ar ôl i / cyn i + Subject

After and Before + Subject: Ar Ôl I, Cyn I

Level 4

Cyn mynd means "before going". To say who goes, add i + the person: cyn i fi fynd — before I go, or before I went.

How It Works

Same subject or different subject?

  • Same person: ar ôl / cyn + verb-noun — Ffoniais i hi ar ôl cyrraedd. (I phoned her after arriving.)
  • Different person: ar ôl i / cyn i + subject — Ffoniais i hi ar ôl iddi hi gyrraedd. (I phoned her after she arrived.)

The main verb sets the time

  • Ar ôl i ni fwyta, aethon ni am dro. — After we ate, we went for a walk.
  • Ar ôl i ni fwyta, awn ni am dro. — After we eat, we'll go for a walk.
  • Cyn i ti fynd, wnei di gau'r ffenestr? — Before you go, will you close the window?

Forms of i: i fi (i mi in the North), i ti, iddo fe (iddo fo), iddi hi, i ni, i chi, iddyn nhw; with a noun: cyn i'r trên adael. See Forms of I.

Other words that work the same way: erbyn i (by the time), wrth i (as), nes i / tan i (until) and ers i (since): Erbyn i ni gyrraedd, roedd y siop ar gau. Formal writing also uses wedi i for "after".

Examples (6)

  1. Ffonia fi ar ôl i ti gyrraedd.

    Phone me after you arrive.

    Cyrraedd softens to gyrraedd after the subject ti.

  2. Cyn iddi hi fynd, rhoddodd hi gusan i'r plant.

    Before she went, she gave the children a kiss.

  3. Rhaid i ni fod yn yr orsaf cyn i'r trên adael.

    We must be at the station before the train leaves.

  4. Ar ôl i ni fwyta, aethon ni am dro.

    After we ate, we went for a walk.

  5. Erbyn i ni gyrraedd, roedd y siop ar gau.

    By the time we arrived, the shop was closed.

  6. Golcha dy ddwylo cyn i ti gael swper.

    Wash your hands before you have supper.

Common Mistakes

  • Not softening the verb-noun.

    ar ôl i fi cyrraedd
    ar ôl i fi gyrraedd

    The verb-noun after the subject takes soft mutation.

  • Using plain i with he, she or they.

    cyn i hi fynd
    cyn iddi hi fynd

    I has personal forms for he, she and they: iddo fe, iddi hi, iddyn nhw.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ar ôl i / cyn i + SubjectLevel 4After and Before + Subject: Ar Ôl I, Cyn I

Learn This First

Ar ôl i and cyn i add a separate subject to ar ôl and cyn.

Words in This Pattern

ar ôl