galla i / medra i

Short Forms of Gallu and Medru

Level 3

Instead of Dw i'n gallu, you can say Galla i (I can). The question Alla i helpu? (Can I help?) and the negative Alla i ddim (I can't) are very common.

How It Works

Gallu (everywhere): galla i, gelli di (or galli di), gall e / o / hi, gallwn ni, gallwch chi, gallan nhw

Medru (North): medra i, medri di, medr o / hi, medrwn ni, medrwch chi, medran nhw

Meaning. These forms mean "can" now and also "will be able to": Galla i ddod yfory (I can come tomorrow).

Soft mutation after them: Galla i ddod (dod), Medr hi ddatrys y broblem (She can solve the problem).

Questions: Alla i helpu? (Can I help?), Allwch chi ddod?, Elli di...?, Fedri di nofio? (North). Answers: Galla / Na alla (I can / can't), Gallwch / Na allwch, Medra / Na fedra.

Negatives: Alla i ddim, Fedra i ddim (North). After ddim the verb-noun keeps its first letter: Fedra i ddim gweld.

The long forms (Dw i'n gallu) are just as correct; see gallu and medru. For "could", see gallwn i.

Examples (6)

  1. Alla i helpu?

    Can I help?

    Question: galla softens to alla.

  2. Allwch chi ddod heno?

    Can you come tonight?

    Dod softens to ddod.

  3. Alla i ddim aros.

    I can't stay.

    Negative with ddim.

  4. Fedra i ddim gweld.

    I can't see.

    North: medra → fedra. Gweld keeps its g after ddim.

  5. Galla i ddod yfory.

    I can come tomorrow.

    A statement: galla i + soft mutation.

  6. Fedri di nofio? Medra.

    Can you swim? Yes.

    North. Answer with the I form: Medra.

Common Mistakes

  • Softening the verb-noun after ddim.

    Alla i ddim fynd.
    Alla i ddim mynd.

    In standard Welsh, in the negative, ddim takes the mutation, so the verb-noun after it keeps its first letter. (In quick, casual speech you may hear the verb-noun softened after ddim.)

  • Not softening the verb in a question.

    Galla i fynd?
    Alla i fynd?

    Short verbs soften at the start of a question: galla → alla.

How It Connects

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

galla i / medra iLevel 3Short Forms of Gallu and Medru

Learn This First

Galla i and medra i are short present-future forms of gallu and medru.

Words in This Pattern

gallumedru