do hwei/ (traditionally run together as DURDALADAWHY)
I make thanks = GRAMASSI (also spelt gra’massi / gyra-massi / gad-marsshi)
This is shortened to Thanks = MASSI / marci (obviously related to French merci) (SWF: gras) (Now we’re more like Spanish or Italian!)
Much thanks to you = merastahwei

You don’t want something – mind how you say this, in case you sound rude!
No thank you (or Certainly not!) = Nantî.

So a conversation might go:

Pandra vendzhah hwei êvah? = What would you like to drink? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei eva?)
Mi vendzhah bolla tê, pidzhi. = I would like a cup of tea, please. (SWF: Me venja hanath a te, pyji.)
Pandra vendzhah hwei debbri? = What would you like to eat? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei dybri?)
Mi vendzhah mau, mi a pidzhi. = I would like a sandwich, please. (SWF: Me venja baramanen, pyji.)
Vendzhah hwei tezan awêdh? = Would you like a cake as well? (SWF: Venja hwei tesen y’wedh?)
Nantî. = No thank you.

Where hospitality is involved you need to know the vocabulary for food and drink.. Surprisingly “BÛZ” is food, not English booze!

BÛZ HA DEUAZ = Food and Drink

To drink = êvah (SWF: eva)
Pandra vendzhah hwei êvah? = What would you like to drink? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei eva?)
Pidzhi, mi vendzhah dour. = Please, I would like water. (SWF: Pyji, me venja dowr.)

Water = dour (SWF: dowr)
A cup of tea = bolla tê
A cup of coffee = bolla coffi
Tea = tê (SWF: te)
Coffee = coffi
Milk = leath (pronounce layth) (SWF: leth)
Sugar = côn (pronounce cone – from English cone sugar) (the same word is used for supper)
Tea with milk = tê gen leath (SWF: te gen leth)
Tea without sugar = tê heb côn
Coffee with sugar and milk = coffee gen côn ha leath
Beer = cor
A pint of beer = pimp a cor
Wine = gwîn (pronounce gween) (SWF: gwin)
A glass = gwedran (SWF: gwedren)
A glass of wine = gwedran a wîn (pronounce ween) (SWF: gwedren a win)
Fruit juice = sygan (the same word is used for gravy, so you can add lavalo or frût to distinguish it from sygan kîg which means meat juice)
spirits of any sort = dour tubm (SWF: dowr tobm)
Whisky = dour tubm Alban (literally hot water Scottish)
Brandy = dour tubm Frenk (literally hot water French)
Rum = dour tubm Lollas (literally hot water West Indies)

To eat = debbri (SWF: dybri)
Pandra vendzhah hwei debbri? = What would you like to eat? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei dybri?)

Bread = bara (SWF: bara)
Butter = manin (SWF: amanen)
Ham = morraz hôh (In anatomy, morraz is the word for thigh)
Cheese = keaz (SWF: keus)
A sandwich = mau (SWF: baramanen)
A ham sandwich = mau morraz
A cheese sandwich = mau keaz (SWF: baramanen keus)
A jam sandwich = mau jam
Saffron cake (a Cornish speciality!) = tezan saffarn
A bun = tortel
A saffron bun = tortel saffarn
A pasty (a Cornish speciality!) = cofan or hogan (SWF: hogen) (the same word is sometimes used for any pastry or bread crust)
Cream = dehen (SWF: dehen)
Clotted cream (another Cornish speciality!) = dehen kithez (literally scalded cream)

By adding three simple words you can introduce choice and preference.
Rather (literally first) = KENZ
Or = PO/PY
But = BYZ

Sompel

Pandra vendzhah hwei kenz? = What do you prefer? (What would you rather?) (SWF: Pandra venja hwei kens?)
Pandra vendzhah hwei kenz êvah? = What would you rather drink? (SWF: Pandra venja hwei kens eva?)
Pandra vendzhah hwei kenz, cor po gwîn? = What do you prefer, beer or wine?
Mi vendzhah kenz cor, gramassi. = I prefer beer, thank you.
Vendzhah hwei cor po gwîn? = Would you like beer or wine?
Mi vendzhah cor, byz mi vendzhah kenz dour. = I would like beer, but I prefer water.
Pandra ero hwei longia dho êvah? = What do you usually drink?
(similar to Cornish dialect – What do you belong to drink?)
Thera vi longia dho êvah dour. = I usually drink water. (Can also = Mi a long dho êvah dour.)

Hopefully you will have noticed that in Cornish we do not write the definite article. Cor could be “a beer” or “beer”. To stress the number say “edn cor”.