What is the difference between the northern WANT esiau fi and southern Need isie fi? They sound alike. How does one dialect distinguish from the other in conversation?
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Hi George,
There are a few posts on this which I can’t immediately find…so…
The eisiau i fi construct (similar to rhaid i fi) is what conveys the different meaning…and is sort of a ‘there is a want for me to’…type of meaning. There is a similar, more historical sense of need with this type of phrase in English too isn’t there.
Dw i eisiau or isio depending on how you want to spell it conveys the conventional ‘want’ meaning. Both universally understood.
Dw i angen tends to be used up North for need. Eisiau I fi, in the south.
Rich 
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There is actually a slight pronunciation difference with the word sounding more like “isio” in the north and “isie” in the south, though of course it varies from region to region.
They are also used in different ways:
Dw i isio mynd am dro (north) - I want to go for a walk
Dw i isio car newydd (north) - I want a new car
Mae isie i fi fynd am dro (south) - I need to go for a walk
Mae isie car newydd arna i (south) - I need a new car
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