# Welsh: bod am



## Gavril

Nos da,

The phrase _bod am _seems to mean “want”, based on the contexts in which I’ve heard it. Is _bod am _synonymous with _eisiau_, or does it have implications/connotations that _eisiau _doesn’t?

Also, can _bod am _be used with a noun or a verb? (E.g., would it be equally acceptable to say _Rydw i am fudo i'r Trallwng _“I want to move to Welshpool” vs. _Mae e(f) am deisen _“He wants some cake”?)

Diolch


----------



## L'irlandais

Hi Gavril,
I'm not a Welsh speaker, nor did I manage to find the term "bod am" on-line.  However perhaps the following links may be of help to you.

Bod = to be *Source* (scroll down to section on verbs.)


> *Bod* = being
> 
> 
> *eisiau* = to want, need


Perhaps then the first term "bod am" is a colloquialism.


----------



## Gavril

_bod am_ ("be" + "for" = "want") isn't mentioned in any of those three links, as far as I can see.

It's quite possible that _bod am_ is a colloquialism (I wasn't taught it when I studied Welsh), but regardless, I have questions about this phrase's semantics (see my first post) which I'm hoping knowledgeable Welsh speakers can answer.


----------



## Tegs

I'm a native speaker of Welsh. The use of 'am' after the verb 'bod' (to be) means 'to be going to' in this context:

Rydw i am fudo - I am going to relocate.  

_Mae ef am deisen_ is incorrect and therefore means nothing  When using 'am' for such structures, it must be followed by a verb. To make this correct, you could say 'Mae e am _fwyta _teisen' - he is going to eat a cake. 

Wyt ti am fynd i'r sinema? means 'are you going to go to the cinema?', to give you another example.


----------



## Gavril

Tegs said:


> I'm a native speaker of Welsh. The use of 'am' followed by the verb 'bod' (to be) means 'to be going to' in this context:
> 
> Rydw i am fudo - I am going to relocate.
> 
> _Mae ef am deisen_ is incorrect and therefore means nothing  When using 'am' for such structures, it must be followed by a verb. To make this correct, you could say 'Mae e am _fwyta _teisen' - he is going to eat a cake.
> 
> Wyt ti am fynd i'r sinema? means 'are you going to go to the cinema?', to give you another example.



Thanks. Is there a difference of meaning, then, between

1) _Rydw i am fudo 
_
2) _Byddaf i'n mudo
_
and

3) _Mudaf i_

?


----------



## Tegs

Rydw i am fudo can either be I am going to relocate or I intend to relocate depending on the context whereas byddaf i'n mudo is I will relocate (future tense). 

Mudaf i Gaer is I relocate/ am relocating to Chester, present tense - note that you will never hear anyone say this is spoken Welsh.


----------



## Cerinwen

Hello Gavril.  I'm a native Welsh speaker and if you want to say 'I want'  it's 'Dw i 'isho'.  It's difficult to write down spoken Welsh, but you'll hear this as 'Dwisho'......'Dwisho symyd i......' which is 'I want to move to.....'


----------

