Language/Welsh/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have

Welsh Grammar - How to Use "Have"

Hi Welsh learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on the verb "have" and how to use it in different contexts in Welsh. "Have" is a frequently used verb in English, and its Welsh counterpart, "cael," is equally vital. As with all language studies, the key to mastering Welsh grammar is to practice frequently and get a good understanding of the rules. Let's dive into the uses of "have" in Welsh grammar!

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: How to Use Be & Pronouns.

Basic Use of "Have"

In Welsh, the verb "cael" primarily means "to get," "to receive," or "to have." We commonly use "cael" to indicate the possession of something or when someone is experiencing something. For instance:

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Dw i'n cael bwyd.	duh ween kyle boo-id	I have food.
Mae ganddo fe gefnogi.	mye gan-th-doh veh gekh-nog-ee	He has support.
Fyddi di'n cael amser i gwneud y dasg hon?	Vith-dee dee'n kyle am-sair ee goo-nid uh dasg hone?	Will you have time to complete this task?

Now let's practice those examples with a dialogue:

• Person 1: Dw i'n cael bwyd. (I have food.)
• Person 2: O, beth sydd gen i? (Oh, what do I have?)
• Person 1: Pan fysa' ti'n cael amser, gallwch chi ddod i ymweld â mi. (When you have time, you can come to visit me.)

Note that "cael" typically goes at the beginning of the sentence, and there is no need for a pronoun to indicate subject ownership. However, it is worth noting that "cael" works differently in a number of other contexts.

Cau + Cael

"Cau" means "to close," and when paired with "cael," it can result in a compound verb meaning "to be able to close." In many cases, this implies that a certain goal has been met or that the speaker is relieved to have achieved something. For example:

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Dwedodd y gymrawd oedd o'n anodd cau'r drws nes i mi ei helpu.	duh-we-doth uh gum-roude awd uh-noth kyle-ear droos nes ee mee ay help-ee	The classmate said he found it hard to close the door until I helped him.
Mae hi wedi cau adrodd y stori.	mye hee wed-ee kyle ad-roth uh-stor-ee	She has managed to finish telling the story.
Byddaf yn hapus i gael cau'r peiriant bach yn ol.	Buh-dav un hap-eess ee gyle kigh-r pei-ree-ant bahkh un ol	I will be happy to be able to close the small engine again.

A potential dialogue to practice:

• Person 1: Mae hi wedi cau adrodd y stori. (She has managed to finish telling the story.)
• Person 2: Wnaeth o helpu? (Did someone help her?)
• Person 1: Na, mae hi wedi gallu cau'r stori ei hun. (No, she managed to finish the story herself.)

Other Meanings of "Cael"

There are some other nuanced meanings of "cael" that you should be aware of:

Passive Voice

When used in the passive voice, "cael" can sometimes indicate that someone has been given permission or been allowed to do something. For example:

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Fe gafodd mewn i'r parti er gwaethaf iddo ddim cael gwahoddiad.	Veh gah-vaw-d mee-n oo-re parti er gwai-thaf ee-tho thuh-kyle gwah-hod-di-ad	He managed to get into the party despite not being invited.
Byddi di'n cael mynd ar y daith gyda ni os wyt ti'n gallu cynilo digon o arian.	Buh-thee dee'n kyle mund ar ee daith guh-dah nee oss wyt tee'n gah-lee kun-ee-loh dig-on oh ah-ree-an	You can come with us on the trip if you can save enough money.
Caiff y fenter ei chynnal yn Abergwyngregyn flwyddyn nesaf, os bydd y grant yn cael ei ddyfarnu.	Kye-v uh ven-tare ie chun-nal unn Aber-gwun-gre-gen flu-id-in ness-av, oss bythee grant un kyle ei thriv-ar-nee	The project will be held in Abergwyngregyn next year if the grant is awarded.

Here's a dialogue to practice these examples:

• Person 1: Caiff y fenter ei chynnal yn Abergwyngregyn flwyddyn nesaf, os bydd y grant yn cael ei ddyfarnu. (The project will be held in Abergwyngregyn next year if the grant is awarded.)
• Person 2: Sut mae'n gweithio? (How does it work?)
• Person 1: Mae'n dibynnu ar arian sydd ar gael. (It depends on the money available.)

Introducing New Information

Sometimes, "cael" can be used with a somewhat similar meaning to "get." It can imply that someone is receiving unexpected or new information. For example:

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Cawsom wybod mai bydd y digwyddiad yn digwydd yn hwyrach nag oedd myn'd yn yr wybodaeth gwreiddiol.	Kaw-som oo-bod my buh-thuh dig-with-yad un dig-with yn hoo-rackh nah-g oyth mun'd un un oor oo- bo-dah-eth gree-thee-ol	We only found out that the event was happening later than originally thought.
Rwy'n cael fy nghymryd gan rywbeth newydd bob dydd mewn gwaith.	Roo-in kyle vuhng-gum-rid gahn ruh-beth nay-oo bob duth meun goo-eye-th	I get to experience something new every day at work.

Try practicing with a dialogue as shown:

• Person 1: Rwy'n cael fy nghymryd gan rywbeth newydd bob dydd mewn gwaith. (I get to experience something new every day at work.)
• Person 2: Beth ydi'r pethau newydd? (What are the new things?)
• Person 1: Mae'r chwedl yn newydd iawn. (The story is very new.)

These examples demonstrate that "cael" is a flexible verb that can be used in a variety of ways to convey different meanings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "cael" is a vital verb to know when constructing sentences in Welsh grammar. It primarily means "to get," "to receive," or "to have," but can also have other nuanced meanings that we've discussed here. Remember, practice is key when learning any new aspect of a language. To improve your Welsh Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Plurals & Adjectives.

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• Negation
• Pronouns
• Future Tense
• Plurals
• The article
• How to Use Be
• Conditional Mood
• Adjectives

Sources

• SOME BASIC RULES OF WELSH GRAMMAR Cynnwys - Contents ...
• Welsh Grammar You Really Need to Know: Teach Yourself (Teach ...
• Welsh Grammar - How to Use "Have"