gaeaf
/ˈɡeɨ̯av/masculine
Winter in Welsh is gaeaf.
gaeaf is a masculine noun referring to the fourth season of the year, characterized by the lowest temperatures and short days.
Meaning: fourth season, marked by short days and the lowest temperatures (noun)
Which one should you use?
The noun gaeaf is used to name the season, while the related verb gaeafu can mean to spend the winter in a certain place, such as on holiday or to store something over the winter. The adjective form is gaeafol, which means wintry or wintry-like.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'winters', use the form gaeafau.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡeɨ̯av/
Did you know?
- The Welsh word gaeaf is a distant linguistic cousin to the Latin word hiems, which is the root of the English word 'hibernate'.
- The adjective gaeafol is often used in Welsh poetry to evoke a mood of bleakness or isolation rather than just describing the temperature.
- The root of gaeaf is connected to the Old Irish word gam, showing a deep connection between Welsh and the Goidelic branches of Celtic.
Examples in context
- Mae'n ddigon oer yma yn y gaeaf.It's quite cold here in the winter.
- Mae'r gaeaf yn oer iawn.The winter is very cold.
Example conversation
Sian and Dylan are talking about their favorite seasons.
- SianBeth yw dyddeuon gaeaf?What are winter days like?
- DylanMaen nhw'n fyr iawn.They are very short.
- SianYdych chi'n hoffi'r gaeaf, Dylan?Do you like winter, Dylan?
- DylanYdw, dw i'n caru'r eira.Yes, I love the snow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “winter” translations and entries gaeaf, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gaeaf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
