i fi / i ti / iddo fe / iddi hi

To Me, To Him: Forms of I

Level 2

I means "to" or "for". Before him, her and them it grows an ending: iddo fe (to him), iddi hi (to her), iddyn nhw (to them).

How It Works

The forms:

  • i fi — to/for me (i mi in the North and in writing)
  • i ti — to/for you
  • iddo fe — to/for him or it (iddo fo in the North)
  • iddi hi — to/for her or it
  • i ni — to/for us
  • i chi — to/for you
  • iddyn nhw — to/for them

Giving and doing things for people. Rho'r llyfr i fi (Give me the book), Prynais i anrheg iddi hi (I bought her a present), Diolch i chi (Thank you). Welsh always says "to" or "for" here; it never drops i as English does in "give me".

Happening to someone. Beth ddigwyddodd iddo fe? (What happened to him?)

In many other patterns. The same forms come after rhaid, angen and well: Mae rhaid iddo fe fynd (He must go), Mae angen iddi hi orffwys (She needs to rest). See mae rhaid i, mae angen and mae'n well i. The word after the person then takes soft mutation.

Before an ordinary noun or a name, i stays i and softens the word after it: i Gaerdydd, i bawb (to everyone). See am ar at dan dros drwy gan heb i o wrth + soft mutation. For sending or going towards a person, Welsh often uses at instead; see i vs at.

Examples (6)

  1. Prynais i anrheg iddi hi.

    I bought a present for her.

    Iddi hi: to or for her.

  2. Rho'r llyfr i fi, plîs.

    Give me the book, please.

    Welsh says "give the book to me". North: Rho'r llyfr i mi.

  3. Diolch yn fawr i chi!

    Thank you very much!

    Word by Word: Thanks greatly to you!

  4. Beth ddigwyddodd iddo fe?

    What happened to him?

    North: iddo fo.

  5. Mae'r gacen 'ma i ti.

    This cake is for you.

  6. Dangosais i'r lluniau iddyn nhw.

    I showed them the photos.

    Iddyn nhw: to them.

Common Mistakes

  • Using plain i before fe, hi or nhw.

    Prynais i anrheg i hi.
    Prynais i anrheg iddi hi.

    Before he, she and they, i changes to iddo, iddi and iddyn: iddo fe, iddi hi, iddyn nhw.

  • Leaving out i after rhoi (give).

    Rho fi'r llyfr.
    Rho'r llyfr i fi.

    Welsh does not say "give me the book" without a preposition. The person comes after i: Rho'r llyfr i fi.

How It Connects

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

i fi / i ti / iddo fe / iddi hiLevel 2To Me, To Him: Forms of I

Learn This First

The personal forms of i are a softening preposition with pronouns.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

iddyn