fy

head

fy (triggers nasal mutation of a following consonant)

of a following consonant (triggers-mutation-nasal)

'm

used after some prepositions, does not trigger mutation

Byddant yn fy nghyflogi dros dro.

me (as the direct object of a verbal noun)


mi

mi (triggers soft mutation on the following verb)

From Proto-Brythonic *mi, from Proto-Celtic *mī.

Mi werthes i hanner dwsin.

(North Wales) used with inflected verbs to mark affirmative statements.


o

Aphetic form of efô, reinforced form of ef


hi

From Proto-Celtic *sī (compare Old Irish sí).


e

E (uppercase)
eliffant
heliffant (prothesis-h)

The seventh letter of the Welsh alphabet, called e and written in the Latin script. It is preceded by dd and followed by f.

è

with grave accent to indicate otherwise unpredictable short vowel

é

with acute accent to indicate unusually stressed short vowel

ê

with circumflex to indicate otherwise unpredictable or unusually stressed long vowel

ë

with diaeresis to indicate disyllabicity


hun

ei hun ei hun

(Compare: ei un ei hun


fe

fe (triggers soft mutation on the following verb)

Fe werthes i hanner dwsin.

(South Wales) used with inflected verbs to mark affirmative statements.


ni

From Proto-Brythonic *ni, from Proto-Celtic *snīs.


dy

dy (triggers soft mutation of a following consonant)

From Proto-Celtic *towe (“your”); compare Cornish dha, Breton da, Irish do. See ti (“you”).

Beth sy yn dy dŷ di?


eu

eu (triggers h-prothesis of a following vowel)

of a following vowel (triggers-h-prothesis)

Rhaid sganio’r ffeiliau cyn eu hagor a’u harchwilio.

You have to scan the files before opening them and exploring them.

them (as the direct object of a verbal noun)


ei

From Middle Welsh y, from Proto-Brythonic *eið, from Proto-Celtic *esyo m and *esyās f; compare Old Irish a (“his, her, its, their”) and Sanskrit अस्य (asyá, “his, its”) and अस्यास् (asyā́s, “her”).

Gwelir y thema dro ar ôl tro yn ei gerddi a’i emynau.

The theme is seen repeatedly in his poems and his hymns.

his, its (with reference to a masculine noun; triggers soft mutation of following consonant)

Gwelir y thema dro ar ôl tro yn ei cherddi a’i hemynau.

The theme is seen repeatedly in her poems and her hymns.

her, its (with reference to a feminine noun; triggers aspirate mutation of following consonant and h-prothesis of a following vowel)


ei

Myfi’n bugeilio’r gwenith gwyn,

18th century, Wil Hopcyn, “Bugeilio’r gwenith gwyn”

Me watching the white wheat,
And another reaping it.

him, it (with reference to masculine nouns; as object of a verbal noun; triggers soft mutation of following consonant)

Ar ben y bryn mae sgwarnog fach, ar hyd y nos mae'n pori

On top of the hill there's a little hare, all night long she grazes
With her speckled back and her white white belly without taking any heed of any greyhound.

A’i chefen brith a’i bola bola gwyn yn hidio dim am filgi.

her, it (with reference to masculine nouns; as object of a verbal noun; triggers aspirate mutation of following consonant and h-prothesis of a following vowel)


ti

From Proto-Brythonic *ti, from Proto-Celtic *tū, from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂.


pa

From Proto-Celtic *kʷid, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷid (compare *kʷis); compare Latin quid, Old Irish cid, Modern Irish cad, Cornish py, pe.


chi

From Middle Welsh chwi, from Proto-Celtic *swīs (compare Breton c’hwi, Cornish hwi, Old Irish síi), from Proto-Indo-European *wos.


fo

Reduction of efô, emphatic form of ef (“he (literary)”).


ein

ein (triggers h-prothesis of a following vowel)

From Middle Welsh yn, an, from Old Welsh an. Compare Breton hon.

Os oes problem, cofiwch ein hysbysu i’n helpu i’w datrys yn gyflym.

