Short Possessives 'm / 'i / 'n / 'w

Short Possessives After Vowels

Level 4

After little words that end in a vowel (a, i, o, â, gyda, na), the possessives fy, ei, ein, eich, eu are shortened: a'i, o'n, gyda'ch, i'w.

How It Works

The short forms

  • 'm = fy: a'm henw — and my name (mostly written)
  • 'i = ei (his): a'i gar e — and his car (soft mutation)
  • 'i = ei (her): a'i char hi — and her car (aspirate mutation); o'i hardal hi — from her area (h before a vowel)
  • 'n = ein: gyda'n ffrindiau ni — with our friends
  • 'ch = eich: Dewch â'ch plant. — Bring your children.
  • 'u = eu: o'u tŷ nhw — from their house
  • i'w = i + ei or i + eu: i'w dŷ e (to his house), i'w thŷ hi (to her house), i'w tŷ nhw (to their house)

I'w is a must. I ei and i eu are not standard; say and write i'w: Dw i'n mynd i'w weld e. — I'm going to see him.

Same mutations as the full forms: see ei (his), ei (her), ein, eich, eu and h-prothesis. The echo pronoun after the noun usually stays too: a'i gar e.

'm is different. Full fy causes nasal mutation (fy nhad), but 'm only adds h before a vowel: i'm hannwyl fam (to my dear mother). Speech nearly always keeps full fy instead: i fy nhad i, gyda fy ffrindiau i.

Examples (6)

  1. Dw i'n mynd i'w weld e yfory.

    I'm going to see him tomorrow.

    South: e. The North says i'w weld o.

  2. Daeth Siân a'i thad i'r parti.

    Siân and her father came to the party.

    'I meaning "her" adds aspirate mutation: tad becomes thad.

  3. Daeth Tom a'i dad i'r parti hefyd.

    Tom and his father came to the party too.

    'I meaning "his" adds soft mutation: tad becomes dad.

  4. Dewch â'ch plant gyda chi.

    Bring your children with you.

  5. Dyn ni'n mynd ar wyliau gyda'n ffrindiau.

    We're going on holiday with our friends.

  6. Rhoddodd hi'r llyfr i'w mam.

    She gave the book to her mother.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing i ei instead of i'w.

    Dw i'n mynd i ei weld e.
    Dw i'n mynd i'w weld e.

    I + ei and i + eu always become i'w.

  • Dropping the mutation of the short form.

    Daeth Siân a'i tad i'r parti.
    Daeth Siân a'i thad i'r parti.

    'I meaning "her" keeps the aspirate mutation of ei: tad becomes thad.

How It Connects

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

Short Possessives 'm / 'i / 'n / 'wLevel 4Short Possessives After Vowels

Learn This First

Possessives shorten after vowels but keep their mutations.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

'm'wi'w