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Medru – I can (N)

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. The only time medru wouldn’t be used is in the sense of permission, when cael would be used instead.

Do not use yn, and following verbnouns such as dysgu, to learn, will take soft mutation in the affirmative and interrogative, but do not mutate after dim. Medru is sometimes used with the affirmative particle mi which causes soft mutation.

Affirmative

EnglishWelshAlternativeExamples
I canmedra imi fedra imedra i ddysgu
you canmedri dimi fedri dimedri di ddysgu
he canmedru fomi fedru fomedru fo ddysgu
she canmedru himi fedru himedru hi ddysgu
Carys canmedru Carysmi fedru Carysmedru Carys ddysgu
the girls canmedru’r merchedmi fedru’r merchedmedru’r merched ddysgu
we canmedrwn nimi fedrwn nimedrwn ni ddysgu
you canmedrwch chimi fedrwch chimedrwch chi ddysgu
they canmedran nhwmi fedran nhwmedran nhw ddysgu

Interrogative

EnglishWelshAlternativeExamples
can I?fedra i?fedra i ddysgu?
can you?fedri di?fedri di ddysgu?
can he?fedru fo?fedru fo ddysgu?
can she?fedru hi?fedru hi ddysgu?
can Carys?fedru Carys?fedru Carys ddysgu?
can the girls?fedru’r merched?fedru’r merched ddysgu?
can we?fedrwn ni?fedrwn ni ddysgu?
can you?fedrwch chi?fedrwch chi ddysgu?
can they?fedran nhw?fedran nhw ddysgu?

Negative

EnglishWelshAlternativeExamples
I can’tfedra i ddimfedra i ddim dysgu
you can’tfedri di ddimfedri di ddim dysgu
he can’tfedru fo ddimfedru fo ddim dysgu
she can’tfedru hi ddimfedru hi ddim dysgu
Carys can’tfedru Carys ddimfedru Carys ddim dysgu
the girls can’tfedru’r merched ddimfedru’r merched ddim dysgu
we can’tfedrwn ni ddimfedrwn ni ddim dysgu
you can’tfedrwch chi ddimfedrwch chi ddim dysgu
they can’tfedran nhw ddimfedran nhw ddim dysgu

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