How to Use ‘Am’ in Welsh 

Am is a very common preposition in Welsh, and yet learners struggle to find resources detailing exactly when it should be used. Today I wanted to do my best to put that right.

Students often ask me what am means, and the answer is, like many prepositions, it can mean a range of different things, including for, about, and at to name just a few. 

With that in mind, here is one man’s attempt to explain the word am in Welsh. 

Amdani! 

Conjugation of ‘am’ 

Like many Welsh prepositions, am should be conjugated before a pronoun. Here is the conjugation table for am: 

And remember, of course, that most prepositions in Welsh require a soft mutation immediately following them. Am is no exception.

1. Am = about 

This sense of am means ‘about; concerning’. 

• Mae’n lyfr am hanes. = It’s a book about history.
• Siaradon nhw am y tywydd. = They spoke about the weather.
• Beth wyt ti’n meddwl am y syniad? = What do you think about the idea?
• Mae hi’n poeni am yr arholiad. = She is worrying about the exam.
• Beth amdana i? = What about me? 

In very colloquial south Wales Welsh, ambiti (or just ‘biti) is used instead of am to mean ‘about’.  

• Be’ ti’n meddwl ambiti’r syniad? = What do you think about the idea? 
• Mae’n poeni ‘biti’r arholiad. = She’s worrying about the exam.

In colloquial north Wales Welsh, amdan is used to mean am: 

• Be’ ti’n meddwl amdan y syniad? = What do you think about the idea? 

Note that ambiti/biti can also be used to mean other senses of ‘about’ such as ‘approximately’ or ‘around’ – neither am nor amdan can be used in these cases. For example: 

• ambiti dau filltir – around two miles 
• cerdded ambiti – walking around

Neither ambiti nor amdan is really correct Welsh, and both are considered substandard by many speakers. 

2. Am = ‘for’ 

Quite often, but not always, ‘for’ in English should be translated with am. In most of these cases, am is the only possible option that makes sense. Here are the main cases where am = ‘for’: 

1. With verbs 

Most of the time, when a verb is followed by ‘for’ in English, we should use am in Welsh. Here are just a few examples: 

• Go for (Mynd am) 
• Rydyn ni’n mynd am dro ar y traeth. = We are going for a walk on the beach.
• Ask for (Gofyn am) 
• Fe ofynnodd am help gyda’i waith cartref. = He asked for help with his homework.
• Call for (Galw am) 
• Mae’r sefyllfa’n galw am weithredu ar unwaith. = The situation calls for immediate action.
• Hope for (Gobeithio am) 
• Rydw i’n gobeithio am dywydd da yfory. = I am hoping for good weather tomorrow.
• Prepare for (Paratoi am) (‘at’ is also possible) 
• Mae hi’n brysur yn paratoi ar gyfer yr arholiad. = She is busy preparing for the exam.
• Look for (Edrych am) 
• Beth wyt ti’n edrych amdano? = What are you looking for?

But note the common exception gweithio i (work for). 

Note also that the northern amdan can be used in these cases, but not the southern ambiti, as ambiti is only used to mean ‘about’. 

2. In order to obtain/acquire 

• Aeth hi i’r siop am laeth. = She went to the shop for milk.
• Anfonodd ei fab am y papur newydd. = He sent his son for the newspaper.
• Dw i’n mynd am dro bob bore. = I go for a walk every morning.

3. Because of 

• Cafodd ei gosbi am ddweud celwydd. = He was punished for lying.
• Mae Cymru’n enwog am ei chestyll. = Wales is famous for its castles.

4. For the first/second/third etc. time

• Es i i Gymru am y tro cyntaf yn 2016. = I went to Wales for the first time in 2016.
• Am y degfed tro heddiw, stopia wneud y sŵn yna! = For the tenth time today, stop making that noise!

5. Following a command (note ‘i’ is also possible here) 

• Dywedais i wrthot ti am gau’r drws. = I told you to close the door. 
• Gofynnodd imi am beidio siarad. = He asked me not to speak. 

