Learning pronouns in Welsh, a Celtic language spoken primarily in Wales, is essential for mastering both spoken and written communication. Welsh pronouns are characterized by their forms according to person, number, gender, and case. This guide covers personal, possessive, demonstrative, reflexive, and interrogative pronouns, providing detailed explanations and examples for each.

Personal Pronouns

Subject Pronouns:

• I (I): “Dw i’n mynd.” – I am going.
• Ti (You – singular informal): “Wyt ti’n dod?” – Are you coming?
• E/Hi (He/She): “Mae e’n chwarae.” / “Mae hi’n canu.” – He is playing. / She is singing.
• Ni (We): “Rydyn ni’n dysgu.” – We are learning.
• Chi (You – plural or formal): “Ydych chi’n gweithio?” – Are you working?
• Nhwy (They): “Maen nhw’n cerdded.” – They are walking.

Object Pronouns:

Welsh typically uses the same forms for subject and object pronouns but can employ prepositions for clarity and emphasis.

• Fi (Me): “Gwelodd fi.” – He/She saw me.
• Ti (You): “Gwelais ti.” – I saw you.
• Fe/Fo/Hi (Him/Her): “Gwelais i fe/fo/hi.” – I saw him/her.
• Ni (Us): “Gwelodd ni.” – He/She saw us.
• Chi (You – plural or formal): “Gwelais i chi.” – I saw you.
• Nhwy (Them): “Gwelais i nhw.” – I saw them.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Welsh indicate ownership and are often used with the noun they modify.

• Fy (My): “Fy llyfr i” – My book.
• Dy (Your – singular informal): “Dy gath di” – Your cat.
• Ei (His/Her): “Ei gi e” (His dog) / “Ei chart hi” (Her car) – Note: “Ei” causes soft mutation for masculine nouns and aspirate mutation for feminine nouns when possible.
• Ein (Our): “Ein tŷ ni” – Our house.
• Eich (Your – plural or formal): “Eich gwyliau chi” – Your holidays.
• Eu (Their): “Eu plant nhw” – Their children.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Welsh point to specific nouns and are usually understood from context, as Welsh does not have direct equivalents to “this” or “that”.

• Hwn/Hon/Hyn (This): “Hwn yw fy mrawd.” (This is my brother) – The pronoun changes based on gender and number.
• Yna (That): Contextually implied.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Welsh are used when the subject performs an action upon itself.

• Fy hun (Myself): “Dw i’n siarad â fy hun.” – I am talking to myself.
• Dy hun (Yourself): “Wyt ti’n gwneud hyn dy hun?” – Are you doing this yourself?
• Ei hun (Himself/Herself): “Mae e’n mynd ei hun.” / “Mae hi’n canu ei hun.” – He is going himself. / She is singing herself.
• Ein hunain (Ourselves): “Rydyn ni’n dysgu ein hunain.” – We are teaching ourselves.
• Eich hun (Yourselves): “Ydych chi’n gwneud hynny eich hun?” – Are you doing that yourselves?
• Eu hunain (Themselves): “Maen nhw’n mynd eu hunain.” – They are going themselves.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people, places, or things.

• Pwy (Who): “Pwy wyt ti?” – Who are you?
• Beth (What): “Beth yw hyn?” – What is this?
• Ble (Where): “Ble mae’r garej?” – Where is the garage?

Understanding and correctly using Welsh pronouns is vital for navigating both simple and complex conversations. Practice forming sentences with each type of pronoun, and try to engage in conversations or writing exercises to apply these concepts actively. Remember, the nuances of Welsh grammar and the cultural context in which it is spoken play a significant role in choosing the correct pronoun form.