CYMRAEG AIL IAITH - adolygu ar gyfer yr arholiad safon uwch
TAFLEN DWYLLO
CHEAT SHEET - easy to follow , concise reference guide to numerous points of
Welsh Grammar
Revising for the Welsh as a Second Language A LEVEL EXAM (guidance notes
in English)
When preparing for an exam you need to memorise as many of the grammar
rules as possible. There are many of them and this sheet does not cover every
aspect of the Welsh Language however if you learn even 50% of these rules
you will greatly increase your chance of attaining an A*. This sheet is
specifically aimed at boosting your grade and is suitable for last minute
revision.
Extract from an Educas 2019 Examiners’ Report:
“ the most consistent language errors seen in candidates' work this year: •
Writing the verb incorrectly: Mae nhw’n / Maen nhw’n • Misuse of the verb:
bod mae / bod roedd / bod dylai / bod mynd • Misuse of the prefixed pronoun:
ei/eu • Confusion: yn / mewn (the definite and indefinite article) bardd/cerdd •
Misuse of the article: Mae bardd/Mae’r bardd, yn y Canolfan y Mileniwm/ yng
Nghanolfan y Mileniwm • Incorrect mutation: fy ddosbarth / fy nosbarth”
These are fundamental mistakes that should not be seen at A LEVEL
standard and yet they persist. Learn the rules in small steps. It is better to
have a solid knowledge of several language rules rather than to have a vague
(and incorrect) understanding of many.
(1) A frequent mistake (also amongst first language Welsh exam candidates)
is to write ‘mae’n nhw’ THIS IS INCORRECT. It needs to be written as
MAEN NHW (‘they are’. 3rd person plural of the verb ‘bod’/ ‘to be’)
Y FERF ‘BOD’ ( the verb ‘to be’)
Rydw i Rydyn ni
Rwyt ti Rydych chi
Mae e MAEN NHW (3rd person plural)
,Mae hi
(2) EI GILYDD (each other) is correct and not ‘eu gilydd’
The grammarian John Morris-Jones insisted that only the traditional ‘ei
gilydd’ be used.
(This evolved from the word ‘cilydd’ meaning companion. Pawb i gilydd = each to his
companion/ neighbour: an archaic expression, no longer used)
(3) Learn the plural forms
Forming the plural in Welsh is complex and whilst there are rules of
construction in existence these rules are fairly complex in themselves and
therefore the best way to learn Welsh plurals is to memorise them as you
encounter them. Here are some examples illustrating how plurals are formed
in many different ways in the Welsh language.
Pysgodyn Pysgod
Cath Cathod
Cath fach Cathod bach (kitten/ kittens)
Bachgen Bechgyn
Merch Merched
Dyn Dynion
Menyw Menywod
Cadair Cadeiriau
Llo Lloi (calf/ calves)
Aderyn Adar
Carw Ceirw (deer/deer)
Tarw Teirw
Person Pobl
Plentyn Plant
Bwrdd Byrddau
Carreg Cerrig
Carreg fedd Cerrig bedd (gravestone/ gravestones)
Car Ceir
Cneuen Cnau (nut/ nuts)
Disgybl Disgyblion
Neidr Nadroedd/ Nadredd
, Taflen Taflenni
Gwers Gwersi
Alarch Elyrch (swan / swans)
Coeden Coed
Mochyn Moch
Llyfr Llyfrau
Bardd Beirdd (poet/ poets)
Braich Breichiau
Clust Clustiau
Llygad Llygaid
Trwyn Trwynau
Llaw Dwylo
Llong Llongau
Dafad Defaid
Diod Diodydd
Bwyd Bwydydd
Castell Cestyll
Cyllell Cyllyll
Cwch Cychod (boat /boats)
Fforc Ffyrc
Ffordd Ffyrdd
Troed Traed
Bys Bysedd
Llygoden Llygod
Llawr Lloriau
Awr Oriau
Blodyn Blodau
Lliw Lliwiau
Rhif Rhifau
Eirinen Eirin (plum/ plums)
Eirinen wlanog Eirin gwlanog (peach/ peaches)
Afon Afonydd
Ystafell Ystafelloedd
Brawddeg Brawddegau
Llun Lluniau
Mis Misoedd
Mynydd Mynyddoedd
Blwyddyn Blynyddoedd
Gellygen Gellyg
Cân Caneuon
TAFLEN DWYLLO
CHEAT SHEET - easy to follow , concise reference guide to numerous points of
Welsh Grammar
Revising for the Welsh as a Second Language A LEVEL EXAM (guidance notes
in English)
When preparing for an exam you need to memorise as many of the grammar
rules as possible. There are many of them and this sheet does not cover every
aspect of the Welsh Language however if you learn even 50% of these rules
you will greatly increase your chance of attaining an A*. This sheet is
specifically aimed at boosting your grade and is suitable for last minute
revision.
