Literary Imperfect -wn / -ent
Literary Imperfect and Conditional (Recognition)
Codai'n gynnar bob bore — She used to get up early every morning. One short literary form covers both used to and would.
How It Works
Recognition, plus some forms you already use.
- gwelwn — I used to see, I would see
- gwelit — you used to see, would see (speech: -et ti)
- gwelai — he or she used to see, would see
- gwelem — we (speech: -en ni)
- gwelech — you
- gwelent — they (speech: -en nhw)
Two meanings. These forms describe a repeated past action (Codai'n gynnar bob bore, She used to get up early every morning) or something that would or could happen (Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb, I would like to thank everyone; Ni allwn gysgu, I couldn't sleep).
How speech says it.
- used to: Ro'n i'n arfer gweld, or Byddwn i'n gweld
- would: Baswn i'n gweld, Byddwn i'n gweld
- a few verbs keep the short forms in speech: hoffwn i, gallwn i, dylwn i
Watch out for -wn. Gwelwn can also be the literary "we see" (Literary Present-Future). The rest of the sentence shows which one is meant.
After pe. After pe (if), this set describes something imagined: pe gwyddwn (if I knew). The everyday forms are in If I Were.
Examples (6)
- Codai'n gynnar bob bore.
She used to get up early every morning.
Codai can mean he or she. Spoken: Roedd hi'n arfer codi'n gynnar bob bore.
- Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb am ddod.
I would like to thank everyone for coming.
Speech says the same with the pronoun: Hoffwn i ddiolch.
- Ni allwn gysgu o gwbl.
I couldn't sleep at all.
Spoken: Allwn i ddim cysgu o gwbl.
- Siaradem Gymraeg â'n gilydd bryd hynny.
We used to speak Welsh to each other then.
- Gweithient ar y fferm o fore gwyn tan nos.
They used to work on the farm from dawn till dusk.
- Pe gwyddwn yr ateb, dywedwn wrthych.
If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
Spoken: Taswn i'n gwybod yr ateb, baswn i'n dweud wrthoch chi (byddwn i'n dweud in the South).
How It Connects
Learn This First
The literary imperfect uses the -wn endings and means used to or would.
Related Patterns
- baswn i / byddwn iWould: Baswn I and Byddwn I
Speech usually says "would" with the conditional of bod.
Level 3 - gallwn iCould: Gallwn I
Gallwn i keeps these endings in everyday speech.
Level 3 - dylwn iShould: Dylwn I
Dylwn i keeps these endings in everyday speech.
Level 3 - taswn i / pe bawn iIf I Were: Taswn I and Pe Bawn I
Everyday ways to talk about things that are not real.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Literary Imperfect -wn / -ent in Bubblegum
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