Impersonal -ir / -id
Impersonal Present and Imperfect: -ir, -id (Formal)
On signs you will see Siaredir Cymraeg yma — Welsh is spoken here. The ending -ir means "is done" without saying who does it.
How It Works
What "impersonal" means. These verb forms say that something is done without saying who does it, like English "is spoken" or "one speaks". The past -wyd is common on the news and in formal writing (Impersonal Past), while -ir and -id belong to formal writing, signs and notices.
-ir: present or future.
- siarad → siaredir: Siaredir Cymraeg yma (Welsh is spoken here)
- cynnal → cynhelir: Cynhelir y cyfarfod nos Lun (The meeting will be held on Monday night)
- cael → ceir: Ceir llawer o gestyll yng Nghymru (There are many castles in Wales)
- gofyn → gofynnir: Gofynnir i ymwelwyr gau'r giât (Visitors are asked to close the gate)
-id: used to be done. arfer → arferid: Arferid cynnal ffair yma bob blwyddyn (A fair used to be held here every year). Also siaredid (used to be spoken).
Spelling changes. An a in the stem often becomes e before -ir and -id: siarad → siaredir, talu → telir, caniatáu → caniateir.
No mutation after it. After an ordinary short verb the object softens (Direct Objects After Short Verbs), but not after these impersonal forms: Siaredir Cymraeg, Ceir llawer o gestyll.
Negatives. Use ni with mixed mutation: Ni chaniateir ysmygu (Smoking is not permitted), Ni ellir parcio yma (Parking is not possible here). See Literary Negation.
How speech says it. Use the cael passive or a general subject: Mae Cymraeg yn cael ei siarad yma, Dyn ni'n siarad Cymraeg yma.
Examples (6)
- Siaredir Cymraeg yma.
Welsh is spoken here.
Cymraeg stays unmutated after the impersonal verb.
- Cynhelir y cyfarfod nos Lun.
The meeting will be held on Monday night.
- Ni chaniateir ysmygu.
Smoking is not permitted.
Ni causes aspirate mutation of c: caniateir becomes chaniateir.
- Ceir llawer o gestyll yng Nghymru.
There are many castles in Wales.
- Gofynnir i ymwelwyr gau'r giât.
Visitors are asked to close the gate.
- Arferid cynnal ffair yma bob blwyddyn.
A fair used to be held here every year.
The -id ending: a past habit.
Common Mistakes
Softening the object after an impersonal verb.
Siaredir Gymraeg yma.Siaredir Cymraeg yma.The object softens after an ordinary short verb (Siaradais i Gymraeg), but not after an impersonal form in -ir, -id or -wyd.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The impersonal present and imperfect extend the impersonal past.
Related Patterns
- cael + Possessive + Verb-Noun (Passive)The Passive with Cael
The everyday spoken way to say "is done".
Level 4 - Literary Negation ni / nidLiterary Negation: Ni and Nid (Recognition)
Negative impersonal forms use ni with mixed mutation.
Level 6 - Literary Imperfect -wn / -entLiterary Imperfect and Conditional (Recognition)
-id is the impersonal member of this tense.
Level 6 - Direct Objects After Short Verbs
Objects soften after ordinary short verbs, but not after impersonal ones.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Impersonal -ir / -id in Bubblegum
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