on'd yw hi? / ontefe / yndê

Tag Questions: On'd Yw Hi? Ontefe, Yndê

Level 5

Mae hi'n braf, on'd yw hi? — It's lovely, isn't it? The tag repeats the verb of the sentence, like English "isn't it?" or "didn't you?".

How It Works

Echo tags with on'd. On'd is short for onid (not). After it comes the question form of the verb in the main sentence, in the same person and tense:

  • Rwyt ti'n dod, on'd wyt ti? — You're coming, aren't you?
  • Roedd hi'n oer, on'd oedd hi? — It was cold, wasn't it?
  • Bydd e yno, on'd bydd e? — He'll be there, won't he?
  • For the simple past, one tag fits every person: on'd do? or on'd do fe?

Regional forms. Both are normal; use the one you hear around you.

  • South: many speakers say nag for on'd: Mae hi'n braf, nag yw hi?
  • North: many speakers say tydi? (or 'ndydi?) after mae, and 'ndo? after the past: Mae hi'n braf, tydi?

One-word tags. Ontefe (South) and yndê (North) do not change. They are the usual tag after a sentence that starts with a noun or name for emphasis: Siân wyt ti, ontefe? (You're Siân, aren't you?); see Emphasis by Fronting. In relaxed speech they also work like "right?" after many other sentences.

Answering. Answer a tag like any question, by echoing its verb: Ydy or Nac ydy to on'd yw hi?, and Do or Naddo to on'd do?. After ontefe or yndê, answer Ie or Nage (Ia or Naci in the North). See Echo Answers in Other Tenses.

Examples (6)

  1. Mae hi'n braf, on'd yw hi?

    It's lovely, isn't it?

    The standard tag: on'd + the question form yw hi.

  2. Mae hi'n braf, nag yw hi?

    It's lovely, isn't it?

    South Wales speech: nag instead of on'd.

  3. Mae hi'n braf, tydi?

    It's lovely, isn't it?

    North Wales speech.

  4. Fe welaist ti fe, on'd do?

    You saw him, didn't you?

    The past tag on'd do fits every person.

  5. Siân wyt ti, ontefe?

    You're Siân, aren't you?

    South Wales: the one-word tag ontefe.

  6. Ti'n dod heno, yndê?

    You're coming tonight, right?

    North Wales: the one-word tag yndê.

Common Mistakes

  • Echoing the wrong tense in the tag.

    Roedd hi'n oer, on'd yw hi?
    Roedd hi'n oer, on'd oedd hi?

    The tag repeats the verb of the main sentence. Roedd is past, so the tag is on'd oedd hi?

How It Connects

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

on'd yw hi? / ontefe / yndêLevel 5Tag Questions: On'd Yw Hi? Ontefe, Yndê

Learn This First

Tag questions echo the verb, as echo answers do.

Words in This Pattern

onionidnag