If there is a problem, remember to inform us to help us to solve it quickly.

us (as the direct object of a verbal noun)


hwy

From Middle Welsh wy, from Proto-Celtic *eyes, plural of *es, from Proto-Indo-European *éy. Cognate with Breton i(nt) and Irish ia(d).
The initial h- is from the final -nt of verbs having the allophone -nnh- between vowels (e.g. gwelant wy “they see” > /gwelannhwy/ > gwelan(t) hwy); the colloquial form nhw formed by the same process.


'm

Dywed na’m hadwaenai.

He/She says that he/she would not recognise me.

Fe’m ganed i deulu di-Gymraeg.

I was born (lit. "One gave birth to me") into a non-Welsh-speaking family.

(literary) me (used after vowels as the direct object of a verb; triggers h-prothesis of a following vowel)


-s

bàth (“bath”) + -s → baths (“baths”)

tomato (“tomato”) + -s → tomatos (“tomatoes”)

gwdihŵ (“owl”) + -s → gwdihŵs (“owls”)


neb

From Proto-Celtic *nekʷos (“someone, something”), whence also Old Irish nech (“anyone; no-one”), from Proto-Indo-European *ne (negative particle) + Proto-Indo-European *kʷos (“which, that”). Cognate with Latvian nekas (“nothing”).


faint

Shortened from pa faint (“what amount”).


beth

Originally pa beth (“which thing”) with the soft mutation of peth (“thing”) after pa (“which”), from Proto-Celtic *kʷezdis.


dim

From Middle Welsh dim, cognate with the rare Old Irish dim (“something, anything”) (which may be a Brythonic loanword), with further etymology uncertain. Matasović derives the word from Proto-Celtic *dis-smi-, dissimilated from Proto-Indo-European *dus-smi- (literally “bad one”). Alternatively, Morris-Jones hypothesizes the original meaning was “share, portion” and derives the word from Proto-Celtic *dīsman, from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- (“to share”).
Development of the particle sense (“not”) is an instance of Jespersen's Cycle.


'n

head

'n (triggers h-prothesis of a following vowel)

Dyna'n harian ni.


ef

From Proto-Celtic *es or *ēs, from Proto-Indo-European *éy.


hon

Mae'r nofel hon yn well o lawer na'r nofel honno.

This novel is a lot better than that novel.

Mae'r holl sefyllfa hon yn benbleth fawr.

This entire situation is real condundrum.

(formal) (in conjunction with the definite article y) this


a

The first letter of the Welsh alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script. It is followed by b.


chwi

From Proto-Brythonic *hwi, from Proto-Celtic *swīs, from Proto-Indo-European *wos. Compare Breton c'hwi.


nhw

From Middle Welsh -nt (“3rd person plural verb ending”) + hwy (“they”), related to Breton i (“they”), Cornish i (“they”).


'i

Un o’i gefndryd ydw i.

Rwy'n gyfarwydd iawn â'r pentref a’i drigolion.

I'm very familiar with the village and its inhabitants.

his, its (with reference to a masculine noun; used after vowels; triggers soft mutation of following consonant)

Un o’i chefndryd ydw i.

Rwy'n gyfarwydd iawn â'r dref a’i thrigolion.

I'm very familiar with the town and its inhabitants.

her, its (with reference to a feminine noun; used after vowels; triggers aspirate mutation of following consonant and h-prothesis of a following vowel)


'i

Roedd yr athro a’i ddisgyblion yn dod ymlaen yn dda.

The teacher and his students got on well.

Mae'r cyfle yn un da ond efallai nad ydych wedi’i ystyried o’r blaen.

The opportunity is a good one but perhaps you have never considered it before.

him, it (with reference to a masculine noun; used after vowels as the direct object of a verbal noun; triggers soft mutation of following consonant)

Roedd yr athrawes a’i disgyblion yn dod ymlaen yn dda.

The teacher and her students got on well.

Mae'r swydd yn un dda ond efallai nad ydych wedi’i hystyried o’r blaen.

The job is a good one but perhaps you have never considered it before.

her, it (with reference to a masculine noun; used after vowels as the direct object of a verbal noun; triggers aspirate mutation of following consonant and h-prothesis of a following vowel)

Ni wn a’i gwelais yno ai peidio.

I do not know whether I saw him/her/it there or not.

Fe’i hariennir yn rhannol gan yr elusen.

