Oes gen ti...? / Oes ... gyda ti?

Asking About Possession

Level 2

To ask if someone has something, start with Oes: Oes gen ti gar? in the North, Oes car gyda ti? in the South. Answer Oes (yes) or Nac oes (no).

How It Works

North: Oes + gen + person + soft-mutated noun.

  • Oes gen ti gar? — Do you have a car?
  • Oes gynnoch chi blant? — Do you have children?
  • Oes gan Siân gi? — Does Siân have a dog?

South: Oes + noun + gyda + person (no mutation).

  • Oes car gyda ti? — Do you have a car?
  • Oes plant gyda chi? — Do you have children?

Answers. Oes (yes) and Nac oes (no), whoever the owner is. See oes and does dim.

Negatives.

  • North: Does gen i ddim car — I don't have a car. The noun comes after ddim and keeps its first letter.
  • South: Does dim car gyda fi — I don't have a car.

Casual Northern speech shortens these to Sgen ti gar? and Sgen i ddim car; see sgen i.

Oes or ydy? Use oes for "a car" or "any children". For a definite thing, such as "the car", ask with ydy: Ydy'r car gyda ti? (Have you got the car?). For past and future, change the verb: Oedd gen ti...?, Fydd car gyda ti?

Examples (6)

  1. Oes gen ti gar? Oes.

    Do you have a car? Yes.

    North. Car softens to gar.

  2. Oes car gyda ti? Nac oes.

    Do you have a car? No.

    South. The noun comes before gyda and does not change.

  3. Does gen i ddim amser.

    I don't have time.

    North.

  4. Does dim arian gyda fi.

    I haven't got any money.

    South.

  5. Oes gynnoch chi blant?

    Do you have children?

    North. Plant softens to blant.

  6. Oes brawd neu chwaer gyda chi?

    Do you have a brother or sister?

    South.

Common Mistakes

  • Asking with ydy about something indefinite.

    Ydy gen ti gar?
    Oes gen ti gar?

    "A car" is indefinite, so the question uses oes. Ydy is for definite things: Ydy'r car gyda ti?

  • Softening the noun after ddim.

    Does gen i ddim gar.
    Does gen i ddim car.

    In the Northern negative, the noun comes after ddim and keeps its first letter: ddim car.

How It Connects

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

Oes gen ti...? / Oes ... gyda ti?Level 2Asking About Possession

Learn This First

Possession questions and negatives use oes and does.

Words in This Pattern

oesdoesnac