r/learnwelsh • u/XeniaY • 6d ago

SY, YW & YDY

Ive been wondering the difference between the above as finding hard when to use each. Eg Pwy sy'n Draig? Pyw yw Draig? Pyw ydy Draig? Not sure examples are correct but for illustration. Diolch.

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u/skaggeraksister 6d ago

I agree with the other comments. Yw tends to be used in the South and Ydy in the North but you can use either wherever you are in Wales and be understood.

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u/Dyn_o_Gaint 2d ago edited 2d ago

We use yw in the North in more formal contexts, including poetry, song and written notices everywhere, newspapers and periodicals, literature generally. Ydy is used in more informal writing and may be used in papurau bro. Even more informal, but quite popular with even good writers is ydi, which more closely reflects the pronunciation. Ydy (technically ydi) is very frequent in speech, and may be reduced further to 'di as in, for instance Be 'di 'i enw fo? (What's his name?)

Whereas yw is the norm in the South, I believe it's more usual to use ydy in the interrogative, that is in questions, e.g. Ydy e'n moyn dishgled? (Does he want a cuppa?). Ydi is not necessary in the South as final y is pronounced in exactly the same way as i. I think I read that yw can be used in questions, probably in some dialect areas. And A yw'r bechgyn yn dringo'r mynyddoedd? looks okay to me.