Expressing Opinions in Welsh

In Brief

Use Dw i'n meddwl bod... for “I think (that)...”, Yn fy marn i... for “In my opinion...”, and Mae'n well gen i... for “I prefer...”. To respond, Dw i'n cytuno means “I agree”, while Dw i ddim yn cytuno and Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny let you disagree or express doubt without sounding abrupt.

Overview

Expressing an opinion involves more than translating the English words “I think”. Welsh offers several useful frames, each suited to a slightly different purpose: stating a thought, marking something as your own view, choosing between alternatives, agreeing, or leaving room for doubt. These forms are useful in ordinary A2 conversations about prices, plans, food, films, work, and current events.

The central grammar pattern is meddwl bod.... Here bod is the verb-noun “to be”; a verb-noun is the basic Welsh form used for a verb, rather like “to think” or “thinking” in English. After verbs such as meddwl “think” and credu “believe”, bod introduces a second clause (a group of words containing its own subject and verb idea): Dw i'n meddwl bod y ffilm yn dda “I think the film is good.”

English speakers often omit “that” in “I think the film is good”. Welsh does not copy that structure by simply placing mae after meddwl. At beginner level, the safest habit is to treat Dw i'n meddwl bod... as one complete frame. Later, you can learn how bod changes when the subject of the second clause is “I”, “you”, “he”, and so on.

How It Works

Core opinion frames

These are the most useful building blocks. The ellipsis shows where you add your own idea.

Welsh	English	Main purpose
Dw i'n meddwl bod...	I think (that)...	A neutral, everyday opinion
Dw i'n credu bod...	I believe / think (that)...	A belief or more considered view
Yn fy marn i,...	In my opinion,...	Clearly marks the view as yours
Dw i'n teimlo bod...	I feel (that)...	A personal impression or reaction
Mae'n well gen i...	I prefer...	Choosing one option over another
Dw i'n cytuno.	I agree.	Direct agreement
Dw i ddim yn cytuno.	I don't agree.	Direct but neutral disagreement
Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny.	I'm not sure about that.	Cautious doubt or polite disagreement

Dw i'n meddwl can stand alone when the thought is already clear: Ydy e'n syniad da? Dw i'n meddwl. “Is it a good idea? I think so.” More often, however, you will say what you think by adding a bod clause.

Building a sentence with meddwl bod

Start with a complete Welsh statement, then turn it into the idea after “I think”.

Complete statement	Opinion sentence	English
Mae hynny'n dda.	Dw i'n meddwl bod hynny'n dda.	I think that is good.
Mae'r lle'n dawel.	Dw i'n meddwl bod y lle'n dawel.	I think the place is quiet.
Mae hi'n iawn.	Dw i'n credu bod hi'n iawn.	I believe she is right.
Mae'r plant yn mwynhau.	Dw i'n meddwl bod y plant yn mwynhau.	I think the children are enjoying themselves.

Notice that mae does not remain inside the opinion clause. The pattern is not Dw i'n meddwl mae... but Dw i'n meddwl bod....

After the subject, yn links bod to an adjective or verb-noun:

• bod y bwyd yn dda — that the food is good
• bod y car yn ddrud — that the car is expensive
• bod hi'n gweithio — that she is working

Before a vowel, yn is shortened to 'n, as in hi'n. Welsh mutations may also change the first sound of the following adjective: drud becomes ddrud after yn in yn ddrud. These are ordinary features of the bod + yn pattern, not special changes caused by giving an opinion.

Saying “in my opinion”

Yn fy marn i can come at the beginning or end of the sentence:

• Yn fy marn i, mae'r cynllun yn syniad da. — In my opinion, the plan is a good idea.
• Mae'r cynllun yn rhy ddrud, yn fy marn i. — The plan is too expensive, in my opinion.

The noun is barn “opinion” or “judgement”. After fy “my”, its initial b undergoes nasal mutation and becomes m: fy marn. The final i reinforces who the possessor is. Learn the whole expression yn fy marn i, rather than trying to rebuild it word by word each time.

This frame is especially useful when you want to distinguish a personal assessment from a fact. Mae'r bws yn gadael am chwech presents information; Yn fy marn i, mae chwech yn rhy gynnar clearly presents your judgement.

Expressing a preference

Welsh uses the idiom Mae'n well gen i..., literally something close to “It is better with me”, where English uses the verb “prefer”. Gen i is a form of the preposition gan that refers to “me”.

