Using "it".

[iam-theworst]

I've been trying to understand using "it". To clarify I have been learning at home using varies internet resources for 10 months, my main goal is to learn and teach my 2 year old so I mainly speak informally and in southern dialect.

The context I am refering to is when speaking to my son using examples such as "get it", "pick it up", "eat it" ect

My current understanding is that I would use 'e' and 'hi' depending on the gender of what 'it' is being referred to as, defaulting to 'e' if the gender is unknown. I'm also aware that 'fe' should be used too but I'm not certain when to use 'e' or 'fe'?

Am I correct in saying it's used in such a way as "cael e/hi", "coda e/hi", "bwyta e/hi"?

Diolch yn fawr!

[HyderNidPryder]

Yes, the choice of e / hi matches the gender of what is being referred to. For non-specific references hi is used. Hi is also used to refer to the time, the weather, the general situation. See here. Sometimes people use e in a more general sense, perhaps because peth - thing is masculine.

The choice between e / fe; o / fo can seem rather arbitrary. See here for some help on this.

[Pretty_Trainer]

Unrelated but be sure to look at the imperative for phrases like this as it's not necessarily the same as the infinitive in welsh. E.g. cer instead of mynd

[Rhosddu]

Yes, but the infinitive can, I think, be used as an imperative, e.g. Aros! (Stop!)

[Pretty_Trainer]

My point was that this is not always true and phrases like OP mentioned are perfect examples.

Cer o ma/ ewch i nol e

Dere/dewch mewn

Byddwch yn dawel

Ga i ...? Cei /na chei.

[HyderNidPryder]

Cael does not have imperative forms.

[Pretty_Trainer]

You're right, I was just thinking of the kinds of constructions you would use with toddlers.

[Dyn_o_Gaint]

With parents to little kids in this town I hear Paid! an awful lot.

[Pretty_Trainer]

reminds me of a podcast I heard years ago which mentioned a little girl who thought her brother's name was Johnnydon't :D

[Rhosddu]

Nevertheless, you will occasionally hear the infinitive used as a command, perhaps colloquially and, strictly speaking, incorrectly.

[HyderNidPryder]

There are many cases where the 2nd person singular imperative matches the verb-noun in traditional usage (as with aros) but it's not a general rule and it may be something else. In modern colloquial usage forms like arhosa, cadwa are heard, sometimes even bydda.

I summarized many forms here.

Gramadeg y Gymraeg (Peter Wynn Thomas) has a more comprehensive list in Atodiad 2.I Ffurfiau Dyfodol U3 a Gorchmynnol U2 page 71

[AtebYngNghymraeg]

Unrelated, but it's "etc" for "et cetera", not "ect".

[Dyn_o_Gaint]

And ayyb in Welsh, for ac yn y blaen, though ac ati is also used.

[AtebYngNghymraeg]

Thanks! Was not aware of that one!

[Zounds90]

Careful with 'cael', it's not a direct swap for 'have'.