"Wales is a fine country."

Translation: Gwlad braf ydy Cymru.

[jeff121271]

Is there something wrong with trying to structure this like,
"Mae Cymru yn gwlad braf"?

[ibisc]

Not really - it just sounds a bit limp! The emphatic construction, as in the example, is used much more often in Welsh than in English.

(And it would be 'mae xxx yn wlad braf' - soft mutation of gwlad.)

[zjwelch]

Is there something wrong with "Cymru ydy gwlad braf"? Wouldn't this just emphasize that it's wales instead of emphasizing the fine country part?

[johnWillia845851]

As gwlad is feminine, why doesn't braf have a soft mutation to fraf?

[ibisc]

It is an exception - braf resists mutation.

[Jess654627]

Why?.... :/

[LadyColubrid]

Because languages can be quirky!

[deactivated user]

How come 'ydy' also makes sense? Isn't that just in questions?

[ibisc]

No, ydy/yw is used in other patterns as well.

Here, the sentence is an emphatic one, so the thing being emphasised - gwlad braf - is moved to the front of the sentence, just as we do with people's names or jobs and so on. If the sentence is started with a noun (including a name or a job title) or an adjective, then the verb-form is ydy/yw rather than mae:

• Sioned yw hi - She is Sioned.
• Meddyg yw hi - She is a doctor.
• Meddyg da yw Sioned - Sioned is a good doctor.
• Menyw dal ydy Sioned, nid un fer - Sioned is a tall woman, not a short one. (Emphasising the fact)

But:

• Mae'r tywydd yn braf - The weather is fine. (No emphasis)
• Mae Cymru'n wlad braf - Wales is a fine country. (But not emphasising it)
• Mae Sioned yn dal - Sioned's tall. (But not emphatically so)

Emphasis is used much more often in Welsh than in English.

[YmaSmitty]

An interesting conversation, even if it is a year old. Thanks.

[LordLudich]

Does saying "Iawn" instead of "Braf" work in this context?

[ibisc]

No, iawn is not generally used as an adjective to describe something in that way.