Introduction - Cyflwyniad
In Welsh, the first letter of a word can sometimes change depending on the word that comes before it. These changes are called mutations.
One type of mutation is the soft mutation. It is called the soft mutation because the change makes the beginning of the word sound softer.
Video 1: Soft Mutations - Treigladau Meddal
An introduction to soft mutations and when to use them.
There are different kinds of mutations in Welsh. Here we'll look at the soft mutation - treiglad meddal.
It's Cymru - Wales - but it's 'Croeso i Gymru.'
So how do we know when to use a soft mutation?
There are only nine letters that soften, and this is how they soften:
p → b
t → d
c → g
b → f
d → dd
g → (disappears)
ll → l
m → f
rh → r
So when do we use them?
There's one after 'nos':
'nos Lun'
'nos Fawrth'
But if the word doesn't start with one of the nine letters, then nothing needs to change.
There's a soft mutation at the beginning of an adjective, after 'yn' or 'apostrophe n'.
'Doniol' after 'yn' becomes 'ddoniol'.
'Mae hi'n ddoniol.'
There's also a soft mutation after some prepositions.
There's one after 'i' and 'o'. It's:
'Dw i'n mynd i Fangor.'
'Dw i'n dod o Gaergybi.'
And there's one after 'am':
'Am ddeg o'r gloch…'
And that's a short introduction to soft mutations!
Knowing when to use soft mutation is important because:
It helps your Welsh sound more natural and fluent.
It helps you become more confident when speaking and writing Welsh.
It improves the accuracy of your work and shows your understanding of the language.
Be aware! Not all words will mutate. Look carefully at the letter at the beginning of the word before making any changes!
Nine letters
The soft mutation affects nine letters of the Welsh alphabet.
Below are the letters affected and which letter they change into:
| Words beginning with: | Change into… | |
|---|---|---|
| P | → | B |
| T | → | D |
| C | → | G |
| B | → | F |
| D | → | Dd |
| G | → | - |
| Ll | → | L |
| M | → | F |
| Rh | → | R |
Words that begin with any other letter, apart from the nine listed above, do not change.
For words beginning with G, the G disappears when they mutate, but the rest of the word stays the same. For example:
- gwyn → wyn
- Gorffennaf → Orffennaf
When do words mutate?
Mutations happen when certain words or patterns causes a change in the first letter of the word that follows.
Here are the most common soft mutation rules you'll need to know:
- nos
- yn (when followed by an adjective)
- am
- i
- o
1. ‘nos’ (night)
The word ‘nos’ (night) causes a soft mutation in the word that follows it.
This happens when we talk about a specific night of the week.
For example:
- nos + Mawrth → nos Fawrth(Tuesday night)
- nos + Gwener → nos Wener(Friday night)
The M and G change because ‘nos’ causes a soft mutation.
But, no mutation is needed here:
nos + Sadwrn → nos Sadwrn(Saturday night)
because the letter ‘s’ doesn't mutate.
2. ‘yn’ (when followed by an adjective)
When an adjective comes after ‘yn’, it will have a soft mutation.
Be aware, when ‘yn’ comes after a word ending in a vowel, it joins onto that word and becomes ‘’n’.
‘’n’ is just a shorter form of ‘yn’.
For example:
- yn + doniol → yn ddoniol(is funny)
- Mae hi’n + tal → Mae hi’n dal(She’s tall)
But, no mutation is needed here:
Mae e’n + hapus → Mae e’n hapus(He’s happy)
because the letter ‘h’ doesn't mutate.
3. The prepositions: ‘am’, ‘i’, ‘o’
The prepositions
‘am’ (about / for / at)
‘i’ (to)
‘o’ (from / of)
can cause a soft mutation in the word that follows them.
For example:
- am + tri o’r gloch → am dri o’r gloch(at three o’clock)
- i + Bangor → i Fangor(to Bangor)
- o + Caerdydd → o Gaerdydd(from Cardiff)
But, no mutation is needed here:
am + chwech o’r gloch → am chwech o’r gloch(at six o’clock)
i + Wrecsam → i Wrecsam(to Wrexham)
o + Aberystwyth → o Aberystwyth(from Aberystwyth)
because the letters ‘ch’, ‘w’ and ‘a’ don't mutate.
