Conjugated Prepositions in Welsh

Overview

One of the most distinctive features of Welsh grammar is that prepositions conjugate — they change form depending on the pronoun that follows them. Instead of saying "on me" as two separate words, Welsh combines them into a single form: "arna i." This system is used extensively and is essential to master at the A2 level.

Conjugated prepositions appear in many common everyday expressions. For instance, "I want" in Southern Welsh is "Mae eisiau arna i" (literally "wanting is on me"), and "I have" uses conjugated forms of "gan" or "gyda." Understanding this system unlocks many idiomatic Welsh expressions.

How It Works

Conjugation of "ar" (on)

Person	Form	Example
I	arna i	Mae arna i eisiau.
You (sg)	arnat ti	Mae arnat ti arian.
He	arno fe/fo	Mae arno fe ofn.
She	arni hi	Mae arni hi hiraeth.
We	arnon ni	Mae arnon ni angen.
You (pl)	arnoch chi	Mae arnoch chi ddyled.
They	arnyn nhw	Mae arnyn nhw eisiau.

Other Common Conjugated Prepositions

Base	I	You	He	She
i (to)	i fi/mi	i ti	iddo fe	iddi hi
wrth (by, to)	wrtha i	wrthat ti	wrtho fe	wrthi hi
am (about)	amdana i	amdanat ti	amdano fe	amdani hi
gan (with/by)	gen i	gen ti	ganddo fe	ganddi hi
gyda (with)	gyda fi	gyda ti	gyda fe	gyda hi
â (with)	â fi	â ti	ag e	â hi

Common Expressions Using Conjugated Prepositions

Welsh	English	Preposition
Mae arna i eisiau coffi.	I want coffee.	ar
Mae arno fe ofn.	He is afraid.	ar
Mae gyda fi gar.	I have a car.	gyda
Dwedwch wrtho fe.	Tell him.	wrth
Mae hi'n edrych arnyn nhw.	She is looking at them.	ar
Mae hi'n meddwl amdanat ti.	She is thinking about you.	am

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Mae arna i eisiau coffi.	I want coffee.	"On me"
Mae gyda fi gar.	I have a car.	"With me"
Dwedwch wrtho fe.	Tell him.	"To him"
Mae hi'n edrych arnyn nhw.	She is looking at them.	"On them"
Mae arno fe ofn cŵn.	He is afraid of dogs.	"On him"
Dw i'n meddwl amdanat ti.	I'm thinking about you.	"About you"
Mae'n flin ganddo fe.	He's sorry.	"With him"
Rhowch e iddi hi.	Give it to her.	"To her"
Mae hiraeth arnon ni.	We are homesick.	"On us"
Beth sy arnoch chi?	What's the matter with you?	"On you"

Common Mistakes

Not conjugating the preposition

• Wrong: Mae ar fi eisiau.
• Right: Mae arna i eisiau.
• Why: When a preposition is followed by a pronoun, Welsh requires the conjugated form.

Mixing up conjugated forms

• Wrong: arno hi (using masculine form for feminine)
• Right: arni hi
• Why: Each person has a distinct conjugated form. Masculine and feminine third person forms differ.

Forgetting which expressions use which preposition

• Wrong: Mae arna i car. (trying to say "I have a car")
• Right: Mae gyda fi gar. or Mae gen i gar.
• Why: "Having" uses gyda/gan, not ar. "Wanting" and "fearing" use ar.

Usage Notes

Conjugated prepositions are one of the features that make Welsh feel very different from English. They are used in many expressions where English would use a simple "me," "you," or "him." Learning which preposition goes with which expression is partly a matter of vocabulary rather than grammar — each expression has its own idiomatic preposition.

In spoken Welsh, the conjugated forms are sometimes shortened: "arna i" may sound like "'rna i" in fast speech. Listen for these in natural conversation.

Practice Tips

1. Memorize "ar" first: It is the most commonly conjugated preposition. Learn all seven forms (arna i, arnat ti, arno fe, arni hi, arnon ni, arnoch chi, arnyn nhw).

2. Learn expressions as units: Rather than memorizing preposition tables in isolation, learn complete expressions: "Mae arna i eisiau," "Mae arno fe ofn."

3. Practice with a partner: Have someone ask "Beth sy arnat ti?" and respond with different states.

Related Concepts

• Simple Prepositions
• Idiomatic Expressions