Ways to say it
| Welsh | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ie | /ˈiː.ɛ/ | |
| ia | /ˈiː.a/ /ja/ |
colloquial |
ie is used to agree with a statement or to answer yes to a question that confirms who or what something is, as in is he your father.
Which one should you use?
ie is the standard form, while ia is a colloquial version heard in everyday speech. Oes also means yes, but only in answer to a question asking whether there is something or whether someone has something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ia is colloquial. Use ie in writing and in careful speech.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Welsh has no single yes for every question. Many questions are answered by repeating the verb, so ie does not fit every reply.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈiː.ɛ/, two syllables with the stress on the first. It sounds like a long ee followed by a short e as in bed.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use ie to answer every question. Questions about whether there is something take Oes instead.
Did you know?
- The formal ie is actually a tiny, compressed version of an ancient phrase that literally translated to 'that is so'.
- While English uses 'yes' for almost any affirmative, in Welsh you must often repeat the specific verb from the question to say 'yes'.
Examples in context
- Ydy o eich tad? Ia, dyna fo.Is he your dad? Yes, that’s him. (Northern colloquial.)Here Ia answers the question is he your dad in Northern colloquial speech.
- Fo ’di dy dad di? Ia, dyna fo.Is he your dad? Yes, that’s him.Ia again confirms that the man is the speaker's dad.
- Ai ef yw dy dad di? Ie, dyna ef.Is he your father? Yes, that is he. (Literary, formal.)Ie in this formal literary version gives the same answer.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gareth and Elowen are discussing their plans for the day.
- GarethWyt ti'n eisiau mynd i'r sinema?Do you want to go to the cinema?
- ElowenIe, dwi'n hoffi'r syniad!Yes, I like the idea!
- GarethYdy'r ffilm yn cychwyn am chwe?Does the movie start at six?
- ElowenIe, dyna yw'r amser.Yes, that is the time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries ie, ia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ia, ie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