6. Duration (future) 

• ‘Rwy’n mynd i ffwrdd am bythefnos. = I’m going away for a fortnight.

Note that in the present and past, ‘ers’ should be used instead of ‘am’, though ‘am’ is very often mistakenly used here. 

• Rydw i yma ers tri diwrnod/tridiau. = I have been here for three days.

7. Distance

• ‘Dw i wedi rhedeg am 5 cilomedr. = I’ve run for 5 kilometres.
• ‘Dan ni’n gallu gweld am filltiroedd. = We can see for miles.

8. In exchange for (including ‘thanks for’ and ‘sorry for’)

• Gwerthais i fy nghar am £1,000. = I sold my car for £1,000.
• Beth wnei di roi i mi am hwn? = What will you give me for this?
• Diolch am eich help. = Thank you for your help.

9. As if, as (Note ‘fel’ is also possible here) 

• Derbyniwyd ei stori am wir. = The story was taken for (as if) true.
• Mae’n cael ei cymryd am Frenin. = He is taken for a King.

10. Following ‘heblaw’ and ‘oni bai’

Note that am is entirely optional with heblaw. 

• Roedd pawb yno heblaw (am) Siôn. = Everyone was there except Siôn.

Oni bai am can mean ‘were it not for’, ‘except for’ or ‘unless’. Unlike heblaw, oni bai requires am after it where it means ‘were it not for’ or ‘except for’:

• Oni bai am y glaw, bydden ni’n mynd i’r parc. = Were it not for the rain, we would go to the park.
• Fe wnaeth pawb yn dda yn yr arholiad, oni bai am un person. = Everyone did well in the exam, except for one person.

When it means ‘unless’, oni bai is followed by a content clause: 

• Oni bai eich bod chi’n dod ata i, fedra i ddim eich helpu chi. = I cannot help you unless you come to me.

11. If only I had…

• Am dŷ yn y wlad! = Oh, for a house in the country!

Other assorted phrases containing ‘for’ that use ‘am’: 

• y rheswm am… – The reason for… –
• A am afal – A for Apple
• tynnu am ddau o’r gloch, 60 etc. – Getting on for (2 o’clock, 60, etc.)
• gair am air – word for word
• am byth – forever
• am y tro – for now 
• am wn i – for all I know
• am ddim – free; for free 

When am cannot be used to mean ‘for’ 

The examples above show that very many of the senses of ‘for’ in English can be translated as am in Welsh. Whilst it is helpful to learn these cases, and I would encourage you to do so, it may prove more practical for learners short on time to focus more on the few common cases where ‘for’ cannot be translated using am. 

Most of the time, we should use i instead, although sometimes ar gyfer, o blaid or dros may be more appropriate.

These cases are:  

1) Directed at; intended to benefit or belong to; for the use/consumption of (instead, use i):

• Mae gen i neges i ti. = I have a message for you.
• Prynodd e’r blodau yna i’w fam. = He bought those flowers for his mother.
• Ydy’r sedd yma i rywun? = Is this seat for anyone?
• Dydy’r llyfr yma ddim yn addas i blant. = This book is not suitable for children.
• Dydy siocled ddim i gŵn. = Chocolate is not for dogs.  

2) For an occasion, celebration or meal (instead: i):

• Cefais i grawnfwyd i frecwast.  = I had cereal for breakfast.
• Mae Tomos yn cael xBox i ‘Dolig. = Tomos is having an xBox for Christmas.

3) In preparation for, for the purpose of (instead: at or ar gyfer)

• Ar gyfer beth mae’r botwm yma? = What is this button for?
• Mae’r arian yma at y rhent. = This money is for the rent.
• Mae’r brwsh yma ar gyfer peintio waliau. = This brush is for painting walls.

4) Introducing the subject of ‘to-infinitive’ clauses (instead: i)

• Mae’n amser i ti fynd. = It is time for you to go.
• Y ffordd hawsaf yw i mi yrru. = The easiest way is for me to drive.

