Ionawr
/ˈjɔnau̯r/feminine
January in Welsh is Ionawr.
Ionawr is the name for the first month of the Gregorian calendar.
Meaning: first month of the Gregorian calendar (name)
Which one should you use?
While Ionawr is the standard name for the month, some speakers may refer to it as Cyntaf, which translates to "first".
How does it change in a sentence?
Ionawr is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈjɔnau̯r/
Did you know?
- In Welsh, names of months like Ionawr are typically written in lowercase unless they begin a sentence.
- The root of Ionawr shares a common ancestor with the Latin word 'januarius', meaning 'relating to the door', referencing the god of beginnings.
- Historically, agricultural calendars in Wales often focused more on seasonal markers than the formal Gregorian name Ionawr.
Examples in context
- Byddwn ni'n mynd ar wyliau yn Ionawr.We will go on vacation in January.
- Mae Ionawr yn oer.January is cold.
- Mae Ionawr yn ddechrau ar ddydd Iddi.January starts on a Wednesday.
Example conversation
Rhiannon and Gareth are discussing their holiday plans.
- RhiannonYdych chi'n mynd i gael gwyliau yn Ionawr?Are you going to have a holiday in January?
- GarethDo, rydym yn mynd i Spain.Yes, we are going to Spain.
- RhiannonMae hynny'n swnio'n wych.That sounds great.
- GarethMae Ionawr yn rhy oer yma!January is too cold here!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “January” translations and entries Ionawr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ionawr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
