Here are some examples of similar words in Welsh and French, along with their shared root:
Word | Welsh | French | Meaning | Proto-Indo-European Root
------- | -------- | -------- | -------- | --------
Brother | Brawd | Frère | Brother | *bʰrātēr*
Star | Seren | Étoile | Star | *h₂stḗr*
Water | Dŵr | Eau | Water | *h₂eydw-*
Head | Pen | Tête | Head | *kaput-*
Hand | Llaw | Main | Hand | *gʷʰén̥h₂t-/*
Tree | Coed | Bois | Tree | *h₂ey-/*
Sun | Haul | Soleil | Sun | *sóh₂wl̥-/*
Other Similarities:
* Sound System: Welsh and French both have similar sounds, particularly in the vowels. This leads to some similarities in pronunciation even if the spelling differs.
* Grammatical Features: Both languages have complex grammatical systems with features like gender, number, and case.
Important Note: While there are similarities, these are often etymological connections, meaning they relate to the shared origin of the words. The modern forms of the words have diverged significantly over time, and the meanings may not be identical.
For example, while "Brawd" and "Frère" both mean "brother," they are pronounced differently and may be used in different contexts.
Would you like to explore specific areas of similarity, like words for specific concepts (family, nature, etc.) or look at the historical connection between the languages?