Welsh edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Middle Welsh eisseu, from Proto-Brythonic *eisɨɣu, related to the laterLatin exiguus (having required).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

eisiau m (uncountable)

  1. (with bod and a preceding subject; functioning as a verbnoun) want
    Dw i eisiau diod.
    I want a drink.
    Dw i eisiau yfed.
    I want to drink.
    Mae hi eisiau diod hefyd.
    She wants a drink too.
  2. (with bod, a noun, pronoun or numeral and the preposition ar) need
    Mae eisiau diod arna i.
    I need a drink.
    Mae eisiau diod arni hi hefyd.
    She needs a drink too.
  3. (with bod and an i-content clause) need
    Mae eisiau i mi yfed.
    I need to drink.
  4. (literary) want (with bod and preposition ar)
    • 1588, Y Beibl cyssegr-lan, Salm 23:1:
      Yr Arglwydd yw fy Mugail; ni bydd eisiau arnaf.
      The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Usage notes edit

  • In sense 1, because eisiau is a noun, it does not use yn with bod and has no stem, meaning it must be used periphrastically. See angen (need) and ofn (be afraid of) for similar examples.

Synonyms edit

Mutation edit

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal h-prothesis
eisiau unchanged unchanged heisiau
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.