How to Say "I Am" in Welsh - How To Say Guide

rydw i

The English phrase "I am" is expressed in Welsh as rydw i.

This phrase is used to state who someone is or to describe their current state or condition.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is a combination of the verb bod (to be) in its first-person singular form and the pronoun i (I).

While rydw i is the standard form in most contexts, rydwn i is an alternative version used in certain dialects or for specific emphasis.

When using rydw i to describe a state or an ongoing action, it is almost always followed by the particle yn (contracted to i'n).

Avoid using the infinitive bod followed by the pronoun i (as in "bod i"). Instead, you must use the conjugated form rydw i.

The word rydw is actually a contraction of yr ydw, meaning the phrase 'i am' originally contained a definite article.
Welsh is a verb-initial language, meaning the 'am' part of 'i am' comes at the very beginning of the phrase. In rydw i, the verb 'to be' precedes the subject 'I'.
In spoken Welsh, the pronoun i is often dropped or blended into the verb because the verb ending already tells the listener who is speaking.

Rydw i'n wedi blino iawn.
I am very tired.
This sentence is useful for describing a state of being using rydw i.
Tatoeba #11559257 by deniko, translation #854452 by piksea
Rydw i'n mynd i'r parc y prynhawn 'ma.
I am going to the park this afternoon.
This sentence is useful for describing an ongoing action using rydw i.
Tatoeba #8678477 by loch_nessie, translation #3155314 by CM
Dw i'n eistedd yn y parc
I am sitting in the park
Rydw fi'n siarad Cymraeg
I am speaking Welsh
Rydw i'n hapus.
I am happy.

Owain and Catrin meet for the first time at a party.

Sources

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