Tip:
Scan your work for words that cause a soft mutation, then check that the first letter of the word that follows has been changed correctly.
Video 2: Shopping for food and drink - Siopa am fwyd a diod
Jeia shops for food and drink for supper on Friday evening.
JEIA: Helo! Jeia dw i. A heddiw dw i wedi dod i’r siop eco i edrych am fwyd blasus.
Bore da. Dw i’n chwilio am fwyd, am basta, am gnau ac am gaws ar gyfer swper nos Wener.
GWEITHIWR SIOP: Wel, mae lot o gaws yma.
JEIA: Mae’r un yma yn edrych yn dda. Digon o ddewis. Yr un yma plis.
GWEITHIWR SIOP: Beth am fotel o sudd oren?
JEIA: Ww, hyfryd.
GWEITHIWR SIOP: Pa un hoffet ti? Mae’r un yma yn fawr, neu mae’r un yma yn fach?
JEIA: Diolch. Yr un mawr plis. Mae’n berffaith ar gyfer swper nos Wener.
Mae lot o basta yma. Ww, ga i’r un yma.
Dyna ni. Dw i am fynd adre nawr, mae gen i ddigon am y tro! Diolch yn fawr.
GWEITHIWR SIOP: Hwyl!
Activity: Tap & Find - Gweithgaredd
Video 3: Painting with acrylic - Paentio gydag acrylig
Gwion paints with acrylic and explains how he’s inspired by the outdoors.
Gwion dw i a dw i’n dod o ogledd Cymru, o Gaernarfon.
Heddiw, dw i am baentio.
Dw i ddim yn arlunydd proffesiynol, ond dw i’n mwynhau paentio.
Dw i’n mwynhau bod yn greadigol.
Weithiau, pan mae hi’n sych dw i’n paentio a sgetsio tu allan.
Natur, pobl, yr harbwr. Maen nhw i gyd yn ddiddorol.
Ond heddiw, dw i’n mynd i fod tu mewn.
Dw i’n mynd i orffen llun, gyda fy hoff baent, paent acrylic.
Mae’n llachar, ac os dw i’n gwneud camgymeriad, dim problem, mwy o baent!
Ond rhaid cofio, mae’n sychu’n gyflym iawn.
Flashcards - Cardiau fflach
Video 4: Planning gigs - Cynllunio gigiau
Tomos and Seren plan gigs for their band, Iwtopia.
TOMOS: Shwmae! Tomos dw i, a dyma Seren. Rydyn ni mewn band, Iwtopia.
SEREN: Rydyn ni wedi bod yn gwneud gig yn San Clêr heno, noson dda.
TOMOS: Oedd, roedd hi’n dda.
SEREN: Ac mae dwy gig arall gyda ni wythnos nesaf, un nos Fawrth ac un nos Wener.
TOMOS: Doeddwn i ddim yn cofio bod un nos Fawrth ac un nos Wener.
SEREN: Oes, Tomos.
TOMOS: Faint o’r gloch mae gig nos Fawrth?
SEREN: Mae’n dechrau am bump o’r gloch.
TOMOS: Mae’n gynnar.
SEREN: Wel, mae gig nos Wener yn hwyr. Mae’n dechrau am ddeg o’r gloch.
TOMOS: Iawn. Ble mae nhw?
SEREN: Bydd rhaid teithio nos Fawrth, o Gaerfyrddin i Lanelli. Mae’r gig mewn ysgol yn y dref.
TOMOS: Iawn, beth am nos Wener?
SEREN: Dwi’n gyffrous am gig nos Wener, mae’n barti pen-blwydd ar fferm. Mae’r gig yn sypreis. Bydd yn dda. Ond mae’n bwysig fod y cit i gyd yn daclus yn y fan.
TOMOS: Paid â phoeni, Seren. Mae popeth yn edrych yn dda yma, rwyt ti’n gwybod fy mod i’n drefnus iawn.
SEREN: Hmm.
Quiz - Cwis
More on Grammar · Gramadeg
Find out more by working through a topic
- count8 of 8
- count1 of 8
- count2 of 8
- count3 of 8
