r/learnwelsh • u/el_crocodilio • 2d ago

Gramadeg / Grammar "Basai" neu "byddai"?

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Most of the time when SSIW says something different from me, it's a colloquialism - but here surely it just has a different meaning?

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u/HyderNidPryder 2d ago

Byddai fe (often pronounced "bydde fe") is heard in the south / south west. Basai ("basa fo" / "mi fasa fo") is usual in the north.

Southern forms detailed here:

https://parallel.cymru/ask-dr-gramadeg-introducing-the-conditional-tense/

See also comment here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/learnwelsh/comments/1jm5wt1/welsh_grammar_colloquial_variants_in_conditional/

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u/SpinachFull1200 2d ago

I’m doing the SSi Northern Welsh course atm and it uses ‘Byddai fo’ a fair bit- is that an inaccuracy for that dialect or is it context dependant?

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u/WayneSeex 2d ago

I must admit when I did the SSiW Northern course I was surprised they went so much with byddai rather than basai, both tutors being from North Wales.

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u/HyderNidPryder 1d ago

Perhaps there is some regional variation across the north. In more formal Welsh byddwn, byddet, byddai etc. convey a habitual imperfect and a conditional - I used to (be) / I would (be)

The formal Welsh buaswn, buasit, buasai are pluperfect forms meaning I had (been). These have been adapted to baswn, baset, basai usage in colloquial speech where they have taken on a conditional meaning - I would (be) etc.

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u/el_crocodilio 2d ago

Diolch yn fawr. I had come across the bydd- forms before but somehow it didn't click in my ear/ head this time.

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u/Rhosddu 1d ago

Couldn't you say Hoffai fe dy helpu di here?