Commands and Imperatives in Welsh

Overview

Imperatives allow you to give commands, make requests, and offer instructions. At the A2 level, learning both positive and negative commands is important for everyday situations: telling someone to come, sit down, or stop doing something.

Welsh imperatives have separate forms for singular (informal) and plural/formal address. The singular command typically uses the verb stem, while the plural/formal adds the ending "-wch." Negative commands use "paid â" (singular) or "peidiwch â" (plural) followed by the verb-noun with soft mutation.

How It Works

Positive Commands

Verb-noun	Singular (ti)	Plural/Formal (chi)
dod (to come)	Dere! / Tyrd!	Dewch! / Dowch!
mynd (to go)	Cer! / Dos!	Ewch!
eistedd (to sit)	Eistedd!	Eisteddwch!
siarad (to speak)	Siarada!	Siaradwch!
aros (to wait)	Aros!	Arhoswch!
bwyta (to eat)	Bwyta!	Bwytewch!

Negative Commands

Pattern: Paid â (sg) / Peidiwch â (pl) + soft-mutated verb-noun

Singular	Plural/Formal	Meaning
Paid â phoeni!	Peidiwch â phoeni!	Don't worry!
Paid â siarad!	Peidiwch â siarad!	Don't talk!
Paid â mynd!	Peidiwch â mynd!	Don't go!
Paid â thwtsiad!	Peidiwch â thwtsiad!	Don't touch!

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Dere yma! / Dewch yma!	Come here! (sg/pl)	Common command
Eisteddwch i lawr.	Sit down. (pl/formal)	Polite instruction
Paid â phoeni!	Don't worry! (sg)	Soft mutation: poeni → phoeni
Peidiwch â siarad!	Don't talk! (pl)	Classroom command
Aros funud!	Wait a minute! (sg)	Quick request
Bwytewch eich cinio!	Eat your lunch! (pl)	Mealtime
Cer i ffwrdd!	Go away! (sg)	Dismissal
Dewch i mewn!	Come in! (pl)	Invitation
Paid â rhedeg!	Don't run! (sg)	Warning
Gwrandewch!	Listen! (pl)	Attention-getter

Common Mistakes

Forgetting soft mutation after "â"

• Wrong: Paid â poeni!
• Right: Paid â phoeni!
• Why: "Â" triggers aspirate mutation of p, t, and c: poeni → phoeni.

Using verb-noun instead of imperative stem

• Wrong: Dod yma!
• Right: Dere yma! or Tyrd yma!
• Why: Many common verbs have irregular imperative forms that differ from the verb-noun.

Mixing singular and plural forms

• Wrong: Dere yma, bawb! (using singular with everyone)
• Right: Dewch yma, bawb!
• Why: When addressing multiple people, use the plural -wch form.

Usage Notes

The choice between Northern and Southern imperative forms (Tyrd/Dere, Dos/Cer) is dialectal. Both are widely understood. In formal or institutional settings (schools, workplaces), the -wch forms are standard even when addressing one person, as a mark of respect.

Note that "paid â" / "peidiwch â" trigger aspirate mutation, not soft mutation, of the following verb-noun (for p, t, c). Other consonants undergo soft mutation after the implied "â."

Practice Tips

1. Learn common irregular imperatives: Dere/Tyrd, Cer/Dos, Dewch, Ewch — these are used daily and must be memorized.

2. Practice negative commands: Take five verbs and form "Paid â..." and "Peidiwch â..." for each one.

3. Role-play scenarios: Practice giving directions, classroom instructions, or cooking instructions using imperatives.

Related Concepts

• Verb-Nouns