5) As far as someone/something is concerned (e.g. ‘it’s easy for me, it’s possible for them, it’s difficult for John, etc.) (instead: i)

• Fe aeth popeth yn dda i mi. = Everything worked out well for me.
• Mae’n anodd i mi weld y ffordd yn y tywydd yma. = It’s hard for me to see the road in this weather.

6) Supporting; in favour of (instead: o blaid)

• Mae hon yn ddadl dda o blaid adeiladu parc newydd. = This is a good argument for building a new park.

7) On behalf of (instead: dros) 

• Rydw i’n siarad dros fy nghydweithwyr nad ydyn nhw yma heddiw. = I am speaking for my colleagues who are not here today.

Note that colloquially, it is far more common to hear ‘i’ rather than ‘dros’ when talking about doing something on behalf of/instead of/for the benefit of another person: 

• Fydd hi ddim yn gwneud o i ti, ‘sti. = She won’t do it for you, y’know.

8) By the standards of (instead: o) 

Though ‘am’ is extremely common here, the technically correct preposition is ‘o’. 

• Mae e’n dal iawn o’i oedran. = He is very tall for his age.
• Mae hi’n gynnes o fis Ionawr. = It’s warm for January.

Other phrases containing ‘for’ that do not use ‘am’: 

• I beth mae’n dda? = What is it for?
• Er mwyn y tad = For God’s sake
• At achos (da) = For a (good) cause
• I frecwast/ginio/de/swper = For breakfast/lunch/supper
• Er engrhaifft = For example
• Teimladau tuag at rhywun = Feelings for (i.e. towards) someone
• Yn un peth… = For one thing

3. Am = at 

Am is also our way of saying ‘at’ in two main contexts. 

The first is in reference to clock time. 

• Mae’r siop yn agor am naw o’r gloch. = The shop opens at nine o’clock.
• Wnaethon ni gwrdd am hanner dydd i gael cinio. = We met at midday to have lunch.
• Bydd y rhaglen yn dechrau am hanner awr wedi saith. = The programme will start at half past seven.

The second is in describing ability (‘good at’, ‘bad at’, etc.):  

• Dw i’n dda am bêl-droed. = I’m good at football. 
• Un gwael yw e am ddweud celwydd. = He’s bad at lying.

4. Am + verb to mean ‘going/willing/want to’ 

When immediately followed by a verb, ‘am’ can mean ‘going to’, ‘willing to’ or ‘want to’. 

• Rydw i am fynd adref. = I want to go home. I’m going to go home.
• Ydy hi am ddod gyda ni? = Does she want to come with us? / Is she going to come with us?
• Doedd e ddim am wrando arna i. = He wasn’t willing to listen to me. / He didn’t want to listen to me.

Am can also be used in this way to express desire for someone else to do something. Here, i must be included before the subject of the desired action:  

• Rydw i am i ti fynd adref. = I want you to go home. 
• Wyt ti am iddi ddod gyda ni? = Do you want her to come with us?

If an English sentence ends in going/willing/want to, we usually cannot simply end the Welsh sentence with am – we have to add gwneud: 

• Dywedais i wrtho am symud, ond doedd o ddim am wneud. = I told him to move, but he wasn’t willing to. 

However, ‘if you want to’ can be expressed using ‘os wyt ti am’.  

• Gawn ni brynu’r ticedi heno, os wyt ti am. = We can buy the tickets tonight, if you want to. 

Other uses 

Am can also be used in exclamations before a noun to mean ‘what a…!’ or before an adjective to mean ‘how…!’: 

• Am lanastr! = What a mess! 
• Am annheg! = How unfair! 

It can also mean ‘around’ or ‘on’ in reference to clothing or other attire.  

• Roedd ganddi sgarff sidan hardd am ei gwddf. = She had a beautiful silk scarf around her neck. 
• Dau gi bach yn mynd i’r coed, esgid newydd am bob troed. = Two small dogs going to the woods, new shoes on their feet. A famous nursery rhyme! 

Some other useful phrases that use am: 

• Beth am…? = What about…?
• Amdani! – Let’s go! 
• Amdani – In trouble; ‘for it’ 
• Dim dwywaith amdani – No two ways about it