Welsh/Grammar/Verbs/Present
The present tense in Welsh can translate as either the 'present indicative' or the 'present progressive'. For example, Dwi'n siarad can translate as I speak', I do speak', I am speaking.
The present tense in Welsh can also be used to describe what is happening in the future:
Dwi'n gweithio yfory.
- I'm working tomorrow.
Affirmative
edit| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| I do, I am | Rydw i | We do, We are | Rydyn ni |
| You do, you are | Rwyt ti | You do, you are | Rydych chi |
| He does, He is | Mae e/o | They do, They are | Maen nhw |
| Use the linking particle yn to connect Verb-Nouns. Yn shortens to 'n after a vowel, as in the following examples. |
Dwi'n siarad Cymraeg.
- I speak Welsh. I do speak Welsh. I am speaking Welsh.
Mae hi'n mynd i'r theatr.
- She goes to the theatre. She does go to the theatre. She is going to the theatre.
Maen nhw'n canu.
- They sing. They do sing. They are singing.
| Remember: If using the particle with a noun or adjective, the noun must undergo a soft-mutation if possible. |
Dwi'n athro.
- I'm a teacher
Mae hi'n bump oed.
- She is 5 years old.
Negative
edit| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| I don't, I am not | Dydw i ddim | We don't, We aren't | Dydyn ni ddim |
| You don't, you aren't | Dwyt ti ddim | You don't, you aren't | Dydych chi ddim |
| He doesn't, He isn't | Dyw e ddim, Dydy o ddim | They don't, They aren't | Dydyn nhw ddim |
| Use the linking particle yn after the ddim (not). |
Dwi ddim yn siarad Cymraeg.
- I don't speak Welsh. I am not speaking Welsh.
Dyw/Dydy hi ddim yn mynd i'r theatr.
- She doesn't go to the theatre. She isn't going to the theatre.
Dydyn nhw ddim yn canu.
- They don't sing.
Dyw hi ddim yn athrawes.
- She isn't a teacher.
There are also colloquial ways of expressing the negative in the "I", "you" (ti), we and they forms:
- Sai'n (Sai'n hoffi): I don't like
- So ti'n (So ti'n mynd): You're not going
- Smo ni'n (Smo ni'n ysmygu): We don't smoke
- So nhw'n (So nhw'n siarad): They don't speak
Interrogative
edit| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do I? Am I? | Ydw i | Do we? Are we? | Ydyn ni |
| Do you? Are you? | Wyt ti? | Do you? Are you? | Ydych chi? |
| Does he? Is he? | Ydy e? | Do they? Are they? | Ydyn nhw? |
| English | Cymraeg | English | Cymraeg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes: I do, I am | Ydw / Nac ydw | Yes: We do, We are | Ydyn / Nac ydyn |
| Yes: You do, you are | Wyt / Nac wyt | Yes: You do, you are | Ydych / Nac ydych |
| Yes: He does, He is | Ydy / Nac ydy | Yes: They do, They are | Ydyn / Nac ydyn |
| Remember: Welsh does not use 'yes' or 'no' responses. Instead, you answer with a more direct 'I do' or 'He is' type response. |
A: Wyt ti'n mynd i'r parc?
B: Ydw. Dwi'n mynd i'r parc.
- A: Are you going to the park?
- B: I am (yes). I'm going to the park.
A: Ydy hi'n hoffi ffilmiau?
B: Ydy. Mae hi'n hoffi ffilmiau.
- A: Does she like films?
- B: She does (yes). She likes films.
A: Ydy Brad yn chwarae heddiw?
B: Nac ydy. Dydy Brad ddim yn chwarae heddiw.
- A: Is Brad playing today?
- B: He isn't. Brad isn't playing today.
Mae and Oes
edit| The third-person form mae of bod (to be) can be translated as 'there is'. The interrogative form of mae is Oes? 'Is there?' Oes also serves as a 'yes' response. Yes, there is. The no response is Nac oes. The negative form is Does dim 'There isn't'. |
Oes bwyd yn y tŷ?
- Is there food yn the house?
Oes. Mae llawer o fwyd yma.
- Yes (There is). There is a lot of food here.
Oes rhaglen dda ar y teledu heno?
- Is there a good programme on the television tonight?
Nag oes. Does dim unrhywbeth da.
- No (There isn't). There isn't anything good.
| The mae/oes pattern is used in a number of expressions in Welsh, for example: possession. The English sentence, 'I have a car' must be expressed as 'There is a car with me' in Welsh. Here are a few of the uses of mae and oes: |
Possession
Oes car gyda chi?
- Do you have a car?
- (lit. 'Is there a car with you?')
Oes. Mae car gyda fi.
- Yes. I have a car.
- (lit. 'There is a car with me.')
Conditions Mae ofn arna i.
- I'm afraid.
- (lit. There is fear on me.)
Mae hiraeth arna i.
- I'm homesick.
- (lit. There is homesickness on me.)