Cryn dipyn

Welsh General / Questions
#1

Bore da, I’ve heard cryn dipyn being used a few times on tv and wonder if I’ve got it right or not
Cryn dipyn = considerable/great deal.
Roedd hi’n cymryd cryn dipyn o ymdrech
(it took a great deal of effort).
Bydd hi’n cymryd cryn dipyn o arian
(it will take a lot of money)
On i’n meddwl cryn dipyn am fynd yno
(i was thinking a great deal about going there).
Diolch

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#2

Yes, it’s mostly used in that sense (lit. “quite a bit”), but can sometimes also as the opposite - somewhat poor, rather small (and when that happens it’s all down to context).

As Gareth King notes in his excellent Working Welsh book, cryn dipyn is for non-countable things, and you have cryn nifer for countable things (and also cryn lawer for either!)

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#3

That’s brilliant, thanks Siaron, I wouldn’t of thought about using it like that, something new for me to practice, Diolch

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#4

I think I read Cryn lawer i’n the app geiriaduron today,

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#5

Yes - and the great thing about cryn lawer is that it can be used for either countables or uncountables (just like llawer), so it does for both cryn nifer and cryn dipyn. Result!

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#6

That’s Brilliant, thank you, I’m learning a lot today, diolch Gareth

#7

And if I haven’t mentioned it before Stephen, you might like to know also that the Queen of Lithuania is Brenhines Llethaw.

[dim tâl ychwanegol/no extra charge]

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#8

Diolch

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#9

Croeso

#10

@stephen-22 this tipyn is quite interesting because we got told off by Twm Sion Cati (used to be a Welsh tutor) in the Bŵtcamp last week for using “tipyn bach”, he said we should use ‘tamed’ when referring to a small amount and that tipyn was a larger amount.

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#11

That’s interesting Nia, so would I say tamed bach and tipyn mwy :thinking:

#12

Iep @stephen-22 :blush:, tipyn or tipyn mwy / tamed or tamed bach

#13

You are now, of course, wholly to blame for me - failing to give Radio Cymru Dros Brecwast my full attention, I confess - briefly wondering at England playing Lithuania at cricket…

#14

Then my work here is done. :+1: :lithuania:

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#15

This is interesting because I’ve heard first language speakers say tipyn bach quite a bit

#16

Fi hefyd, me too. I think tipyn is quite a reasonable amount. Ti wedi gwneud tipyn o waith, You’ve done quite a chunk of work. But tipyn bach is a small amount.

#17

I agree - it’s a very common thing to say. It’s partly a context thing, though - I was told at university not to use it in any of my formal work, but if you’re chatting to someone it’s perfectly fine, in my book :slight_smile: