os gwelwch yn dda
/ɔs ˌɡwɛlʊχ ən ˈðaː/
The Welsh way to say please is os gwelwch yn dda.
Os gwelwch yn dda is an interjection used to make a polite request. It functions similarly to saying 'if you please' or 'if you would be so kind' in English.
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase os gwelwch yn dda literally translates to 'if you see well'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Os gwelwch yn dda is the standard way to say please in a polite or formal context. It is more formal than using simple imperatives or casual request structures.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔs ˌɡwɛlʊχ ən ˈðaː/
Did you know?
- The word yn within the phrase acts as a linguistic bridge that has survived from the Proto-Indo-European language to modern Welsh.
- Because os gwelwch yn dda is formal, using it with close friends or children might actually sound overly stiff or even slightly sarcastic.
- Because os gwelwch yn dda literally means 'if you see well', it reflects a traditional Welsh linguistic habit of framing requests as conditional hopes rather than direct demands.
Examples in context
- Os gwelwch yn dda.Please.This shows the standalone use of os gwelwch yn dda.Tatoeba #8895620 by Teashrock, translation #393357 by shanghainese
- Siaradwch yn arafach os gwelwch yn dda.Speak more slowly, please.This sentence uses os gwelwch yn dda to make a polite request to speak slowly.Tatoeba #11559197 by deniko, translation #3259252 by CK
- Wyt ti'n gallu siarad yn arafach, os gwelwch yn dda?Could you please speak more slowly?This is an example of a polite question using os gwelwch yn dda.Tatoeba #7826955 by sharris123, translation #6020570 by mailohilohi
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rhiannon is asking Rhys for a glass of water.
- RhiannonGa i weld y dŵr, os gwelwch yn dda?Can I have the water, please?
- RhysYn nhyma, dyma'r gwydr i chi.Here you go, here is the glass for you.
- RhiannonDiolch yn fawr, Rhys.Thank you very much, Rhys.
- RhysDim problem, Rhiannon.No problem, Rhiannon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries os gwelwch yn dda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries os, os gwelwch yn dda, yn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