The basic patterns are:

• Mae'n well gen i + option. — I prefer + option.
• Mae'n well gen i + option A + na + option B. — I prefer A to B.

Welsh	English	Pattern
Mae'n well gen i de.	I prefer tea.	One preferred option
Mae'n well gen i de na choffi.	I prefer tea to coffee.	Comparing two things
Mae'n well gen i gerdded na gyrru.	I prefer walking to driving.	Comparing activities

The forms after gen i and na may be mutated: te → de after gen i, and coffi → choffi after comparative na. At A2, copy the common phrases you meet; the mutation pattern can be studied systematically later.

Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening your response

A short answer can sound natural and friendly:

• Dw i'n cytuno. — I agree.
• Dw i'n cytuno â thi. — I agree with you.
• Yn union. — Exactly.
• Mae hynny'n wir. — That's true.
• Dw i ddim yn cytuno. — I don't agree.
• Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny. — I'm not sure about that.
• Efallai, ond... — Maybe, but...

In â thi, the preposition â “with” causes aspirate mutation: ti becomes thi. You can also agree with an idea: Dw i'n cytuno â'r syniad “I agree with the idea.”

Welsh, like English, allows you to make disagreement less confrontational by first acknowledging part of the other person's point: Dw i'n deall, ond dw i ddim yn cytuno “I understand, but I don't agree.” Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny is useful when you want to question a claim without rejecting it bluntly.

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Dw i'n meddwl bod hynny'n dda.	I think that's good.	Basic meddwl bod frame
Dw i'n meddwl bod y caffi yma'n rhy ddrud.	I think this café is too expensive.	Everyday judgement
Dw i'n credu bod hi'n iawn.	I believe she is right.	Opinion about another person
Yn fy marn i, mae'r llyfr yn well na'r ffilm.	In my opinion, the book is better than the film.	Personal comparison
Yn fy marn i, mae e'n rhy ddrud.	In my opinion, it's too expensive.	e may refer to a masculine thing
Dw i'n teimlo bod angen mwy o amser arnon ni.	I feel that we need more time.	A personal assessment
Mae'n well gen i de na choffi.	I prefer tea to coffee.	Two alternatives
Mae'n well gen i aros gartref heno.	I'd prefer to stay at home tonight.	Preference about a plan
Dw i'n cytuno â thi: mae'r syniad yn un da.	I agree with you: the idea is a good one.	Agreement plus a reason
Dw i ddim yn cytuno, ond dw i'n deall dy bwynt di.	I don't agree, but I understand your point.	Respectful disagreement
Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny. Mae'n dibynnu ar y pris.	I'm not sure about that. It depends on the price.	Doubt followed by a reason
Efallai, ond dw i'n meddwl bod ffordd well.	Maybe, but I think there is a better way.	Softened alternative opinion
Mae hynny'n wir, ond mae problem arall.	That's true, but there is another problem.	Partial agreement
Beth wyt ti'n feddwl am y cynllun?	What do you think about the plan?	Asking for an opinion

Common Mistakes

Keeping mae after meddwl

• Wrong: Dw i'n meddwl mae hynny'n dda.
• Right: Dw i'n meddwl bod hynny'n dda.
• Why: After meddwl, use bod to introduce the thought. Do not join two ordinary main-clause patterns as English does.

Leaving out yn inside the bod clause

• Wrong: Dw i'n meddwl bod y ffilm dda.
• Right: Dw i'n meddwl bod y ffilm yn dda.
• Why: In this pattern, yn links the subject y ffilm to the description da.

Translating “I prefer” word for word

• Wrong: Dw i'n preferio te.
• Right: Mae'n well gen i de.
• Why: Use the established Welsh idiom. Also notice the soft mutation te → de after gen i.

Using the unmutated form in fy marn i

• Wrong: Yn fy barn i...
• Right: Yn fy marn i...
• Why: Fy causes nasal mutation here, changing barn to marn.

Confusing “I don't agree” with “I'm not sure”

• Less suitable when you mean definite disagreement: Dw i ddim yn siŵr.
• Clear: Dw i ddim yn cytuno.
• Why: Ddim yn siŵr expresses uncertainty and can soften a response. If your position is definite, ddim yn cytuno states it accurately.

