mae rhaid i

Must: Mae Rhaid I

Level 2

Mae rhaid i + person + a soft-mutated verb-noun = must, have to: Mae rhaid i fi fynd (I have to go).

How It Works

The pattern: (Mae) rhaid + i + person + soft-mutated verb-noun

  • Mae rhaid i fi fynd. I have to go. (North: i mi)
  • Rhaid i ti ddod. You must come.
  • Mae rhaid iddo fe weithio. He has to work. (North: iddo fo)
  • Mae rhaid iddi hi aros. She has to wait.
  • Rhaid i ni brynu llaeth. We must buy milk.
  • Mae rhaid i chi dalu. You have to pay.
  • Mae rhaid iddyn nhw adael. They have to leave.

Forms of i. With he, she and they, i changes to iddo, iddi and iddyn. See To Me, To Him: Forms of I.

With a noun. Mae rhaid i Siân orffen y gwaith (Siân has to finish the work).

The soft mutation falls on the verb-noun straight after the person: mynd → fynd, dod → ddod, gweithio → weithio, talu → dalu.

Questions. Oes rhaid i fi dalu? (Do I have to pay?) is answered Oes or Nac oes. See Oes and Does dim.

Don't have to. Does dim rhaid i ti ddod means you don't have to come: it's your choice. It does not mean you mustn't. For must not, say Rhaid i ti beidio â..., or use a negative command such as Paid â phoeni! (Don't worry!). See Don't: Paid â and Peidiwch â.

Other tenses. Roedd rhaid i fi fynd (I had to go), Bydd rhaid i ni aros (We'll have to wait). See Having To in Other Tenses. A similar pattern expresses need: Mae angen i ni brynu llaeth; see Need: Mae angen.

Examples (6)

  1. Mae rhaid i fi fynd.

    I have to go.

    South i fi; North: Mae rhaid i mi fynd.

  2. Rhaid i ni weithio'n galed.

    We must work hard.

    Mae is often left out.

  3. Mae'n rhaid i ti ddod i'r parti!

    You must come to the party!

    dod → ddod after ti.

  4. Oes rhaid i fi dalu? Nac oes.

    Do I have to pay? No.

    I fi is Southern; the North says Oes rhaid i mi dalu? Nac oes.

  5. Does dim rhaid i ti ddod.

    You don't have to come.

    Does dim rhaid = don't have to, not mustn't.

  6. Mae rhaid i mi orffen hwn heddiw.

    I have to finish this today.

    North i mi. gorffen → orffen.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the soft mutation on the verb-noun.

    Mae rhaid i fi mynd.
    Mae rhaid i fi fynd.

    The verb-noun straight after the person softens: mynd → fynd.

  • Leaving out i.

    Mae rhaid fi fynd.
    Mae rhaid i fi fynd.

    The person always comes after i (to): rhaid i fi, rhaid i ni, rhaid iddo fe.

How It Connects

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

mae rhaid iLevel 2Must: Mae Rhaid I

Learn This First

Mae rhaid i uses the personal forms of i before a softened verb-noun.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

rhaid