What is the little word before the verb in “it” sentences (which never seem to appear in the notes)? Is it just an “i”, something like “dw i’n i hoffi e”? (which is sometimes, confusingly, given as “i hoffi fe”). One reason for asking is that in some of them, it sometimes sounds very much more like a “yw” rather than a “i”.
Yes, it does - because the sounds are very similar… 
Formally, you’re hearing either ‘ei’ or (if it’s with ‘i’) ‘i’w’… as always, don’t worry about it, just get used to hearing it, and at some point you’ll find you have the urge to say it…
Thanks but could you actually write out for me exactly what I am actually hearing in sentences like “I like it”, “He wants to give it to me” etc etc. I had always assumed it was a little “i” being added but it seems I have been completely wrong all the way along!
You’re pretty much there, and the pronunciation would often be ‘i’… but it’s written ‘ei’… so:
I like it: Dwi’n ei hoffi (you’re doing southern, right?).
He wants to give it to me: Mae e eisiau ei roi fe i mi…
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It’s quite involved but at the same time very easy.
Without going into the mutations yet the ‘it’ is like this …
I like it = dwi’n ei licio fo.
He wants to give it to me = mae o isio ei roi fo i mi.
Sometimes the ‘ei’ or the ‘fo/o’ can be omitted but don’t stress over that, just use it whole for now.
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Most helpful. Many thanks indeed.
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