baswn i / byddwn i
Would: Baswn I and Byddwn I
"I would" is baswn i (especially North) or byddwn i (especially South and in writing). Add yn and a verb-noun or adjective: Baswn i'n hoffi mynd (I'd like to go).
How It Works
The two sets:
- baswn i / byddwn i — I would
- baset ti / byddet ti — you would
- basai fo, hi / byddai fe, hi — he / she would
- basen ni / bydden ni — we would
- basech chi / byddech chi — you would
- basen nhw / bydden nhw — they would
Pattern: conditional + yn ('n) + verb-noun or adjective: Byddai hynny'n wych (That would be great), Basai hi'n hapus yno (She'd be happy there).
In speech. The North often says swn i, set ti, sa fo, sen ni, sech chi, sen nhw, and may add mi: Mi faswn i. The South says bydden i for byddwn i and may add fe: Fe fyddwn i. See mi and fe + soft mutation.
Watch the pronoun. Byddwn i means "I would", but byddwn ni means "we will" (future). "We would" is bydden ni. See bydda i byddi di bydd.
For questions and negatives, see faset ti and faswn i ddim; for "would have", see baswn i wedi; for "if I were", see taswn i and pe bawn i.
Examples (6)
- Baswn i'n hoffi mynd.
I'd like to go.
Especially North.
- Byddai hynny'n wych!
That would be great!
Especially South and standard. Gwych softens to wych after 'n.
- Basai hi'n hapus yno.
She'd be happy there.
North.
- Bydden ni'n prynu tŷ mwy.
We'd buy a bigger house.
Bydden ni: we would.
- Swn i'n mynd adra.
I'd go home.
Northern speech: swn i for baswn i, adra for adref.
- Byddech chi'n mwynhau'r ffilm.
You'd enjoy the film.
Common Mistakes
Using byddwn ni for "I would" (when you mean "I would like to come").
Byddwn ni'n hoffi dod.Byddwn i'n hoffi dod.Byddwn ni means "we will". For "I would", say byddwn i (or baswn i).
Leaving out yn.
Baswn i hoffi mynd.Baswn i'n hoffi mynd.Like other forms of bod, the conditional needs yn ('n) before a verb-noun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The conditional of bod combines bod's future stem with would-endings.
Related Patterns
- Faset ti...? / Faswn i ddimConditional Questions and Negatives
Questions and negatives of the conditional.
Level 3 - baswn i wediWould Have: Baswn I Wedi
Would have: add wedi.
Level 4 - taswn i / pe bawn iIf I Were: Taswn I and Pe Bawn I
If I were: the partner of baswn i.
Level 4 - North and South Welsh
Bas- is mainly Northern, bydd- Southern and standard.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice baswn i / byddwn i in Bubblegum
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