Likes and Dislikes in Welsh

Overview

Expressing what you like and dislike is one of the most common uses of language at the A1 level. Welsh uses several verbs for preferences — "hoffi" and "licio" (to like), "caru" (to love), and "casau" (to hate) — all within the familiar "bod + yn + verb-noun" pattern.

Welsh also has a distinctive way of expressing preference using "mae'n well gen i / gyda fi" (literally "it is better with me"), which does not have a direct equivalent construction in English. This structure is very common and worth learning early.

Both Northern and Southern Welsh have their preferred vocabulary, but the underlying grammatical patterns are the same.

How It Works

Basic Pattern: Bod + yn + hoffi/licio/caru/casau

Welsh	English
Dw i'n hoffi coffi.	I like coffee.
Mae hi'n caru canu.	She loves singing.
Dyw e ddim yn licio caws.	He doesn't like cheese.
Maen nhw'n casau glaw.	They hate rain.

Expressing Preference: Mae'n well gen i / gyda fi

Welsh	English	Region
Mae'n well gen i de.	I prefer tea.	North
Mae'n well gyda fi de.	I prefer tea.	South
Mae'n well gen i de na choffi.	I prefer tea to coffee.	With comparison

Asking About Preferences

Welsh	English
Wyt ti'n hoffi pysgod?	Do you like fish?
Beth wyt ti'n hoffi?	What do you like?
Pa un wyt ti'n hoffi fwyaf?	Which one do you like most?

Examples in Context

Welsh	English	Note
Dw i'n hoffi pysgod.	I like fish.	Basic like
Dyw e ddim yn licio caws.	He doesn't like cheese.	Negative
Mae'n well gen i de.	I prefer tea.	Northern preference
Dw i'n caru Cymru.	I love Wales.	Strong positive
Dw i'n casau glaw.	I hate rain.	Strong negative
Wyt ti'n hoffi chwaraeon?	Do you like sports?	Question
Mae hi'n licio darllen.	She likes reading.	With verb-noun
Mae'n well gyda fi gerdded.	I prefer walking.	Southern, with soft mutation
Dw i ddim yn hoffi cig.	I don't like meat.	Negative
Beth wyt ti'n hoffi wneud?	What do you like to do?	Open question

Common Mistakes

Confusing "hoffi" and "licio"

• Wrong: Nothing grammatically wrong — both work
• Right: "Hoffi" is slightly more formal; "licio" is colloquial. Both are perfectly acceptable.
• Why: These are synonyms with different registers. Use whichever feels natural.

Forgetting "na" in comparative preferences

• Wrong: Mae'n well gen i de coffi.
• Right: Mae'n well gen i de na choffi.
• Why: "Na" (than) is needed for comparison, and it triggers aspirate mutation of p, t, c.

Using wrong negative form

• Wrong: Dw i'n hoffi ddim caws.
• Right: Dw i ddim yn hoffi caws.
• Why: "Ddim" goes after the pronoun, before "yn," following the standard negative pattern.

Practice Tips

1. Make preference lists: Write down five things you like, five you dislike, and five you prefer. Say each one aloud in Welsh.

2. Ask others: Use "Wyt ti'n hoffi...?" in conversation. This is a simple, natural way to practice both questioning and preference vocabulary.

3. Compare with "na": Practice the "mae'n well gen i X na Y" pattern with different pairs of things.

Related Concepts

• Bod - Present Tense