The direct object of a short form personal verb takes a soft mutation, e.g.
Canais gân yn y cyngerdd.
Ysgrifennodd y bardd gerdd.
Credaf fod Nesta Wyn Jones …
Note that the object of impersonal verb forms do not mutate, e.g.
Canwyd cân yn y cyngerdd.
Credir bod Nesta Wyn Jones …
Adjectives don't mutate after superlative forms, e.g. eithaf, mwyaf, lleiaf.
Adjectives mutate in an equative context, e.g.
Mae'r ferch mor ddeallus â'i brawd.
However, the comparative and superlative forms do not mutate, e.g.
Mae'r ferch yn fwy deallus na'i brawd. (comparative)
'Sawl' is always followed by a singular noun, e.g.
Sawl bachgen sydd yn y dosbarth?
Mae sawl brawddeg yn ddramatig.
The object of a personal verb takes a soft mutation, e.g.
Canais gân yn y cyngerdd.
Ysgrifennodd y bardd gerdd.
Credaf fod Nesta Wyn Jones …
Note that the object of impersonal verb forms do not mutate, e.g.
Canwyd cân yn y cyngerdd.
Credir bod Nesta Wyn Jones ...
Numbers in Welsh, unlike in English, are usually followed by singular nouns, e.g.
four boys > pedwar bachgen
three girls > tair merch
As above, the feminine forms dwy, tair and pedair should also be used with feminine nouns.
For numbers over 10, the following pattern is usually used:
ugain o fechgyn
hanner cant o ddysgwyr
In Welsh, many verbs are followed by specific prepositions. A comprehensive list of verb-nouns followed by their correct prepositions may be found by clicking here.
In this instance, siarad is always followed by â, which means 'speak to', e.g.
Mae Rhys yn siarad â'r heddlu am y digwyddiad.
Mae'n bwysig eich bod yn siarad â'r tiwtor os oes problem.
ei is the third person singular.
eu is the third person plural.
The pronoun must match the subject. In this instance, the subject is Sara, y ferch dawelaf so the third person singular should be used, i.e.
ei hesgyrn (hi)
Note also that ei (fem sing) causes an aspirate mutation but eu (plural) does not cause any mutation.
dawelach means 'quieter', rather than 'quietest', as is required in this context.
When using adjectives in Welsh, there are four forms:
Absolute |
tawel |
quiet |
tawel fel llygoden |
Equative |
mor dawel â/ag |
as quiet as |
mor dawel â llygoden |
Comparative |
tawelach na/nag |
quieter than |
tawelach na llygoden |
Superlative |
tawelaf |
quietest |
y llygoden dawelaf |
Welsh pronouns are followed by the following mutations:
|
Mutation |
|
fy |
nasal |
cerdd > fy ngherdd i |
dy |
soft |
barn > dy farn di |
ei (g) |
soft |
drama > ei ddrama e/o |
ei (b) |
aspirate |
tro > ei thro hi |
ein |
- |
barn > ein barn ni |
eich |
- |
cerdd > eich cerdd chi |
eu |
- |
drama > eu drama nhw |
The aspirate h, is placed in front of a vowel at the beginning of nouns and verb-nouns after ei or 'i (fem.), ein or 'n and eu or 'u, e.g.
ei hysgol hi
ein harwain ni.
One important 'rule' which should be remembered is that wedi never follows yn or 'n in Welsh, e.g.
Roedd hi wedi bod yn y siop trin gwallt.✔
Roedd hi'n wedi bod yn y siop trin gwallt.✖
Roedden nhw wedi blino.✔
Roedden nhw'n wedi blino.✖
Pwy in Welsh translates as 'who' in English, e.g.
Pwy yw awdur y nofel?
Pa is used with fath in Welsh and is followed by the preposition o and a soft mutation. Pa fath o …? translates as 'what type of…?'. e.g.
Path fath o gi sydd gyda chi?
Doedd Huw ddim yn cofio pa fath o gawl gafodd e yn yr ysgol heddiw!