byddai'n well gen i

I'd Rather: Byddai'n Well Gen I

Level 3

Byddai'n well gen i means "I'd rather" or "I'd prefer": Byddai'n well gen i aros (I'd rather stay).

How It Works

Pattern: Byddai'n well / Basai'n well + person + soft-mutated noun or verb-noun.

  • Byddai'n well gen i aros — I'd rather stay
  • Basai'n well gen i de — I'd prefer tea (North)
  • Byddai'n well 'da fi fynd — I'd rather go (South)
  • Basai'n well gan Siân aros — Siân would rather stay (North, with a name)

Which word? Basai is mostly Northern and byddai mostly Southern and standard; see baswn i and byddwn i. The full form is Byddai hi'n well, but the hi is usually dropped.

Questions and answers. Soften the first letter: Fasai'n well gen ti fynd i nofio heno?, Fyddai'n well 'da chi de neu goffi? Answer Basai / Na fasai or Byddai / Na fyddai. See faset ti and faswn i ddim.

I'd rather not. Byddai'n well gen i beidio (peidio softens to beidio). To compare, add na (than), which causes aspirate mutation: Byddai'n well gen i goffi na the.

With i instead of gen i, the meaning changes to "had better": Byddai'n well i fi aros (I'd better stay). See mae'n well i.

Examples (6)

  1. Byddai'n well gen i aros.

    I'd rather stay.

    Aros begins with a vowel, so it does not change.

  2. Basai'n well gen i de.

    I'd prefer tea.

    North. Te softens to de.

  3. Byddai'n well 'da fi fynd nawr.

    I'd rather go now.

    South. Mynd softens to fynd.

  4. Fasai'n well gen ti fynd i nofio heno?

    Would you rather go swimming tonight?

    North. The question softens basai to fasai.

  5. Basai'n well gynnon ni alw heibio yfory.

    We'd rather call round tomorrow.

    North. Galw softens to alw.

  6. Byddai'n well gen i beidio.

    I'd rather not.

    Peidio softens to beidio.

Common Mistakes

  • Using i when you mean "rather" (when you mean "I'd rather stay").

    Byddai'n well i fi aros.
    Byddai'n well gen i aros.

    With i + person the sentence means "I'd better stay". For a preference, use gen i or 'da fi.

  • Forgetting the soft mutation.

    Basai'n well gen i coffi.
    Basai'n well gen i goffi.

    The word after gen i or 'da fi softens: coffi → goffi.

How It Connects

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

byddai'n well gen iLevel 3I'd Rather: Byddai'n Well Gen I

Learn This First

Byddai'n well gen i is the conditional of mae'n well gen i.

Words in This Pattern

gwellgwell