Forgetting the shortened 'n

• Wrong: Dw i meddwl bod hi yn iawn.
• Right: Dw i'n meddwl bod hi'n iawn.
• Why: In speech and normal writing, yn contracts after a vowel: i'n, hi'n, mae'n.

Usage Notes

Spoken variation

You may see Rydw i'n meddwl... as well as Dw i'n meddwl.... Both are understood; Dw i is extremely common in speech and learner materials, while full forms appear more often in careful or formal language. For “he” and for masculine nouns referred to as “it”, southern varieties often use e, while northern varieties commonly use o: bod e'n dda and bod o'n dda express the same basic idea.

Preference also shows regional variation. Mae'n well gen i... is a standard and especially common northern pattern; Mae'n well gyda fi... is widely heard in southern Welsh. It is sensible to recognise both and follow the variety used by your teacher, course, or local community.

Meddwl, credu, and teimlo

These verbs overlap, but they are not always interchangeable. Meddwl is the broad everyday choice for an opinion. Credu can mean “believe” and may suggest a belief or considered conclusion. Teimlo literally relates to feeling and is useful for a personal reaction, but it should not replace meddwl in every sentence simply because English sometimes says “I feel that...”.

Opinions are often followed by reasons

A bare opinion is grammatically complete, but conversation becomes more natural when you add a reason with achos “because” or a contrast with ond “but”:

• Dw i'n hoffi'r lle achos mae'n dawel. — I like the place because it is quiet.
• Dw i'n cytuno, ond mae'n rhy ddrud. — I agree, but it is too expensive.

These connectors help your opinion sound less like a memorised phrase and more like part of a real exchange.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master this section at A2, but the forms explain patterns you will meet in longer Welsh sentences.

When the subject inside the bod clause is a pronoun, Welsh can mark that subject with a possessive form before bod, followed by a reinforcing pronoun afterward. This produces a small paradigm (an organised set of related forms):

Form inside the clause	Meaning	Example
fy mod i	that I am	Mae hi'n gwybod fy mod i yma. — She knows that I am here.
dy fod di	that you are	Dw i'n credu dy fod di'n iawn. — I believe you are right.
ei fod e / o	that he is	Dw i'n meddwl ei fod e'n brysur. — I think he is busy.
ei bod hi	that she is	Dw i'n meddwl ei bod hi'n brysur. — I think she is busy.
ein bod ni	that we are	Mae e'n gwybod ein bod ni'n barod. — He knows that we are ready.
eich bod chi	that you are	Dw i'n gobeithio eich bod chi'n iawn. — I hope you are well.
eu bod nhw	that they are	Dw i'n credu eu bod nhw'n dod. — I believe they are coming.

The mutations in fy mod i, dy fod ti, and masculine ei fod e come from the possessive words before bod. At first, it is perfectly reasonable to rely on transparent clauses with a noun or demonstrative, such as bod y cynllun... or bod hynny.... Learn the full pronoun forms as complete chunks when you are ready.

More formal Welsh may also use nad to introduce a negative clause: Dw i'n meddwl nad ydy hynny'n wir “I think that isn't true.” There is a useful difference in emphasis between this and Dw i ddim yn meddwl bod hynny'n wir “I don't think that is true.” The first puts the negative idea inside the belief; the second makes the act of thinking negative. In ordinary conversation, the second is often an accessible way to disagree cautiously.

For more nuanced discussion, combine agreement and limitation:

• Dw i'n cytuno i raddau. — I agree to an extent.
• Ar y naill law..., ond ar y llaw arall... — On the one hand..., but on the other hand...
• Dydy hynny ddim yn hollol wir. — That isn't entirely true.

These phrases belong more naturally to later intermediate study, but recognising them will make discussions and written arguments easier to follow.

Practice Tips

1. Build opinions from simple statements. Write five statements with mae, such as Mae'r bwyty'n dda. Turn each one into an opinion: Dw i'n meddwl bod y bwyty'n dda. This directly practises the switch from mae to bod.
2. Rehearse three levels of response. For each claim, answer with agreement (Dw i'n cytuno), disagreement (Dw i ddim yn cytuno), and uncertainty (Dw i ddim yn siŵr am hynny). Add achos... and one short reason.
3. Compare real choices. Use Mae'n well gen i X na Y with food, transport, entertainment, and study habits. Saying personally meaningful sentences makes the mutations in phrases such as de na choffi easier to remember.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Bod — Present Tense — provides the dw i, mae, and yn patterns used throughout opinion sentences.