ddaru (North)
North Wales Past: Ddaru
Ddaru mi weld y ffilm means I saw the film. In the North, ddaru + person + verb-noun is a handy past tense for every verb.
How It Works
The pattern. ddaru + person or noun + soft-mutated verb-noun:
- ddaru mi weld — I saw
- ddaru ti weld — you saw
- ddaru o weld, ddaru hi weld — he saw, she saw
- ddaru ni weld, ddaru chi weld, ddaru nhw weld — we, you, they saw
A noun can be the subject too: Ddaru'r trên gyrraedd yn hwyr (The train arrived late). The verb-noun softens because it comes straight after the subject, as with direct objects after short verbs.
Mi, not i. For "I", the North says ddaru mi. This mi is left over from the old phrase darfu i mi (it happened to me). Some speakers also put the particle mi in front: Mi ddaru mi fynd.
Questions and negatives. A question uses the same words with a question voice: Ddaru chi ganu? (Did you sing?). Answer Do or Naddo, as for any past question; see Do and Naddo. The negative adds ddim, and then the verb-noun does not mutate: Ddaru hi ddim dod (She didn't come).
Where to use it. Ddaru is informal Northern speech. The South and standard writing use the short past (prynais i) or wnes i + verb-noun.
Examples (6)
- Ddaru mi weld y ffilm neithiwr.
I saw the film last night.
Gweld softens to weld after the person.
- Ddaru hi ddim dod.
She didn't come.
After ddim the verb-noun dod does not mutate.
- Ddaru chi ganu?
Did you sing?
- Ddaru nhw fwynhau'r gêm.
They enjoyed the game.
- Ddaru'r trên gyrraedd yn hwyr.
The train arrived late.
A noun subject works the same way: cyrraedd softens to gyrraedd.
- Mi ddaru mi fynd i Gaernarfon ddoe.
I went to Caernarfon yesterday.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the verb-noun unmutated after the person.
Ddaru mi gweld y ffilm.Ddaru mi weld y ffilm.In a positive sentence the verb-noun takes soft mutation after the person: gweld becomes weld.
Mutating the verb-noun after ddim.
Ddaru mi ddim weld y ffilm.Ddaru mi ddim gweld y ffilm.In a negative, ddim takes the mutation and the verb-noun after it stays as it is.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Northern ddaru is a periphrastic past like wnes i + verb-noun.
Related Patterns
- -ais i / -aist ti / -oddThe Simple Past: Prynais I, Prynodd Hi
The short past forms that the South and standard writing use.
Level 2 - Do / NaddoYes and No in the Past: Do and Naddo
Answer a ddaru question with Do or Naddo.
Level 2 - Direct Objects After Short Verbs
The verb-noun after the subject softens in the same way.
Level 2 - chdi (North)North Wales: Chdi
Another typical feature of Northern speech.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice ddaru (North) in Bubblegum
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