FAQ - Croeseiriau Cymraeg

Do adjectives always follow the noun in Welsh?

Adjectives always come after the noun in Welsh. There are few exceptions. Here are some of the most important ones:-

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Hen - Old                     Dwi'n siarad yr hen iaith ( I speak the old language )

Hoff - Favourite         Dwi'n yfed fy hoff cwrw ( I am drinking my favourite beer )

Prif - Chief / Main       Dwi'n mynd i'r brif ynys ( I am going to the main island )

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How to pronounce 'au' at the end of words in Welsh?

When to use 'a' or 'ac' for 'and' in Welsh?

There are two forms of the word 'and' in Welsh. They do not differ in meaning. The two forms are:-

a

ac

Use ‘a’ when the next word starts with a consonant.

Brawd a chwaer - brother and sister

Dydd a nos - day and night

Use ‘ac’ when the next word starts with a vowel. The Welsh vowels are:- a, e, i, o, u, w, y

Misoedd ac wythnosau - months and weeks

Banana ac afal - banana and apple

Some Welsh words use 'a' before them and not 'ac' even though they start with a consonant. We have not listed the exceptions to the above rule here as it is probably easier to acquaint yourself with them as you go along.

Pryd or Pan?

There are two words for 'when' in Welsh - 'pryd' and 'pan'.

Pryd is used when asking a question. Consequently we use it when translating the following English phrases or questions:- "When is.....?" , "When was.....?" , "When will.....?"

If 'when' is being used to make a statement or as a conjunction we use the word pan e.g.

Pan fyddwch chi'n cyrraedd, byddwn ni'n siarad. - When you arrive we will talk. 

Roedd Dai yn y dafarn pan welodd y newyddion. - Dai was in the pub when he saw the news.