mai / taw

That It Is: Mai and Taw (South)

Level 4

When the clause after "I think that ..." starts with an emphasised word, "that" is mai (North and formal Welsh) or taw (South), not bod.

How It Works

Step by step

  • Fronted sentence: Siân sy'n iawn. — Siân's the one who's right.
  • Add "I think that": Dw i'n credu mai Siân sy'n iawn. In the South: Dw i'n credu taw Siân sy'n iawn.

When do you need it? Whenever the clause starts with something other than the verb:

  • An identifying sentence (Athro dw i): Mae hi'n dweud mai athrawes ydy hi. — She says she's a teacher.
  • A fronted subject: Dw i'n gwybod taw ti wnaeth hyn. — I know it was you who did this.
  • A fronted place or time: Dwedodd hi mai yfory mae'r parti. — She said the party is tomorrow.
  • A "the best" sentence: Dw i'n siŵr mai hwn ydy'r gorau. — I'm sure this one is the best.

Mai or taw? Mai is used in the North and in formal writing; taw is the everyday Southern word. Both are correct.

Negative. Use nad: Dw i'n siŵr nad fe oedd e (I'm sure it wasn't him). Speech also says mai nid or mai dim: Dw i'n siŵr mai dim fe oedd e.

Useful starters: Efallai mai ... (maybe it's ...), Mae'n debyg mai ... (it's probably ...).

Examples (6)

  1. Dw i'n credu mai Siân sy'n iawn.

    I think it's Siân who's right.

  2. Mae e'n dweud taw fe wnaeth y gwaith i gyd.

    He says it was him who did all the work.

    Taw is the Southern word; the North and formal Welsh say mai.

  3. Dw i'n siŵr nad fe oedd e.

    I'm sure it wasn't him.

    South: fe and e. The North says Dw i'n siŵr nad fo oedd o.

  4. Wyt ti'n gwybod mai yfory mae'r arholiad?

    Do you know that the exam is tomorrow?

  5. Efallai mai hi ydy'r athrawes newydd.

    Maybe she's the new teacher.

  6. Mae'n debyg taw yn Abertawe maen nhw'n byw.

    They probably live in Swansea.

    Southern speech; the North would say mai.

Common Mistakes

  • Using bod before a fronted sentence.

    Dw i'n credu bod Siân sy'n iawn.
    Dw i'n credu mai Siân sy'n iawn.

    Siân sy'n iawn starts with the emphasised name, so "that" must be mai or taw.

  • Mixing bod with an identifying sentence.

    Mae hi'n dweud bod athrawes ydy hi.
    Mae hi'n dweud mai athrawes ydy hi.

    Athrawes ydy hi puts the noun first, so use mai or taw. You could also say ei bod hi'n athrawes, with no fronting.

How It Connects

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

mai / tawLevel 4That It Is: Mai and Taw (South)

Learn This First

Mai and taw introduce a that-clause whose element is fronted.

Words in This Pattern

maitawnad