Language/Welsh/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Welsh learners!😊
Learning Welsh Grammar can be a challenge, but it's also a lot of fun! In this lesson, we'll look at how to form plurals in Welsh.
Overview
In Welsh, there are two main ways to form plurals: soft mutation and hard mutation. Soft mutation is the most common way to form plurals, while hard mutation is used for certain words.
Soft Mutation
Soft mutation is the most common way to form plurals in Welsh. It involves changing the initial consonant of a word to its soft equivalent. For example, the plural of 'cath' (cat) is 'gath' (cats).
The following table shows the soft mutation equivalents for each consonant:
| Consonant | Soft Mutation Equivalent |
|---|---|
| b | f |
| c | g |
| d | dd |
| f | ff |
| g | ng |
| p | b |
| t | d |
| ll | l |
| rh | r |
For example, the plural of 'peth' (thing) is 'beth' (things).
Hard Mutation
Hard mutation is used for certain words, such as nouns ending in '-aidd' or '-oedd'. For example, the plural of 'cyfaill' (friend) is 'gyfaill' (friends).
The following table shows the hard mutation equivalents for each consonant:
| Consonant | Hard Mutation Equivalent |
|---|---|
| b | p |
| c | g |
| d | t |
| f | b |
| g | c |
| p | p |
| t | t |
| ll | ll |
| rh | rh |
For example, the plural of 'cyfrif' (account) is 'gyfrif' (accounts).
Practice
Now that you know the basics of forming plurals in Welsh, why not try some practice? Here are some examples for you to try:
- 'plentyn' (child) →
- 'dyn' (man) →
- 'coed' (wood) →
- 'gwaith' (work) →
Answers:
- 'plentyn' (child) → 'blentyn' (children)
- 'dyn' (man) → 'ddyn' (men)
- 'coed' (wood) → 'goed' (woods)
- 'gwaith' (work) → 'gwaith' (works)
To improve your Welsh Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