The Welsh Language. Negatives in the Present
Present Tense of Bod in Negative Statements:
Welsh uses a double negative, like the French ne…pas. In modern Welsh the first part of the pair, nid, has contracted to d-. The second part, ddim, is the mutated form of the noun dim (nothing).
|
Literary |
Modern Written |
North Wales |
South Wales |
|
|
I am |
Nid wyf i (ddim)* |
Dydw i ddim |
Dw i ddim |
Dw i or dwy ddim |
|
You are (informal) |
Nid wyt ti (ddim) |
Dwyt ti ddim |
Dwyt ti ddim |
Dwyt ti ddim |
|
He/it is |
Nid ydyw/yw ef (ddim) |
Dydy e ddim |
Dydy o ddim |
Dyw e ddim |
|
She/it is |
Nid ydyw/yw hi (ddim) |
Dydy hi ddim |
Dydy hi ddim |
Dyw hi ddim |
|
We are |
Nid ydym ni (ddim) |
Dydyn ni ddim |
Dydan ni ddim |
Dyn ni ddim |
|
You are |
Nid ydych chwi (ddim) |
Dydych chi ddim |
Dydach chi ddim |
Dych chi ddim |
|
They are |
Nid ydynt/ynt hwy (ddim) |
Dydyn nhw ddim |
Dydan nhw ddim |
Dyn nhw ddim |
*Ddim may often be omitted in this form, unless retained for emphasis.
Examples from Linguata Welsh:
He does not understand. Dyw e ddim yn deall.
I do not like coffee. Dw i ddim yn hoffi coffi.
Negative replies :
To answer a question negatively, put nag before the appropriate question form:
Do you like coffee? Ydych chi’n hoffi coffi?
No, I don't. Nag ydw.
Do you have children? Oes gennych chi blant? (lit. ‘Are there children with you?’).
No, I don’t. Nag oes. Does dim plant gen i. (lit. ‘There are not...’).
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