There are two ways of saying can in Welsh, using gallu (south) and medru (north). It’s best to be aware of both, and let local usage dictate which one you use.
Do not use yn , and following verbnouns such as cofio , to remember , will take soft mutation in the affirmative and interrogative, but do not mutate after dim . Gallu is sometimes used with the affirmative particle fe which causes soft mutation.
Affirmative
English Welsh Alternative Examples I can galla i fe alla i galla i gofio you can galli/gelli di fe alli/elli di galli di gofio he can gall e fe all e gall e gofio she can gall hi fe all hi gall hi gofio Carys can gall Carys fe all Carys gall Carys gofio the girls can gall y merched fe all y merched gall y merched gofio we can gallwn ni fe allwn ni gallwn ni gofio you can gallwch/gellwch chi fe allwch/ellwch chi gallwch chi gofio they can gallan nhw fe allan nhw gallan nhw gofio
Interrogative
English Welsh Alternative Examples can I? alla i? – alla i gofio? can you? alli/elli di? – alli/elli di gofio? can he? all e? – all e gofio? can she? all hi? – all hi gofio? can Carys? all Carys? – all Carys gofio? can the girls? all y merched? – all y merched gofio? can we? allwn ni? – allwn ni gofio? can you? allwch/ellwch chi? – allwch/ellwch chi gofio? can they? allan nhw? – allan nhw gofio?
Negative
English Welsh Alternative Examples I can’t alla i ddim – alla i ddim cofio you can’t alli/elli di ddim – alli di ddim cofio he can’t all e ddim – all e ddim cofio she can’t all hi ddim – all hi ddim cofio Carys can’t all Carys ddim – all Carys ddim cofio the girls can’t all y merched ddim – all y merched ddim cofio we can’t allwn ni ddim – allwn ni ddim cofio you can’t allwch/ellwch chi ddim – allwch chi ddim cofio they can’t allen nhw ddim – allen nhw ddim cofio