Making nouns plural

[Cadwgan]

I know I'm not going to like the answer to this question, but is there any way to make learning the plural forms of nouns easier? Rules or guidelines for certain catagories, or anything?! To me this has been the most frustrating part of learning Welsh.

[Sioni]

Mmmmm. Ok, first off, as you know, it's not so simplified as English. But then if you think about it, for a learner of English making plurals isn't as easy as you think.

There are a few tips that I can give you (There will probably be exceptions! ):

The most productive plural is -au
Words ending in -ad adroddiad - adroddiadau, syniad - syniadau
Words ending in -aeth gwasanaeth - gwasanaethau
Words ending in -deb undeb - undebau, diddordeb - diddordebau
Words ending in -es (merch) athrawes - athrawesau
Words ending in -iant methiant - methiannau, diwydiant - diwydiannau

The ending -aid is added to some nouns for people and creatures:

cymar - cymheiriaid, estron - estroniaid, pagan - paganiaid
ffoadur - ffoaduriaid, pechadur - pechaduriaid, henadur - henaduriaid
anifail - anifeiliaid, blaidd - bleiddiaid, locust - locustiaid

The ending -od is given to many animals:

llew - llewod, camel - camelod, cath - cathod
NB. Watch out! baban - babanod, gwrach - gwrachod, menyw - menywod

There are a couple other tips. I'll have a think.

[Cadwgan]

Bless ya, Sioni!!!

That helped me more than you will ever know!



I seem to recall a rule about dropping any -en or yn or something to animals and plants that are referred to collectively. Did I get that right?

[Sioni]

Bless ya, Sioni!!!

That helped me more than you will ever know!



I seem to recall a rule about dropping any -en or yn or something to animals and plants that are referred to collectively. Did I get that right?

I wouldn't think so:

asyn - asynnod
asen - asennod
corryn - corynnod

If you can think of an example, I may be able to get your point more clearly.

[Cadwgan]

Here goes nothing:

'rhosyn' becomes 'rhos'
'malwoden' becomes 'malwod'

Don't know if I'll have discussions about snails often...

[Sioni]

Here goes nothing:

'rhosyn' becomes 'rhos'
'malwoden' becomes 'malwod'

Don't know if I'll have discussions about snails often...

The usual plurals for 'rhosyn' are 'rhosynnau' or 'rhosynnod'. 'Rhos' is only used in literature.

I see now. Yes, 'malwen' - 'malwod', 'llygoden' - 'llygod'. I think there are more on the exception to the rule side of the coin.

[Cadwgan]

Bloody hell. And I thought I just had a breakthrough.

[Sioni]

No. You are right that plurals are formed by dropping the ending, but it's not only with those endings. Give me a little time to muse this one.