Plural Adjectives (Recognition)

Level 6

Y Mynyddoedd Duon means the Black Mountains. Duon is a plural form of du (black). Most adjectives never change, but a few have plurals.

How It Works

Mostly recognition. Speech and most modern writing use the ordinary form with plural nouns: plant bach (small children), afalau coch (red apples). Plural forms appear in literary Welsh, place names, weather forecasts and set phrases.

How they are made.

  • adding -ion or -on: coch → cochion, du → duon, gwyn → gwynion, trwm → trymion
  • changing a vowel: arall → eraill, bychan → bychain, ieuanc → ieuainc, marw → meirw
  • both: glas → gleision

Where you will meet them.

  • place names: y Mynyddoedd Duon (the Black Mountains)
  • weather forecasts: cawodydd trymion (heavy showers)
  • colours, which keep their plurals best: afalau cochion (red apples)
  • older and literary texts: plant bychain, pobl ieuainc

Eraill is everyday. The plural of arall is used by everyone: pobl eraill (other people).

Not after numbers. Nouns after numbers are singular, so the adjective stays singular too: tri char coch. Feminine forms are a separate set: Feminine Adjective Forms.

Examples (6)

  1. Aethon ni i gerdded yn y Mynyddoedd Duon.

    We went walking in the Black Mountains.

  2. Bydd cawodydd trymion yn y prynhawn.

    There will be heavy showers in the afternoon.

    Trymion is the plural of trwm (heavy).

  3. Mae'r bobl eraill wedi mynd adref.

    The other people have gone home.

    Eraill is the everyday plural of arall. Pobl softens to bobl after the article.

  4. Mae'r llyfr hwn ar gyfer plant bychain.

    This book is for little children.

    Formal; speech says plant bach.

  5. Prynais i afalau cochion.

    I bought red apples.

  6. Roedd y bobl ieuainc yn canu.

    The young people were singing.

    Literary; speech says pobl ifanc.

How It Connects

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

Plural Adjectives (Recognition)Level 6

Learn This First

Plural adjectives are recognised in writing and set phrases.

Words in This Pattern

bychanieuancifanccochtrwmarall