Body and Health in Welsh

Overview

Body parts and health expressions are practical A1 vocabulary that allows you to describe how you feel, visit a doctor, and understand basic health-related conversations. Welsh uses specific constructions for aches and illnesses, often built around "mae...gyda fi" or "mae gen i" (I have) and "mae...arna i" (literally "it is on me").

These expressions demonstrate how Welsh uses prepositions and "bod" to express states that English handles with "have" or "feel," providing useful practice with these fundamental structures.

How It Works

Common Body Parts

Welsh	English
pen	head
braich	arm
coes	leg
llaw	hand
troed	foot
stumog	stomach
cefn	back
llygad / llygaid	eye / eyes
clust / clustiau	ear / ears
gwddf	throat
dant / dannedd	tooth / teeth

Expressing Pain and Illness

Welsh	English	Pattern
Mae pen tost gyda fi.	I have a headache.	South
Mae gen i ben tost.	I have a headache.	North
Mae fy nghoes i'n brifo.	My leg hurts.	Body part + hurts
Dw i'n sâl.	I am sick.	With "bod"
Mae annwyd arna i.	I have a cold.	"On me" pattern
Mae gwres arno fe.	He has a temperature.	"On him"

At the Doctor

Welsh	English
Dw i ddim yn teimlo'n dda.	I don't feel well.
Mae fy stumog yn brifo.	My stomach hurts.
Ers pryd?	Since when?
Ers ddoe.	Since yesterday.

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Mae pen tost gyda fi.	I have a headache.	Southern pattern
Mae fy nghoes i'n brifo.	My leg hurts.	Nasal mutation: coes → nghoes
Dw i'n sâl.	I am sick.	Simple state
Mae annwyd arni hi.	She has a cold.	"On her"
Mae fy ngwddf i'n brifo.	My throat hurts.	Nasal mutation: gwddf → ngwddf
Dw i ddim yn teimlo'n dda.	I don't feel well.	Negative
Mae gen i ddannedd tost.	I have a toothache.	Northern "have"
Mae'r meddyg yn dweud...	The doctor says...	At the doctor
Mae fy mraich i'n brifo.	My arm hurts.	Nasal: braich → mraich
Mae peswch arno fe.	He has a cough.	"On him"

Common Mistakes

Wrong mutation with "fy" + body parts

• Wrong: fy coes
• Right: fy nghoes
• Why: "Fy" triggers nasal mutation: c → ngh.

Confusing pain constructions

• Wrong: Dw i'n pen tost.
• Right: Mae pen tost gyda fi. or Mae gen i ben tost.
• Why: Headaches use the "have" construction, not "bod + yn."

Using wrong preposition for illness

• Wrong: Mae annwyd gyda fi. (while understood)
• Right: Mae annwyd arna i.
• Why: Many illnesses use the "ar" (on) construction: "mae annwyd arna i," "mae gwres arno fe."

Practice Tips

1. Label a body diagram: Draw or print a human figure and label the parts in Welsh.

2. Practice "fy + body part": Run through all body parts with "fy" to drill nasal mutation.

3. Role-play a doctor visit: Practice the dialogue of describing symptoms and answering questions.

Related Concepts

• Possession