ein / eich / eu

Our, Your, Their: Ein, Eich, Eu

Level 2

ein ... ni = our, eich ... chi = your, eu ... nhw = their. Consonants never change after them: ein tŷ ni, eich car chi, eu plant nhw.

How It Works

The three words

  • ein + noun + ni: our, as in ein tŷ ni (our house)
  • eich + noun + chi: your (chi), as in eich car chi (your car)
  • eu + noun + nhw: their, as in eu plant nhw (their children)

Before a vowel

  • ein hysgol ni our school
  • eu hathro nhw their teacher
  • but eich ysgol chi your school (no h)

See Adding H Before Vowels.

Eich for one person. Eich is also the polite your for one person you call chi. After a vowel it often shortens to 'ch: Beth ydy'ch enw chi? (What's your name?). See Familiar Ti and Polite Chi and Short Possessives After Vowels.

How they sound. In speech ein can sound like yn, and eu sounds just like ei. The echo pronoun (ni, chi, nhw) makes the owner clear, which is one reason speakers use it so much. See Echo Pronouns After Possessives.

Their or his? Eu and ei sound alike, but only ei (his) softens the noun: eu car nhw (their car) but ei gar e (his car).

Examples (6)

  1. Dyma ein tŷ ni.

    This is our house.

  2. Ble mae eich car chi?

    Where's your car?

  3. Mae eu plant nhw'n dysgu Cymraeg.

    Their children are learning Welsh.

    No mutation after eu: plant stays plant.

  4. Beth ydy eu henwau nhw?

    What are their names?

    enwau gains h after eu.

  5. Mae ein hathrawes ni'n dod o Fangor.

    Our teacher comes from Bangor.

    athrawes gains h after ein.

  6. Ydy'ch gwaith chi'n ddiddorol?

    Is your work interesting?

    eich shortens to 'ch after a vowel; gwaith does not change.

Common Mistakes

  • Mutating a consonant after ein, eich or eu.

    ein dŷ ni
    ein tŷ ni

    Ein, eich and eu never change a consonant. Only vowels are affected, and only by ein and eu.

  • Adding h after eich.

    eich henw chi
    eich enw chi

    Eich never adds h. Only ein, eu and ei (her) add h before a vowel.

How It Connects

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

ein / eich / euLevel 2Our, Your, Their: Ein, Eich, Eu

Learn This First

Ein, eich and eu are possessives echoed by ni, chi and nhw.

Words in This Pattern

eineu