The word ffrind in Welsh, clearly borrowed from English, may seem a bit redundant. Especially since Welsh does actually have its own native Celtic word for friend, which is cyfaill.
But if there’s one thing I love about Welsh, it’s that when words are borrowed, they quickly become ‘Welshified’. So in my mind, ffrind (plural: ffrindiau) is unique, a valid alternative to cyfaill rather than a less-authentic alternative. It’s as Welsh as friend is English. And that’s not just because we roll the ‘r’ when we say it!
ffrind
friend
Although ffrind is a borrowing, it’s not a particularly new one. It comes from the Middle English frind, hence the slightly different spelling and pronunciation to the Modern English word. This is also why the most common plural of ffrind is the very Welsh ffrindiau rather than one of the (valid!) alternatives: ffrinds and ffrins. For more recent borrowings, the plural is often borrowed along with them.
One really unique thing about this word is that the plural form, ffrindiau, is sometimes used as if it were a singular, particularly in the South, where the playful synonym bwrdis is also often used in this way. For example, this frequently happens in the phrase ffrindiau i fi (a friend to me).
Ffrind is a masculine noun, but it can be used to refer to a male or a female friend. This is unlike cyfaill, which technically only refers to men, with cyfailles meaning a female friend. However, in modern Welsh, cyfaill is often used to describe women too, as with ffrind.
Mae hi wedi bod yn ffrind da i mi erioed.
She has always been a good friend of mine.
Although it’s lovely to have a big cylch o ffrindiau (group of friends), many people feel closest to just one best friend. There are a few ways to translate best friends into Welsh, including:
- ffrindiau gorau
- cyfeillion gorau
- ffrindiau pennaf
- ben ffrindiau / bennaf ffrindiau
- ffrindiau garw
- ffrindiau mawr
In Welsh, being friends with someone is expressed as being a friend to someone—hence, ffrind i rywun or cyfaill i rywun. You can also say ffrindiau â rhywun, which is a more direct translation and perfectly acceptable. However, ffrindiau gyda rhywun is less common in many parts of Wales and, at least to me, doesn’t sound as natural.
On the other hand, if your friendship is just beginning, you would say mynd yn ffrindiau â rhywun (becoming friends with someone). At this stage, they might just be a cydnabod (acquaintance) or a cydweithiwr (coworker), or perhaps someone you know through teulu (family) or your cariad (lover/partner).
However you know someone, dod yn ffrindiau gwell (becoming better friends) can be nerve-wracking! Sometimes, it can feel even more intimidating than starting a new perthynas ramantus (romantic relationship), especially if you’re an anxious person.
Dylen ni fod yn ffrindiau’n unig.
We should just be friends.
A friendship in Welsh is generally called a cyfeillgarwch, so coming from the older Welsh word cyfaill. One exception is that in Ceredigion you may hear the absolutely amazing word ffrensibiaeth, which I definitely think we should bring back into fashion Wales-wide!
Do you have any ffrindiau with whom you can practise your Welsh?
