75 of the Most Common Verbs in Welsh (with audio)

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I’m sure 99% of you lovely people are already fully aware of what verbs are, but for those who don’t… Verbs are basically the action words in any language. They tell us what’s happening – like eating, running, or sleeping.

Getting these down is super important because they’re pretty much the backbone of forming sentences. You won’t be able to do or say much without ’em.

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In Welsh, just like in any other language, mastering verbs will help you talk about what you’re doing now, what you did in the past, and what you plan to do in the future.

Let’s first look at how to form the three main tenses (present, past, and future) using verbs, then have a look at 75 of the most commonly-used Welsh verbs (berfau) to get you started.

The present tense in Welsh

In Welsh, the present tense can be formed in a few ways. The most common one is using the verb “to be” (bod). This can be combined with other verbs to form continuous actions.

Using “bod” in the present tense

The verb “bod” changes depending on the subject:

I am: Dw i (or Rydw i in more formal contexts)
You are (singular/informal): Rwyt ti
He/She/It is: Mae e/hi
We are: Dyn ni
You are (plural/formal): Dych chi
They are: Maen nhw

For example, if you want to say “I am eating”, you would say “Dw i’n bwyta”.

Examples:

Dw i’n dysgu Cymraeg – I am learning Welsh.
Rwyt ti’n rhedeg – You are running.
Mae e’n gweithio – He is working.
Dyn ni’n darllen – We are reading.
Dych chi’n gwylio – You (plural/formal) are watching.
Maen nhw’n cysgu – They are sleeping.

The past tense in Welsh

Simple past tense

The simple past in Welsh often uses the verb “to be” (bod) in the past form, similar to the present tense. Here’s how you use it:

The verb “to be” (bod) in the past tense:

I was: Roeddwn i (Ro’n i)
You were (singular/informal): Roeddet ti (Ro’t ti)
He/She/It was: Roedd e/hi
We were: Roedden ni
You were (plural/formal): Roeddech chi
They were: Roedden nhw

For example, “I was eating” would be “Ro’n i’n bwyta.”

Examples:

Ro’n i’n dysgu Cymraeg – I was learning Welsh.
Ro’t ti’n rhedeg – You were running.
Roedd e’n gweithio – He was working.
Roedden ni’n darllen – We were reading.
Roeddech chi’n gwylio – You (plural/formal) were watching.
Roedden nhw’n cysgu – They were sleeping.

The future tense in Welsh

Welsh has a few ways to express the future tense. The two main forms are the simple future tense and the periphrastic (compound) future tense.

Simple future tense

The simple future tense uses specific conjugations of the verb to indicate future actions.

Examples:

I will be: Bydda i
You (singular/informal) will be: Byddi di
He/She/It will be: Bydd e/hi
We will be: Byddwn ni
You (plural/formal) will be: Byddwch chi
They will be: Byddan nhw

So, “I will eat” would be “Bydda i’n bwyta”.

Periphrastic future tense

This form uses the verb “mynd” (to go) to form the future tense, similar to “going to” in English.

Examples:

Dw i’n mynd i fwyta – I am going to eat.
Rwyt ti’n mynd i weld – You are going to see.
Mae e/hi’n mynd i ganu – He/She/It is going to sing.
Dyn ni’n mynd i chwarae – We are going to play.
Dych chi’n mynd i ysgrifennu – You (plural/formal) are going to write.
Maen nhw’n mynd i ddysgu – They are going to learn.

Usage

Simple future is used for definitive actions that will happen.
Periphrastic future is used to indicate intentions or plans.

A quick note: Reflexive verbs in Welsh use the prefix “ym”.

Welsh Verbs 1 – 15

English	Welsh
be	bod
have / get	cael
do / make	gwneud
go	mynd
see	gweld
know	gwybod
like	hoffi
want	eisiau
work	gweithio
come	dod/dyfod
speak	siarad
eat	bwyta
drink	yfed
sleep	cysgu
leave	gadael

Welsh Verbs 16 – 30

English	Welsh
die	darfod
stay / wait	aros
return	dychwelyd
give	rhoi
take	cymryd
send	anfon
find / discover	darganfod
learn	dysgu
think	meddwl
believe	credu
understand	deall
remember	cofio
cost	costio
have to (must)	rhaid
use	defnyddio

Welsh Verbs 31 – 45

English	Welsh
need	angen
be able to (can)	gallu
smile	gwenu
look	edrych
listen	gwrando
forget	anghofio
help	helpu
cook	coginio
love	caru
hope	gobeithio
fear / become afraid	ofni
walk	cerdded
drive	gyrru
laugh	chwerthin
cry	crio

Welsh Verbs 46 – 60

English	Welsh
run	rhedeg
play	chwarae
sing	canu
dance	dawnsio
swim	nofio
read	darllen
open	agor
close	cau
dream	breuddwydio
ask	gofyn
answer	ateb
visit	ymweld
feel	teimlo
wash	golchi
wash oneself (shower)	ymolchi

Welsh Verbs 61 – 75

English	Welsh
wear / put on	gwisgo
buy	prynu
put	dodi
say	dweud
hear	clywed
sit	eistedd
stand	sefyll
turn	troi
start / begin	dechrau
choose	dewis
stop	stopio
touch	cyffwrdd
shout	gweiddi
write	ysgrifennu
look for	chwilio am