There are many different ways you can say “I wish…” in Welsh depending on preference and the formality of the language. This article covers the five most common translation for the phrase.
1. Basai’n dda gen i / Byddai’n dda gen i …
The literal translation for this phrase in English is, “It would be good with me.” If you want to use this phrase in a formal setting then use Byddai’n dda gen i…
The alternative Basai’n dda gen i would be more suitable to use in an informal context.
In some parts of South Wales or if you’re speaking to someone from that area, you might also come across the alternative gyda fi to replace gen i (literally “with me” in English).
Here are a few examples:
Basai’n / Byddai’n dda gen i / gyda fi fod wedi dweud hynna!
I wish I’d said that!
Basai’n / Byddai’n dda gen i / gyda fi fod wedi mynd i Landudno hefyd!
I wish I’d gone to Llandudno, too!
2. Dw i’n dymuno / Dymunaf …
You will certainly hear this phrase on your Welsh language journey. This might be in a restaurant when someone wants to order some food or in a conversation one might have with their friends. So, if you want to keep things simple and straightforward, stick with Dw i’n dymuno as it literally translates to “I wish”.
Don’t forget to add please at the end – os gweli di’n dda / os gwelwch yn dda / plîs for courtesy purposes!
Dymunaf is best used in formal contexts and it is used more frequently in written Welsh.
Here are a few examples:
Dw i’n dymuno ei weld, os gwelwch yn dda.
I wish to see him, please.
Dw i’n dymuno archebu’r pysgodyn oddi ar y fwydlen, os gwelwch yn dda.
I wish/I would like to order the fish, please.
Dymunaf pob lwc iddynt.
I wish them good luck.
3. Hoffwn …
This is another alternative for “I wish” and you will find that it’s probably one of the most common examples in the Welsh language along with Dw i’n dymuno. The literal translation in English is “I’d like”. This is a common used verb in the Welsh language and can be used to discuss anything you or someone else would like to have or would like to do/see.
Here are a few examples:
Hoffwn i fod wedi astudio mwy ar gyfer fy arholiadau.
I wish I had studied more for my exams.
Hoffwn pe gallwn gael car newydd!
I wish I could have a new car!
Hoffwn pe bawn i’n mynd ar fy ngwyliau hefyd!
I wish that I was going on holiday, too!
4. Mae gen i awydd …
This is another way to say “I wish” in the Welsh language and it literally translates to “I have a desire to”. It appears more in verbal Welsh, and one might argue that is not as common as the examples above. Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, the historical dictionary of the Welsh language, translates awydd as a “desire, wish, and appetite”:
Mae gen i awydd mynd i siopa yfory.
I wish/have a desire to go shopping tomorrow.
Mae gen i awydd bwyta’r gacen siocled i bwdin.
I wish/have a desire to eat the chocolate cake for dessert.
5. O na bawn i… (O na pe bawn i)
This translation is not as common as the others however it is still used among Welsh speakers. It is more likely to be heard among the older generation or in formal contexts such as written Welsh.
Below are a few examples for you to see how the phrase is used:
O na bawn i yno fy hunan.
Oh I wish I was there myself.
O na bawn i wedi cyrraedd yn gynt.
Oh I wish I reached earlier.
Can you think of any other ways to say “I wish” in Welsh? If so, let us know in the comments section below!
