dylwn i

Should: Dylwn I

Level 3

Dylwn i means "I should" or "I ought to": Dylwn i fynd (I should go).

How It Works

The forms:

  • dylwn i — I should (often said dylen i)
  • dylet ti — you should
  • dylai fe / hi — he / she should (often said dyle)
  • dylen ni — we should
  • dylech chi — you should
  • dylen nhw — they should

Soft mutation after it: Dylwn i fynd, Dylech chi ddarllen hwn, Dylai fe fod yma erbyn hyn (He should be here by now).

Negatives. Dylwn softens to ddylwn, and ddim takes the place of the mutation, so the verb-noun after ddim keeps its first letter: Ddylwn i ddim mynd, Ddylet ti ddim poeni.

Questions and answers. Ddylwn i ffonio? (Should I phone?) — Dylet / Na ddylet (to ti), Dylech / Na ddylech (to chi). About someone else: Dylai / Na ddylai.

For "should have", see dylwn i fod wedi. Stronger ways to say what someone must do are mae rhaid i and mae'n well i.

Examples (6)

  1. Dylwn i fynd.

    I should go.

    Mynd softens to fynd.

  2. Dylech chi ddarllen hwn.

    You should read this.

    Darllen softens to ddarllen.

  3. Ddylet ti ddim poeni.

    You shouldn't worry.

    Negative: ddylet ... ddim, and poeni keeps its p.

  4. Ddylwn i ffonio'r meddyg? Dylet.

    Should I phone the doctor? Yes, you should.

    Answer to ti: Dylet.

  5. Dylai fe fod yma erbyn hyn.

    He should be here by now.

    Bod softens to fod.

  6. Dylen ni ddysgu mwy o Gymraeg.

    We should learn more Welsh.

    Dysgu softens to ddysgu; Cymraeg softens after o.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the soft mutation.

    Dylwn i mynd.
    Dylwn i fynd.

    The verb-noun after dylwn i (and the other forms) softens: mynd → fynd.

  • Softening the verb-noun after ddim.

    Ddylwn i ddim fynd.
    Ddylwn i ddim mynd.

    In standard Welsh, in the negative, ddim takes the mutation, so mynd stays mynd. (In quick, casual speech you may hear the verb-noun softened after ddim.)

How It Connects

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

dylwn iLevel 3Should: Dylwn I

Learn This First

Dylwn i takes would-endings and a softened verb-noun.

Words in This Pattern

dyludylai