Welsh/Grammar/Verbs/Imperfect
< Welsh
The imperfect tense in Welsh can translate as the following. For example, Roeddwn i'n gweithio can translate as 'I was working' or 'I used to work'. Note there is a material difference between 'I worked' and 'I was working': in the first phrase, the action has been completed in the past (preterite or past perfective tense), whereas in the second, the action is continuous, yet still in the past (hence, imperfect or past imperfective tense).
| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| I was, I used to | Roeddwn i | We do, We are | Roedden ni |
| You were, you used to | Roeddet ti | You were, you used to | Roeddech chi |
| He was, he used to | Roedd e/o | They were, they used to | Roedden nhw |
| Use the particle 'yn' to connect Verb-Nouns. Yn shortens to 'n after a vowel, as in the following examples. |
Roeddet ti'n nofio ddoe.
- You were swimming yesterday
Roedd hi'n caru Sarah.
- She was loving Sarah.
Roedden nhw'n sefyll tu allan y dafarn.
- They were standing outside the pub.
| Remember: If using the particle with a noun or adjective, the noun must undergo a soft-mutation if possible. |
Roedd y bocs yn las.
- The box was blue.
Roeddwn i'n feddyg.
- I was a doctor.
| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes: I do, I am | Oeddwn / Nac oeddwn | Yes: We do, We are | Oedden / Nac oedden |
| Yes: You do, you are | oeddet / Nac oeddet | Yes: You do, you are | oeddech / Nac oeddech |
| Yes: He does, He is | oedd / Nac oedd | Yes: They do, They are | oedden / Nac oedden |
| Remember: Welsh does not use 'yes' or 'no' responses. Instead, you would answer with a more direct 'I was' or 'He was' type response. |
Doeddet ti ddim yn nofio ddoe.
- You weren't swimming yesterday
Doedd hi ddim yn caru Sarah.
- She wasn't loving Sarah.
Doedden nhw ddim yn sefyll tu allan y dafarn.
- They weren't standing outside the pub.
Doedd y bocs ddim yn las.
- The box wasn't blue.
Doeddwn i ddim yn feddyg.
- I wasn't a doctor.