Soft Mutation in Time Phrases

Level 3

When a time phrase tells you when or how often, its first word softens: bob dydd (every day), ddydd Sadwrn (on Saturday).

How It Works

Common examples.

  • pob → bob: bob dydd (every day), bob bore (every morning), bob wythnos
  • dydd → ddydd: ddydd Sadwrn (on Saturday)
  • bore → fore: fore Llun (on Monday morning)
  • gweithiau → weithiau (sometimes)
  • mis → fis: fis nesaf (next month)
  • blwyddyn → flwyddyn: flwyddyn nesaf (next year)
  • dwywaith → ddwywaith: ddwywaith yr wythnos (twice a week)
  • tair noson → dair noson (for three nights)

Letters that can't soften stay the same: nos Wener, wythnos nesaf, heddiw.

Where it goes. The phrase can come at the end or at the start: Es i i'r dref ddydd Sadwrn or Ddydd Sadwrn, es i i'r dref.

On Saturdays, as a habit, is usually ar ddydd Sadwrn, where ar causes the mutation: Dw i'n siopa ar ddydd Sadwrn.

In relaxed speech you will sometimes hear these phrases without the change, especially with dydd. The soft forms are the standard ones, and bob dydd and weithiau are the forms everyone uses. The same mutation explains ddwy flynedd yn ôl (two years ago).

Examples (6)

  1. Es i i'r dref ddydd Sadwrn.

    I went to town on Saturday.

    Dydd softens to ddydd because the phrase says when.

  2. Dw i'n nofio bob bore.

    I swim every morning.

    Pob softens to bob.

  3. Weithiau dw i'n gweithio gartref.

    Sometimes I work at home.

    Gweithiau (times) softens to weithiau.

  4. Welais i hi fore Llun.

    I saw her on Monday morning.

    Bore softens to fore.

  5. Bydd hi'n dod yn ôl fis nesaf.

    She'll come back next month.

    Mis softens to fis.

  6. Dw i'n mynd i'r gampfa ddwywaith yr wythnos.

    I go to the gym twice a week.

    Dwywaith softens to ddwywaith.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving pob unchanged in a how-often phrase.

    Dw i'n nofio pob dydd.
    Dw i'n nofio bob dydd.

    Here the phrase tells you how often, so it works as an adverb and softens: bob dydd.

How It Connects

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Soft Mutation in Time PhrasesLevel 3

Learn This First

Adverbial soft mutation generalises the mutation in time phrases.