Language/Welsh/Grammar/Future-Tense

Welsh Grammar - Future Tense

Hi Welsh learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on the Welsh future tense. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to form and use this tense. We will also include cultural information and interesting facts about Wales to make the lesson more engaging. Let's get started!

Introduction

The future tense in Welsh is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. This tense is essential in everyday conversations and can help you to communicate effectively with native speakers. To form the Welsh future tense, you need to use a combination of verb stems, suffixes, and endings.

Forming the Future Tense

In Welsh, there are three ways to form the future tense: the simple future, the future perfect, and the future progressive. We will focus on the simple future tense in this lesson.

The Simple Future Tense

To form the simple future tense in Welsh, follow these rules: 1. Take the verb stem (usually the infinitive form of the verb without the 'r' or 'er' ending). 2. Add the ending '-af' to the stem if the subject is 'I' (Fi). 3. Add the ending '-i' to the stem if the subject is 'you' (Ti). 4. Add the ending '-a' to the stem if the subject is 'he', 'she', or 'it' (Fe, Hi, or Efe). 5. Add the ending '-wn' to the stem if the subject is 'we' (Ni). 6. Add the ending '-wch' to the stem if the subject is 'you' (Chi). 7. Add the ending '-ant' to the stem if the subject is 'they' (Nhw).

Here is an example of how to form the Welsh future tense using the verb 'gweithio' (to work):

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Gweithiaf	gwye-THEE-av	I will work
Gweithi	gwye-THEE	You will work
Gweithia	gwye-THEE-a	He/She/It will work
Gweithiwn	gwye-THEE-oon	We will work
Gweithiwch	gwye-THEE-ooch	You will work (plural)
Gweithiant	gwye-THEE-ant	They will work

The Future Perfect

The future perfect tense in Welsh is used to talk about an action that will be completed by a certain time in the future. To form the future perfect tense, use the future tense of the auxiliary verb 'bod' (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here is an example of how to form the Welsh future perfect tense using the verb 'chwarae' (to play):

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Byddaf wedi chwarae	BUTH-av WED-ee CHWA-rye	I will have played
Byddi wedi chwarae	BUTH-ee WED-ee CHWA-rye	You will have played
Bydd e/hi wedi chwarae	BUTH eh/HE WED-ee CHWA-rye	He/She/It will have played
Byddwn wedi chwarae	BUTH-oon WED-ee CHWA-rye	We will have played
Byddwch wedi chwarae	BUTH-ooch WED-ee CHWA-rye	You will have played (plural)
Byddant wedi chwarae	BUTH-ant WED-ee CHWA-rye	They will have played

The Future Progressive

The future progressive tense in Welsh is used to talk about an ongoing action that will happen in the future. To form the future progressive tense, use the future tense of the auxiliary verb 'bod' (to be) followed by the present participle of the main verb.

Here is an example of how to form the Welsh future progressive tense using the verb 'darllen' (to read):

Welsh	Pronunciation	English
Byddaf yn darllen	BUTH-av un DAR-then	I will be reading
Byddi yn darllen	BUTH-ee un DAR-then	You will be reading
Bydd e/hi yn darllen	BUTH eh/HE un DAR-then	He/She/It will be reading
Byddwn yn darllen	BUTH-oon un DAR-then	We will be reading
Byddwch yn darllen	BUTH-ooch un DAR-then	You will be reading (plural)
Byddant yn darllen	BUTH-ant un DAR-then	They will be reading

Using the Future Tense

In Welsh, the future tense is used in the following situations:

• To talk about future plans or intentions
• To make predictions about the future
• To make promises or commitments about the future
• In conditional clauses to describe future hypothetical situations

Dialogue

Person 1: Byddwch chi'n dod i'r parti wythnos nesaf? (Will you come to the party next week?) Person 2: Ydw, byddaf yn dod gyda fy ffrind. (Yes, I will come with my friend.)

Person 1: Beth fyddwch chi'n gwneud ar y penwythnos? (What will you do on the weekend?) Person 2: Byddaf yn mynd am dro ar y bryniau. (I will go for a walk on the hills.)

Cultural Information

Wales is a country with a rich history and culture. One of the most distinctive things about Welsh culture is the Welsh language itself. Welsh is a difficult language to learn, but it is also a language that is rich in nuance and meaning. For instance, Welsh has no direct equivalent to the English word 'yes'. Instead, Welsh speakers nod their heads or use phrases like 'do' or 'ie' to indicate agreement.

Another interesting fact about Wales is that the Welsh flag features a red dragon on a green and white background. The dragon was used as a symbol of Wales by the ancient Romans, and it has remained a symbol of Welsh identity ever since.

Conclusion

We hope that this lesson has helped you to understand the Welsh future tense better. Remember that practice makes perfect, so make sure to use the future tense in your everyday conversations with Welsh speakers. To improve your Welsh speaking skills, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Don't forget to review the grammar section on the Grammar page of the Welsh section for more resources.

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Sources

• Welsh language
• Flag of Wales