Croeseiriau Cymraeg - 4.4 Present / Future Short Form

Hitherto we have been used to forming the present tense with the auxiliary verb bod (to be). e.g. dwi'n canu - I sing / I am singing

BUT Welsh verbs do have a present tense short form which is usually employed with a future meaning. e.g. cana i - I will sing (equivalent in meaning to bydda i'n canu - I will sing)

The short form is more commonly heard in the south Walian dialect. It should also be noted that the short forms are not often used in conversation but are more common in literature.

The negative form causes either an aspirate or soft mutation whilst the interrogative form causes a soft mutation. There are irregular verbs and the more important ones are listed at the bottom of this section.

cana i                                    I will sing
cani di                                   you (familiar) will sing
canith / caniff e/o/hi             he / she / it will sing
canwn ni                               we will sing
canwch chi                           you (formal / plural ) will sing  
canan nhw                            they will sing

chana i ddim                                    I will not sing
chani di ddim                                   you (familiar) will not sing
chanith / chaniff e/o/hi ddim           he / she / it will not sing
chanwn ni ddim                               we will not sing
chanwch chi ddim                           you (formal / plural ) will not sing  
chanan nhw ddim                            they will not sing

gana i?                                      will I sing?
gani di?                                     will you (familiar) sing?
ganith / caniff e/o/hi?               will he / she / it sing?
ganwn ni?                                 will we sing?
ganwch chi?                             will you (formal / plural ) sing?  
ganan nhw?                              will they sing?

gwna(f) i                  I will
gwnei di                  You will (familiar)
gwnaiff e/hi              He/She will
gwnawn ni                We will
gnewch chi              You (formal & plural) will
gwnân nhw              They will

Gwneud means 'will' when used periphrastically i.e. with other verbs. e.g. The initial 'g' is frequently dropped in everyday speech.

Gnawn ni wrando . - We will listen.

do(f) i                   I will come
doi di                   You will (familiar) come
daw e/hi                He/She will come
down ni                We will come
dowch chi            You (formal & plural) will come
dôn nhw              They will come

Down ni os dowch chi. - We will come if you (will) come.

a(f) i                    I will go
ei di                    You will (familiar) go
aiff e/hi                He/She will go
awn ni                We will go
ewch chi            You (formal & plural) will go
ân nhw                They will go

Awn ni i'r caffi i lawr y stryd - We will go to the cafe down the street.

ca(f) i                    I will have/get
cei di                    You will (familiar) have/get
caiff e/hi                He/She will have/get
cawn ni                We will have/get
cewch chi            You (formal & plural) will have/get
cân nhw                They will have/get

Cawn ni bysgod a sglodion - We will have fish and chips