I went to a revision class last Saturday before the start of my new Welsh course. One of the topics we went over was 'years' and it quickly became apparent that I didn't know much about the topic. Hence this blog post by way of additional revision! The below is based on 'Welsh Grammar' by Christine Jones as well as the examples from my last session at Cardiff University's Welsh for Adults Centre.
‘Blwyddyn’, ‘Blynedd’ and ‘Blwydd’ are all used to refer to years in Welsh.
Blwyddyn is a feminine singular noun, the plural of which is blynyddoedd.
Blwyddyn is used on its own with the cardinal one and with all ordinals:
Buodd hi’n gweithio yn yr adran am flwyddyn.
She worked in the department for a year.
Mae hi yn y flwyddyn gyntaf.
She is in the first year.
Dw i wedi byw yn yr ardal am flynyddoedd.
I’ve lived in the area for years.
With the exception of one blynedd is used with cardinal numbers (traditional):
un flwyddyn
dwy flynedd
tair blynedd
pedair blynedd
pum mlynedd
chwe blynedd
saith mlynedd
wyth mlynedd
naw mlynedd
deg (deng) mlynedd
un mlynedd ar ddeg
deuddeg (deuddeng) mlynedd
tair blynedd ar ddeg
pedair blynedd ar ddeg
pymtheg (pymtheng) mlynedd
un mlynedd ar bymtheg
dwy flynedd ar bymtheg
deunaw mlynedd
pedair blynedd ar bymtheg
ugain mlynedd
With the more modern number system blynedd will still mutate after 10 according to the number it follows or you can use the plural which simplifies matters:
un deg dwy flynedd or un deg dwy o flynyddoedd
un deg pump mlynedd or un deg pump o flynyddoedd
un deg chwe blynedd or un deg chwe o flynyddoedd
‘Blwydd’ is used when referring to age and age is always feminine regardless of the subject of the sentence. Also blwydd can be omitted but oed will remain.
Mae e’n ddwy (flwydd) oed.
On its own blwydd means a year old.
Mae’r babi’n flwydd oed.
Further Examples
- Cwrddais i â fe dair blynedd yn ôl.
- Mae merch dwy flwydd oed gyda hi.
- Mae eu mab nhw’n flwydd oed yfory.
- Roedden ni’n arfer mynd yno bob blwyddyn.
- Y llynedd oedd y bedwaredd flwyddyn i mi fynd yna.
- Rydyn ni’n briod ers pymtheg mlynedd.
- Hon ydy’r ail flwyddyn iddo gystadlu.
- Maen nhw’n byw yna ers deugain mlynedd.
- Flwyddyn yn ôl ro’ch chi yn yr ysbyty.
- Roedd y llynedd yn flwyddyn brysur iawn.
- Blwyddyn newydd dda!
- Dw i’n gobeithio ymddeol ymhen pum mlynedd.
Think you see a mistake above? It's distinctly possible so let me know!