byth

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh byth, possibly borrowed from Old Irish bith, in which case doublet of byd.

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /bɨːθ/, /bɨ̞θ/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /bɪθ/
• Rhymes: -ɨːθ, -ɨ̞θ

Noun

byth m (plural bythoedd)

1. eternity

Derived terms

• am byth
• byth bythoedd
• bythol

Adverb

byth

1. even (following the comparative degree of adjectives)

   Mae hwn yn wael ond mae hwnna'n waeth byth!

   This is bad but that is even worse!

2. ever (in interrogative clauses)

   Wyt ti byth yn mynd i Iwerddon nawr?

   Do you ever go to Ireland now?

3. never, ever (in negative clauses)

   Nac ydw, dw i byth yn mynd yno ragor.

   No, I've never go there anymore. / No, I don't ever go there anymore.

Usage notes

• In the standard language, when qualifying verbs, erioed is used with completed tenses in the past (present perfect, simple past, pluperfect), while byth is used with other tenses (present, future, imperfect, conditional).

Dw i erioed wedi bwyta bara lawr.

I've never eaten laverbread.

Dw i byth yn bwyta bara lawr.

I never eat laverbread.

• In some southern dialects, byth may be used colloquially where standard language employs erioed.

Sa i byth 'di byta bara lawr.

I've never eaten laverbread.

• With verbs negated by ddim, byth is usually found in post-subject position, where it replaces the ddim.
• Byth usually resists mutation but may be mutated in some cases, for example, optionally when folloqing the comparative degree of adjectives.

Dyna well byth/fyth!

That's even better!

Related terms

• ambell waith, ar brydiau, weithiau (“sometimes”)
• bob amser, o hyd, trwy'r amser, wastad (“always”)
• erioed (“never”)
• pryd (“when”)
• rhywbryd (“sometime”)
• unrhyw bryd (“anytime”)

Mutation

References