He/She/It is partially funded (lit. "One funds him/her/it partially") by the charity.

him, her, it (with reference to a masculine or feminine noun; used after vowels as the direct object of a verb; triggers h-prothesis of a following vowel)


eich

I’ch derbyn ar y cwrs, bydd rhaid i gyfwelydd eich asesu gyntaf.

To accept you on the programme, an interviwer will have to first assess you.

you (either plural or polite singular; as the direct object of a verbal noun)


hyn

From Middle Welsh hynn, from Old Welsh hinn, from Proto-Celtic *sindos (“this”).

A yw'r ystafelloedd hyn ar gael gennych?

Ydy'r stafelloedd hyn ar gael 'da chi?

(formal) (South Wales, informal) (in conjunction with the definite article y) these


pwy

From Old Welsh pui, from Proto-Brythonic *puɨ, from Proto-Celtic *kʷei, (compare Breton piv, Cornish piw, Old Irish cía), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷis.

Pwy yw e?


'na

(informal) Alternative form of yna (“there”)

(informal) (in conjunction with the definite article y)

(following a singular noun) Alternative form of yna (“that”)

(following a singular noun) Alternative form of yna (“these”)


'u

Cyhuddodd fi o’u dwyn ac yna’u gwerthu.

He/She accused me of stealing them and then selling them.

Fe’u ceir yma o bryd i'w gilydd.

They are found (lit. "One finds them") here occasionally.

them (used after vowels as the direct object of a verbal noun or verb)


hwynt

From hwy + the 3rd person plural ending -nt. For the same development compare Old Irish íat (Irish iad).


hwn

From Middle Welsh hwnn, from Proto-Brythonic *hunn, from Proto-Celtic *sondos.

Mae'n well gennyf y llun hwn na'r llun hwnnw.

Arbenigwraig fyd-enwog yn y maes hwn yw hi.

She is a world-renowned expert in this field.


hwnnw

From Old Welsh hunnoid, from the root of hwn.

Byddai'r tir hwnnw'n werth ei brynu.

Y dyn hwnnw yw'r drwg yn y caws.

Nid wyf am roi ateb i'r cwestiwn hwnnw.

I do not want to give an answer to that question.

(formal) (in conjunction with the definite article y) that


rhai

Possibly related to Irish ré (“row, group of people”).

Mae rhai pobol yn hoffi gwersylla.

some (a certain proportion of; an unspecified number of)


'ch

Ga’ i’ch helpu chi?

Hon yw’r un a’ch gwelodd.

you (either plural or polite singular; used after vowels as the direct object of a verbal noun or verb)


honno

Bydd y gystadleuaeth honno'n werth ei gwylio.

That competition will be worth watching.

Y ddynes honno sy'n gwneud môr a mynydd o'r sefyllfa.

It's that woman who's blowing the situation out of proportion.

Ni chefais erioed ateb i'r broblem honno.

I never did find a solution to that problem.


hynny

o ran hynny

for that matter, as far as that is concerned, on that account

Roedd y sefyllfa wedi newid yn syweddol erbyn hynny.

The situation had significantly altered by then.

Wnawn ni aros dipyn ac yna gweld sut mae pethau wedi 'ny.

We'll wait a bit and then see how things are then.

(in certain multiword phrases – see Derived terms below.) then


'th

Myfanwy, boed yr holl o’th fywyd

Myfanwy, may your life entirely be
Beneath the midday sun's bright glow.

(literary) your (familiar singular; triggers soft mutation of a following consonant)


'th

1588, Y Beibl cyssegr-lan, Genesis 28:15

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.

Ac wele fi gyda thi; ac mi a’th gadwaf pa le bynnag yr elych, ac a’th ddygaf drachefn i’r wlad hon: oherwydd ni’th adawaf, hyd oni wnelwyf yr hyn a leferais wrthyt.

(literary) you (familiar singular; used after vowels as the direct object of a verb; triggers soft mutation of a following consonant)


chdi

Earlier thdi, reduced aspirate mutated form of the reduplicative pronoun tydi (“you yourself”).


faint o'r gloch

faint (“how much, how many”) + o'r gloch (“o'clock”, literally “of the bell”)


pawb

From Middle Welsh pawb; see pob for more.


hwnna

From hwn (“this”) + yna (“there”). Compare honna and hynna.

