Pwy sy...? / Beth sy...?

Who Is? What Is? Pwy Sy and Beth Sy

Level 3

Ask who is ...? or what is ...? with sy: Pwy sy'n dod? (Who's coming?) Beth sy'n bod? (What's wrong?)

How It Works

The pattern. Question word + sy + the rest:

Sy with other words. Sy can be followed by wedi, eisiau or a place, just like sy in other sentences:

Beth sy'n bod? is a set phrase meaning What's the matter? In quick speech it is often just Be sy?

When not to use sy.

When the question word is the object: Beth wyt ti'n ei wneud? (What are you doing?)
With ble, sut, pryd and pam, which take mae: Ble mae'r banc? See mae or ydy?
When asking who someone is: Pwy ydy hi? (Who is she?)

Answering. Name the person or thing, often with sy again: Pwy sy'n dod? — Siân sy'n dod. Or just: Siân.

Pwy sy'n dod i'r parti?
Who's coming to the party?
Beth sy'n bod?
What's the matter?
A set phrase for asking what's wrong.
Faint o bobl sy'n dod heno?
How many people are coming tonight?
Pwy sy wedi bwyta'r gacen?
Who has eaten the cake?
Cacen is feminine, so it softens after 'r.
Beth sydd ar y teledu heno?
What's on television tonight?
Pwy sy eisiau paned?
Who wants a cuppa?
Eisiau follows sy without yn, just as it follows mae.

Using mae when the question word is the subject.
Pwy mae'n dod?
Pwy sy'n dod?
Pwy is the one coming, so use sy, not mae.
Using sy when the question word is the object.
Beth sy ti'n ei wneud?
Beth wyt ti'n ei wneud?
Here ti is the subject and beth is the object, so use the normal form of bod.

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

Pwy sy...? / Beth sy...?Level 3Who Is? What Is? Pwy Sy and Beth Sy

A question word as subject takes sy.

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