Extract from an Educas 2019 Examiners’ Report:
“ the most consistent language errors seen in candidates' work this year: •
Writing the verb incorrectly: Mae nhw’n / Maen nhw’n • Misuse of the verb:
bod mae / bod roedd / bod dylai / bod mynd • Misuse of the prefixed pronoun:
ei/eu • Confusion: yn / mewn (the definite and indefinite article) bardd/cerdd •
Misuse of the article: Mae bardd/Mae’r bardd, yn y Canolfan y Mileniwm/ yng
Nghanolfan y Mileniwm • Incorrect mutation: fy ddosbarth / fy nosbarth”
These are fundamental mistakes that should not be seen at A LEVEL
standard and yet they persist. Learn the rules in small steps. It is better to
have a solid knowledge of several language rules rather than to have a vague
(and incorrect) understanding of many.
(1) A frequent mistake (also amongst first language Welsh exam candidates)
is to write ‘mae’n nhw’ THIS IS INCORRECT. It needs to be written as
MAEN NHW (‘they are’. 3rd person plural of the verb ‘bod’/ ‘to be’)
Y FERF ‘BOD’ ( the verb ‘to be’)
Rydw i Rydyn ni
Rwyt ti Rydych chi
Mae e MAEN NHW (3rd person plural)
,Mae hi
(2) EI GILYDD (each other) is correct and not ‘eu gilydd’
The grammarian John Morris-Jones insisted that only the traditional ‘ei
gilydd’ be used.
(This evolved from the word ‘cilydd’ meaning companion. Pawb i gilydd = each to his
companion/ neighbour: an archaic expression, no longer used)
(3) Learn the plural forms
Forming the plural in Welsh is complex and whilst there are rules of
construction in existence these rules are fairly complex in themselves and
therefore the best way to learn Welsh plurals is to memorise them as you
encounter them. Here are some examples illustrating how plurals are formed
in many different ways in the Welsh language.
Pysgodyn Pysgod
Cath Cathod
Cath fach Cathod bach (kitten/ kittens)
Bachgen Bechgyn
Merch Merched
Dyn Dynion
Menyw Menywod
Cadair Cadeiriau
Llo Lloi (calf/ calves)
Aderyn Adar
Carw Ceirw (deer/deer)
Tarw Teirw
Person Pobl
Plentyn Plant
Bwrdd Byrddau
Carreg Cerrig
Carreg fedd Cerrig bedd (gravestone/ gravestones)
Car Ceir
Cneuen Cnau (nut/ nuts)
Disgybl Disgyblion
Neidr Nadroedd/ Nadredd
, Taflen Taflenni
Gwers Gwersi
Alarch Elyrch (swan / swans)
Coeden Coed
Mochyn Moch
Llyfr Llyfrau
Bardd Beirdd (poet/ poets)
Braich Breichiau
Clust Clustiau
Llygad Llygaid
Trwyn Trwynau
Llaw Dwylo
Llong Llongau
Dafad Defaid
Diod Diodydd
Bwyd Bwydydd
Castell Cestyll
Cyllell Cyllyll
Cwch Cychod (boat /boats)
Fforc Ffyrc
Ffordd Ffyrdd
Troed Traed
Bys Bysedd
Llygoden Llygod
Llawr Lloriau
Awr Oriau
Blodyn Blodau
Lliw Lliwiau
Rhif Rhifau
Eirinen Eirin (plum/ plums)
Eirinen wlanog Eirin gwlanog (peach/ peaches)
Afon Afonydd
Ystafell Ystafelloedd
Brawddeg Brawddegau
Llun Lluniau
Mis Misoedd
Mynydd Mynyddoedd
Blwyddyn Blynyddoedd
Gellygen Gellyg
Cân Caneuon
