"I'm an actress."

Translation: Actores dw i.

[BenOwen]

Is there a reason why this cannot be 'Dw i actores' rather than 'actores dw i'?

[EllisVaughan]

To write the sentence that way round it would have to be "dw i'n actores" but most people would use "__ dw i" for sentences like that.

[RandallMiles]

I believe you should. My understanding from the Welsh grammar book I have is that it is a matter of emphasis. "Dw i actores" = "I AM an actress" while "Actores dw i" = "i am AN ACTRESS". I have protested this and hopefully DL will start accepting either.

[BeckyJeff]

Correct apart from the fact that to write it with "dw i" at the beginning you need to add "yn" before actress. Because "yn" comes after the vowel "i" it gets condensed to "i'n". "Dw i'n actores".

[RandallMiles]

Since "actress" is not a verb, why would you need "yn" before it? My understanding is that "yn" introduces a verb.

[BeckyJeff]

"Yn" is used in many different ways in welsh - one of which is before a verb that's in progress. It is also used as a preposition "in" (eg. "in the room"="yn yr ystafell". Finally it is used before predicative adjectives (as opposed to attributive adjectives). Eg. the difference between "She is happy" and "The happy woman": "mae hi'n hapus" and "y ddynes hapus". "Yn" is used in the former but not the latter.

Not a grammar expert but speak welsh at home - so I may need someone to back me up on the technicalities here :)