beth / pwy / ble / pryd / pam / sut
Basic Question Words
Welsh question words go at the start: beth (what), pwy (who), ble (where), pryd (when), pam (why), sut (how).
How It Works
- Beth — what: Beth ydy hwn? (What's this?) Beth wyt ti eisiau? (What do you want?) In casual speech beth is often be.
- Pwy — who: Pwy ydy hi? (Who is she?)
- Ble — where; in the North lle: Ble mae'r banc? / Lle mae'r banc?
- Pryd — when: Pryd mae'r trên yn gadael? (When does the train leave?)
- Pam — why: Pam wyt ti'n dysgu Cymraeg?
- Sut — how: Sut wyt ti? Sut mae'r tywydd? (What's the weather like?)
Word order: question word + verb + subject + the rest. The rest of the sentence looks just like a statement.
Mae, not ydy, after ble, pryd, pam and sut. Say Ble mae'r banc?, not Ble ydy'r banc? Ydy (yw) is for asking what or who something is, as in Beth ydy hwn? and Pwy ydy hi? See mae vs ydy. When beth or pwy is the one doing the action, Welsh uses sy: Pwy sy'n dod? (Who's coming?); see pwy sy and beth sy.
More question words come later: faint (how much, how many; see faint o and sawl) and pa (which; see pa + soft mutation). Pryd only asks questions; to say "when" in a statement, Welsh uses pan (see pan vs pryd).
Examples (6)
- Ble mae'r toiledau?
Where are the toilets?
Ble + mae, even when the noun is plural.
- Lle mae'r orsaf?
Where's the station?
North: lle means where.
- Pam wyt ti'n dysgu Cymraeg?
Why are you learning Welsh?
- Pryd mae'r trên yn gadael?
When does the train leave?
- Beth ydy'r gair Cymraeg am 'apple'?
What's the Welsh word for 'apple'?
Asking what something is: beth + ydy (yw in the South).
- Pwy ydy'r dyn 'na?
Who's that man?
Asking who someone is: pwy + ydy.
Common Mistakes
Using ydy after ble, pryd, pam or sut.
Ble ydy'r toiledau?Ble mae'r toiledau?After ble, pryd, pam and sut, use the ordinary form mae.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- mae or ydy?
Learn exactly when to use mae and when to use ydy.
Level 3 - Pwy sy...? / Beth sy...?Who Is? What Is? Pwy Sy and Beth Sy
Ask who or what is doing something.
Level 3 - Sut mae? / Shwmae?How Are You? Sut Mae and Shwmae
Use sut in greetings.
Level 1 - faint o / sawlHow Many? Faint O and Sawl
Ask how much and how many.
Level 2 - pa + Soft MutationWhich: Pa + Soft Mutation
Ask which one.
Level 2 - pan or pryd?When: Pan or Pryd?
Pryd asks when; pan says when.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice beth / pwy / ble / pryd / pam / sut in Bubblegum
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