Is there a difference between “bydd e” and “byddai fe” for “he would”? I’ve previously learned bydd e but SSiW uses byddai fe and I wondered what the difference is.
Diolch.
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Yes. Bydd e means he will (indicative). If you want to say the conjunctive he would, it’s byddai fe.
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Could anyone give me the whole patterns for bydd and bydda please?
I will, you will, he/she will etc and the same for I would, you would etc?
Diolch
Bydda i - i will
Bydd hi/e - she/he will
Byddwn ni - we will
Byddwch chi - you will
Byddi di - you will
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Byddwn/baswn i - i would
Byddai/basai hi/e - s/he would
Bydden/basen ni - we would
Byddech/basech chi - you would
Byddet/baset ti - you would
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I’ve missed they twice
Byddan nhw - they will
Bydden/basen nhw - they would
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So are bydd… and bas… completely interchangeable?
In the conditional (would) yes they are 
So it seems to me that, in practice, there is little difference in spoken Welsh between the pronunciation of the future and the conditional for several of the cases (such as ‘byddwn ni’ or ‘bydden ni’ for ‘we will/we would’). Am I correct in thinking that in such instances the exact meaning will/would 
be understood by context as much as by the spoken word (as is true for so much of language)? Or should the different words sound clear when spoken and heard?
You’re spot on! I always have to look up the spelling because they sound identical to me so can never remember 
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This is really helpful, not fully understanding the ‘bydd’ words has been a constant source of ‘silence’ in my challenges!!
I also get very confused when (why) it sometimes mutates to ‘fydd’ - another thing I MUST crack at some stage - these tenses are really testing me!
Any help gratefully received.
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The main “when/why” it mutates reasons (for the beginning of sentences at least) are these -
After a positive marker (mi or fe) - mi/fe fydd hi’n braf. (it will be fine)
In a question - A fydd hi’n braf? (will it be fine?)
In the negative - Ni fydd hi’n braf. (it won’t be fine) *
However… in speech the positive markers (mi/fe) and the question marker (a) are often dropped but leave behind their mutations, which leaves relying on context and tone the order of the day!
- fydd hi ddim yn braf (it won’t be fine) - also a negative so also a mutation.
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My wife often uses the “fydd” form positively. As you say, it’s the tone that shows she has dropped the “fe/mi”
Related to this (I think) can you use bydda i and wna I interchangeably.
Bydda i cogino heno
Wna i cogino heno?
Diolch
Yes, you can - the difference is so subtle you can get away with it!
wna i… shows more intent than bydda i… , bydda i… is a more vague, not promising intention, just fact!