Editing Welsh language (section)

==Syntax==
{{Main|Welsh syntax}}

The canonical word order in Welsh is [[verb–subject–object]] (VSO).

Colloquial Welsh inclines very strongly towards the use of auxiliaries with its verbs, as in English. The present tense is constructed with {{lang|cy|bod}} ('to be') as an [[auxiliary verb]], with the main verb appearing as a [[verbnoun]] (used in a way loosely equivalent to an infinitive) after the particle {{lang|cy|yn}}:
:{{lang|cy|Mae Siân yn mynd i Lanelli}}
:Siân is going to Llanelli.
There, {{lang|cy|mae}} is a third-person singular present indicative form of {{lang|cy|bod}}, and {{lang|cy|mynd}} is the verb-noun meaning "to go". The [[imperfect]] is constructed in a similar manner, as are the [[periphrastic]] forms of the [[future tense|future]] and [[conditional mood|conditional]] tenses.

In the [[preterite]], future and conditional mood tenses, there are [[inflected language|inflected]] forms of all verbs, which are used in the written language. However, speech now more commonly uses the verbnoun together with an inflected form of {{lang|cy|gwneud}} ('do'), so "I went" can be {{lang|cy|Mi es i}} or {{lang|cy|Mi wnes i fynd}} ('I did go'). {{lang|cy|Mi}} is an example of a preverbal particle; such particles are common in Welsh, though less so in the spoken language.

Welsh lacks separate pronouns for constructing subordinate clauses; instead, special verb forms or relative pronouns that appear identical to some preverbal particles are used.

===Possessives as direct objects of verbnouns===
The Welsh for "I like Rhodri" is {{lang|cy|Dw i'n hoffi Rhodri}} (word for word, "am I [the] liking [of] Rhodri"), with ''Rhodri'' in a possessive relationship with ''hoffi''. With personal pronouns, the possessive form of the personal pronoun is used, as in "I like ''him''": [{{lang|cy|Dw i'n '''ei''' hoffi}}], literally, "am I ''his'' liking" – "I like ''you''" is [{{lang|cy|Dw i'n '''dy''' hoffi}}] ('am I ''your'' liking'). Very informally, the pronouns are often heard in their normal subject/object form and aping English word order: {{lang|cy|Dw i'n hoffi ti}} ('Am I liking you').

===Pronoun doubling===
In colloquial Welsh, possessive pronouns, whether they are used to mean "my", "your", etc. or to indicate the direct object of a verbnoun, are commonly reinforced by the use of the corresponding personal pronoun after the noun or verbnoun: {{lang|cy|ei dŷ '''e'''}} "his house" (literally "his house ''of him''"), {{lang|cy|Dw i'n dy hoffi '''di'''}} "I like you" ('I am [engaged in the action of] your liking ''of you''{{'}}), etc. The "reinforcement" (or, simply, "redoubling") adds no emphasis in the colloquial register. While the possessive pronoun alone may be used, especially in more formal registers, as shown above, it is considered incorrect to use only the personal pronoun. Such usage is nevertheless sometimes heard in very colloquial speech, mainly among young speakers: {{lang|cy|Ble 'dyn ni'n mynd? Tŷ ti neu dŷ fi?}} ('Where are we going? Your house or my house?').