Present of bod
Present Tense of Bod
Bod means "to be". Its present forms are among the most useful words in Welsh: dw i (I am), mae hi (she is), maen nhw (they are).
How It Works
The forms (South / North):
- dw i — I am (both)
- rwyt ti — you are (in the North often just ti: Ti'n hwyr)
- mae e (South) / mae o (North) — he is, it is
- mae hi — she is, it is (both)
- dyn ni (South) / dan ni (North) — we are
- dych chi (South) / dach chi (North) — you are
- maen nhw — they are (both)
Fuller forms such as rydw i, rydyn ni and rydych chi are used in formal speech and writing; see rydw i rydyn ni rydych chi.
Three common uses:
- Describing: Dw i'n hapus (I'm happy). See Describing With Yn.
- Doing: Dw i'n gweithio (I work / I'm working). See Bod + Yn + Verb-Noun.
- Where: Maen nhw yn y gwaith (They're at work). Here there is no linking word; this yn means "in".
Yn or 'n? After a vowel use 'n: Dw i'n, Mae hi'n, Maen nhw'n, Dyn ni'n. After a consonant use yn: Mae Siân yn.
With a noun as the subject, the form is always mae; see Mae With Any Noun Subject. Questions and negatives have their own forms; see Present Questions With Bod and Present Negatives With Ddim.
Examples (6)
- Dw i'n hapus heddiw.
I'm happy today.
- Rwyt ti'n hwyr!
You're late!
Many Northern speakers say Ti'n hwyr!
- Mae o'n gweithio yn y banc.
He works at the bank.
North: mae o. South: Mae e'n gweithio yn y banc.
- Dyn ni'n dysgu Cymraeg.
We're learning Welsh.
South: dyn ni. North: Dan ni'n dysgu Cymraeg.
- Dach chi'n brysur iawn.
You're very busy.
North: dach chi. South: Dych chi'n brysur iawn.
- Maen nhw yn y gwaith.
They're at work.
Before a place, there is no linking yn; this yn means "in".
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the linking yn before a describing word.
Dw i hapus.Dw i'n hapus.Bod needs yn ('n after a vowel) before a describing word or a verb-noun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The present of bod is learned as a paradigm of verb form + personal pronoun.
Related Patterns
- bod + yn + Verb-NounPresent Tense: Bod + Yn + Verb-Noun
Use bod to make the present tense of any verb.
Level 1 - Present Questions With bod
Turn these forms into questions.
Level 1 - Present Negatives With ddim
Make these forms negative with ddim.
Level 1 - mae + Noun SubjectMae with Any Noun Subject
Use mae with every noun subject.
Level 1 - Predicative yn + Soft MutationDescribing with Yn + Soft Mutation
Describe things with bod and yn.
Level 1 - rydw i / rydyn ni / rydych chiFuller Present Forms: Rydw I
The fuller forms used in formal Welsh.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Present of bod in Bubblegum
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