It goes/he goes, etc

Welsh General / Questions
1

Two things:

  1. We loved our trip to Wales! Only regret was that our schedule didn’t let us attend any of the Welsh classes others have posted about (in Aberystwyth or at the Half Moon Pub a few miles from Newcastle Emlyn), but I did order dessert and drinks in Welsh once!

  2. Okay, just finished level one, lesson twenty. Questions: is the only difference between “he goes slowly” (Ma fe’n mynd yn araf) and “it goes slowly” (Mae fe’n mynd yn araf) that little extra “e” in the spelling? Similar question: Are “I saw it” and “I saw her” in Welsh both “Welesi hi?” (Or maybe “weles i hi?” I can’t remember the spelling exactly.)

Diolch yn fawr,
DanielP

2

Hi Daniel, there is no difference in the two. If “it” is masculine it’s “fe/fo” or feminine/abstract it’s “hi”, but the ma/mae thing is irrelevant.

See above. :slight_smile:

I’ve kind of answered both questions in one there, I hope that’s understandable.

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3

Hi there, I appreciate it. So in the exercises we’re usually just assuming an imaginary antecedent for the pronouns.

More questions:

  1. In some exercises “it” is simply “e,” not “hi” or “fe.” Is “e” masculine, as in “Dw i’n mynd i ddweud e eto,” and if so, why is it not “hi” since “it” here has a somewhat abstract antecedent?

  2. Are the names of languages feminine, like “Cymraeg?” I ask because I’m wondering about the gender of “it” in something like “Ti’n siarad ti (?) yn dda iawn.” (Hope I did that right. Trying to type, “You speak it very well.”)

Thanks again!
DanielP

4

1)In your southern lessons, yes, “fe/e” is masculine so when you say “dwi’n mynd i ddweud e eto” you are saying “I’m going to say it again” but “it” here is more like the thing … I’m going to say the thing again. Thing in Welsh (peth) is masculine.

2)Again yes, so you are saying “ti’n ei siarad hi yn dda iawn”. The “ei … hi” bits may or may not be dropped depending on where you are. (Don’t worry about this bit)

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