A quick (desperate) question. I thought I was doing ok in level 1 until I hit challenges 12-14. The general content is ok (when I can recall the words!), but my question relates to the shape shifting that occurs in the order of the words in sentences.
One example would be: Aran and Catrin tell me the words for ‘my brother’ are fy mrawd. Then, when it comes to beginning a sentence with ‘my brother’, it suddenly becomes mae fy mrawd…Why oh why!
Why do some words collect others in this way and why do some shift about in sentences (usually to the beginning) without adequate warning for the bewildered?
The usual word order in Welsh is verb–subject–object (VSO) whereas in English it is subject-verb-object (SVO).
So “my brother” starts a sentence in English (e.g. my brother is handsome = S-V-O) but in Welsh the verb - in this case ‘mae’ for ‘is’ - comes first (e.g. mae fy mrawd yn olygus = V-S-O)
Hi @Liz-Price ! You’re doing great! Reaching the middle of Level 1 is a huge accomplishment, and you are not alone in finding those lessons more challenging than before. There are many posts and entire topics dedicated to the subject. My best guess at answering your specific question about “mae” showing up is that it is a form of the verb “to be” that will often be found at the beginning of sentences, and after I while I found I was using it quite naturally. (If I am wrong, someone please correct me )
Again, you are doing amazing, so don’t be discouraged!
Your answer makes perfect sense. I think I need to be more patient and work on not being quite so English and expecting the grammatical rules to be the same in both languages.
Thank you to you all - I haven’t come often to the Forum because I don’t really know what to say, apart from “I’m really struggling” - first with 13/14 - all the he said and she said and to who - totally confused and just went through hoping it had sunk in. Now just done 16 and I think bits have stuck. Your confidence and knowing it’s not just me has been a great help!
Welcome to the Forum @polly-pearshouse! We’re always here to give you a hand or a word of encouragement. I’m glad you’ve pressed on and are feeling better after challenge 16. You are definitely not the only one.
Hi @polly-pearshouse. As we are at the same stage, wondering if you might fancy getting together ‘virtually’ to share our new skills? Skype or similar…
Hi @Liz-Price. That sounds like a good idea but I haven’t got Skype and my iPad seems to be dying so FaceTime isn’t reliable. (How did you get your red bubble?) Away tomorrow for a couple of days but be good to catch up after and try to work something out
Oh thank you for asking this! I’ve been in exactly the same place and even had to stop for a bit over the summer as “mae” has had me confounded! The only good thing is that as I’ve gone back over it all (from challenge 10 - I was feeling that bad!), I’ve realised that some of it is sticking and I’m actually able to form sentences that I wouldn’t have imagined I would. Onwards and upwards …
Hello Liz. That part of the course is notoriously difficult. Several people have mentioned it to me as being a real challenge and I despaired, just like you. But if you trust the system and just carry on you will be amazed to find, a few weeks down the line, that those challenges seem really easy!
Press on and all will be fine! Grace
My best guess at answering your specific question about “mae” showing up is that it is a form of the verb “to be” that will often be found at the beginning of sentences, and after I while I found I was using it quite naturally. (If I am wrong, someone please correct me 
)
