sgen i (North)
North Wales Possession: Sgen I
Sgen i ddim amser means I haven't got time. Sgen ti gar? means Have you got a car? This is everyday Northern speech.
How It Works
Where it comes from. The North says Mae gen i gar for I have a car. The negative is Does gen i ddim car and the question is Oes gen ti gar?; see Asking About Possession. In quick speech, does gen and oes gen both shrink to sgen, sometimes written sgin.
Other persons. The part after s- changes just as gen i does: sgen i, sgen ti, and in the same way sgynno fo, sgynni hi, sgynnon ni, sgynnoch chi, sgynnyn nhw.
Mutation. In a question the thing owned softens: Sgen ti gar? (car → gar), Sgen ti gwestiwn? (cwestiwn → gwestiwn). In a negative, ddim comes first and the noun stays as it is: Sgen i ddim car.
Answers. Answer with Oes (yes) or Nac oes (no): Sgen ti gar? — Oes. See Oes and Does dim.
Where to use it. Sgen is informal Northern speech. In writing, use Does gen i ddim and Oes gen ti ...?; the South says Does dim ... gyda fi (Having in the South). The South's own short negatives are sa i and smo fi.
Examples (6)
- Sgen i ddim amser heddiw.
I haven't got time today.
Full form: Does gen i ddim amser heddiw.
- Sgen ti gar?
Have you got a car?
Full form: Oes gen ti gar? Car softens to gar.
- Sgen ti gwestiwn?
Have you got a question?
Cwestiwn softens to gwestiwn.
- Sgen i ddim syniad.
I've no idea.
- Sgynno fo ddim brawd.
He hasn't got a brother.
Full form: Does gynno fo ddim brawd.
- Sgen ti amser am banad?
Have you got time for a cuppa?
Panad is the Northern word for a cup of tea; it softens to banad after am.
Common Mistakes
Answering a sgen question with ydw.
Sgen ti gar? — Ydw.Sgen ti gar? — Oes.Sgen ti ...? is a short form of Oes gen ti ...?, so the answer echoes oes: Oes or Nac oes.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The Northern shortening of possession negatives and questions.
Related Patterns
- Mae gen i (North)Having in the North: Mae Gen I
Sgen is a short form of the Northern gen i possession pattern.
Level 1 - Oes? / Does dimIs There? There Isn't: Oes and Does Dim
Sgen hides oes or does, so the answers are Oes and Nac oes.
Level 1 - sa i / smo fi (South)South Wales Negatives: Sa I and Smo Fi
The South has its own short negatives.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice sgen i (North) in Bubblegum
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