"Ydy hi'n bwrw eira?"

Translation: Is it snowing?

[Rumactree]

So, i noticed:

Bwrw eira = to snow.
Bwrw glaw = to rain

And looked up Geiriadur Pryfysgol to check it and got:

Bwrw gwallt = to shed hair.
Bwrw blew = to shed fur.

Seems as though ‘bwrw’ means ‘to hit’ (like in the hover notes) but also ‘to cast (away)’:

Bwrw golwg = to cast a glance.
Bwrw allan = to cast out / to pour out
Etc etc.

Good word.

[94BlueLane]

I'm still struggling with why 'mae' becomes 'ydy' :( Could really do with a conjugation table or something!

[EllisVaughan]

Mae is the positive statement form. i.e Mae hi'n bwrw eira. (It is snowing.)
Dydy is the negative statement form i.e Dydy hi ddim yn bwrw eira. (It is not snowing.)
Ydy is the question form i.e Ydy hi'n bwrw eira. (Is it snowing?)

[Margaret885737]

There's a table in section 'present 3' of tips and notes.

https://duome.eu/tips/en/cy#Present-3

[SiblingCreature]

Do impersonal constructions like this always take the feminine form?

[ibisc]

It depends... However, when time, distance or the weather are referred to as 'it', it is the rule that they are referred to as hi in Welsh.

[HerrArbo]

"Tywydd" is feminine in Welsh, and the "it" you are referring to is "the weather".

[EllisVaughan]

No, "Tywydd" is a masculine noun e.g "Y tywydd" or "Tywydd gwlyb". SiblingCreature is pretty close to the mark, as constructions where a general "It" is referred to use "Hi". Compare "Mae hi'n saith o'r gloch" (It is seven o'clock), where hi is used despite "Amser" being a masculine noun.

[GyrnolSpwng]

Hmm, suddenly I know what Sgwd yr Eira means :-)