fel bod / fel y

So That: Fel Bod and Fel Y

Level 5

Fel usually means "like" or "as". Fel bod and fel y mean "so that": Siaradais i'n araf fel bod pawb yn deall — I spoke slowly so that everyone understood.

How It Works

Fel bod + bod clause

  • Siaradais i'n araf fel bod pawb yn deall. — I spoke slowly so that everyone understood.
  • Dw i'n gadael y golau ymlaen fel bod y plant yn gallu gweld. — I'm leaving the light on so the children can see.
  • With pronouns: fel fy mod i'n barod, fel eu bod nhw'n gwybod (see fy mod i).

Fel y + future or conditional

  • Codais i'n gynnar fel y gallwn i ddal y trên. — I got up early so that I could catch the train. (see gallwn i)
  • Gadewch y drws ar agor fel y bydd hi'n gallu dod i mewn. — Leave the door open so that she can come in.

Negative: fel na fydd neb yn gweld — so that nobody will see; fel nad oes rhaid i ni aros — so that we don't have to wait.

Fel y can also mean "as", especially in writing: fel y gwyddoch chi — as you know. The sentence usually makes the meaning clear.

Another way to say "so that" is er mwyn i: er mwyn i bawb glywed.

Examples (5)

  1. Siaradais i'n araf fel bod pawb yn deall.

    I spoke slowly so that everyone understood.

  2. Dw i'n gadael y golau ymlaen fel bod y plant yn gallu gweld.

    I'm leaving the light on so the children can see.

  3. Codais i'n gynnar fel y gallwn i ddal y trên.

    I got up early so that I could catch the train.

  4. Gadewch y drws ar agor fel y bydd hi'n gallu dod i mewn.

    Leave the door open so that she can come in.

  5. Siaradon ni'n dawel fel na fyddai'r babi'n deffro.

    We spoke quietly so that the baby wouldn't wake up.

    Na causes mixed mutation: byddai becomes fyddai.

Common Mistakes

  • Using y and bod together.

    Siaradais i'n araf fel y bod pawb yn deall.
    Siaradais i'n araf fel bod pawb yn deall.

    Use either fel bod + a bod clause, or fel y + a future or conditional verb, not both.

  • Mutating the verb after fel y.

    fel y fydd hi'n gallu dod i mewn
    fel y bydd hi'n gallu dod i mewn

    The y in fel y causes no mutation.

How It Connects

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

fel bod / fel yLevel 5So That: Fel Bod and Fel Y

Learn This First

Fel bod and fel y express purpose with bod or y clauses.

Words in This Pattern

y