Pwy yw hwnna?

Ti'n deall 'na?


rheina

From y + rhai + yna, literally “the ones there; those ones”.

com

Pwy ydy'r rheina?

Mae'r rheina'n well na'r rhain, a dweud y gwir.

Roeddwn i wedi hen syrffedu ar y rheina.


hyn oll

/ˌhɨ̞n ˈoːɬ/


hyn a'r llall

From hyn (“this”) + a'r (“and the”) + llall (“other one”).


hunan

Lexicalised h-prothesised form of unan, a form of un (“one”). Cognate with Cornish honan.

fy hunan

ei hunan

ein hunain

fy ngeiriau fy hunan

ei syniad ei hunan

ein cartref ein hunain

(with possessive determiner preceding both itself and the noun) own


llall

Perhaps reduplication of Proto-Celtic *alyos (“other”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos (compare arall).


rhain

From y + rhai + hyn, literally “these ones”.

Mae'r rhain gen i'n barod.

Ydy'r rhain cystal â'r rheina.

Chi'n nabod rhein?


tithau

A ddoi di'n ŵr bach twt i mi, os do i'n wraig i tithau?

And will you become a dapper little husband to me, if I become a wife to you too?


chwithau

(formal or literary) you also, and you too (plural or polite)


dim byd

Literally “nothing of (the) world”.
In older Welsh dim (“thing”) was used negatively to indicate “nothing”, but due to semantic bleaching came to simply mean “not”, so the more emphatic dim byd became the standard way of expressing “nothing”.

Does dim byd yma.

Beth sy gyda ti? Dim byd.

nothing (takes soft mutation after a conjugated verb)


myfi

1620, William Morgan, Y Bibl Cyssegr-lan, Ioan 6:35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

A’r Iesu a ddywedodd wrthynt, Myfi yw bara’r bywyd. Yr hwn sydd yn dyfod ataf fi, ni newyna; a’r hwn sydd yn credu ynof fi, ni sycheda un amser.

Petai'r parti 'di cymryd lle, fe fyddwn wedi gofyn i Andy Jones, sy'n gweithio yn siop recordiau Spillers ac sy'n dipyn o DJ yn ei amser sbâr i gymryd yr awenau efo'r miwsig gan fod ganddo chwaeth go eang ac mae'n hoff o reggae fel myfi.

If the party had taken place, I would have asked Andy Jones, who works in Spillers record shop and who is a bit of a DJ in his spare time to take the reins with the music since he has quite wide-ranging tastes and he likes reggae like me.

I, me (Emphatic form of fi (“I, me”), used especially in contrastive contexts.)


finnau

Alternative form of innau (“I also, and I too”)


chithau

(colloquial) you also, and you too (plural or polite)


dim ond

Dim ond un nes i gymryd!


beth bynnag

Fe fwyta i beth bynnag sy gyda ti.


ei gilydd

ein gilydd (first-person plural)
eich gilydd (plural second-person)
- m (singular third-person)
- f (singular third-person)
ei gilydd (plural third-person)

/ei̯ ˈɡɪlɪð/

/ei̯ ˈɡɪlɨ̞ð/

/ei̯ ˈɡiːlɪð/

/ei̯ ˈɡɪlɪð/

Maen nhw'n deall ei gilydd yn dda.

Dyn ni wedi dod i 'nabod ein gilydd erbyn hyn.

Weloch chi'ch gilydd bore 'ma?


ta beth

Fe f'yta i ta beth sy 'da ti.


honna

From hon (“this”) + yna (“there”). Compare hwnna and hynna.

Pwy ydy honna?

Ti biau 'na?

Is that yours? (literally, “Is it you that owns that?”)


hynna

From hyn (“this”) + yna (“there”). Compare hwnna and honna.

Faint 'di hynna'n gyfan gwbl?

Dw i'm yn dallt hynna.


rheini

From y + rhai + hynny, literally “those ones”.

com

Pwy yw'r rheini?

Bydd rhai o'r rheini'n addas ond dim o'r rhain.

Some of those will be suitable but none of these.