Ymadroddion Idiomau yn y Gymraeg / Common Idioms in Welsh

Isod, mae rhestr o ymadroddion a phriod-ddulliau pob dydd yn Gymraeg. Idiomau nodweddiadol Cymraeg yw llawer ohonyn nhw ac felly ni ellir eu cyfieithu’n llythrennol o’r Gymraeg i’r Saesneg (neu i’r gwrthwyneb). Rydym wedi cynnwys enghraifft o sut i ddefnyddio pob un yn y golofn ar y dde. Mae llawer o briod-ddulliau Cymraeg yn mynegi teimlad mewn ffordd gryno e.e. 'Cenedl heb iaith (yw) cenedl heb galon'. Mae i'r rhan fwya' ohonyn nhw rythm cryf pan gân nhw'u hadrodd yn uchel e.e.'A ddwg ŵy a ddwg fwy'. Ar ben hynny, mae llawer yn creu delwedd fyw e.e. 'Mae e’n cadw draenog yn ei boced'. Gallwch ddefnyddio'r offeryn ‘Dod o hyd’ yn eich porwr i chwilio am idiom penodol yr ydych wedi'i glywed.

Yr hyn sy'n gwneud y casgliad hwn yn wahanol i gyflwyniadau eraill yw bod yr eitemau wedi'u trefnu mewn grwpiau; i ddechrau, mae rhai ymadroddion cyffredin iawn ar gyfer pobl sy’n newydd i’r iaith, ac eraill sy wedi'u trefnu yn ôl pynciau. Nodwch y bydd yn rhaid newid ambell i air (e.e. rhagenw personol), yn dibynnu ar y person neu’r bobl byddwch chi’n cyfeirio atyn nhw.

Below is a list of common expressions. Many of them are idioms, because they cannot be translated straight from Welsh to English, either word-for-word or vice versa. They are sayings that are characteristic and particular to Welsh.Many Welsh idioms express a sentiment in a concise way, such as 'Cenedl heb iaith yw cenedl heb galon' ('A nation without a language is a nation without a heart'). Most of them have a strong rhythm when they are spoken out loud, such as 'A ddwg ŵy a ddwg fwy' ('He who steals an egg will steal more'). And then again, very many create a vivid image such as 'Mae e’n cadw draenog yn ei boced' ('He keeps a hedgehog in his pocket' for 'He's tight with money').

What makes this collection different from other presentations is that the items are collated into groups; initially there are some very common expressions for those new to the language, and then others arranged by topic. We have included an example of how to use each one in the column on the right. Note that you’ll have to change some of them depending on the person or the people to whom you’re referring. You can use the Find function on your browser to look for a particular idiom that you have heard.

Mae'r cynnwys hwn wedi'i goladu a'i drefnu gan Patrick Jemmer, gyda diolch i Dafydd Roberts a David Sutton
Collated and arranged by Patrick Jemmer, with thanks to Dafydd Roberts and David Sutton

Idiomataidd Cyffredin / Common Idioms

Detholiad o'r idiomau a glywir gan amlaf / A selection of the most-heard idioms.

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Dehongliad / Interpretation	Mewn cyd-destun / In context
Ail law	Second-hand	Mae hi’n hoff o wisgo ‘sanau ail law She’s fond of wearing second-hand socks
Ar ben	Over / finished	Mae’r arholiadau ar ben erbyn hyn, diolch byth! The exams are finished now, thank goodness!
Ar ben ei gilydd Ar bennau ei gilydd	On top of each other / crammed in	Dyna lanast! Mae’r lluniau oll ar bennau ei gilydd What a mess! All the pictures are on top of each other
Ar fy mhen fy hun Ar dy ben dy hun Ar ei ben ei hun Ar ei phen ei hun Ar ein pennau ein hunain Ar eich pennau eich hunain Ar ei pennai eu hunain	On his own On your own On his own On her own On our own On your own On their own	Dw i’n casáu bod ar fy mhen fy hunan yn y tywyllwch I hate being on my own in the dark
Arllwys y glaw	Pouring rain	Mae hi’n arllwys y glaw heddi’ fel arfer It’s pouring with rain today as usual
Ar bigau'r drain	On the points of thorns / On tenterhooks / on edge	Ro’n ni ar bigau’r drain wrth ddisgwyl y canlyniadau We were on tenterhooks awaiting the results
Ar y blaen / Ar flaen	In front / ahead / leading	Mae tîm Cymru ar y blaen yn y gystadleuaeth hyd yn hyn The Welsh team is leading in the competition so far
Ar bob cyfrif	Of course / with pleasure / by all means	Ydych, dych chi’n gallu dod gyda ni ar bob cyfrif Yes, you can come with us by all means
Allan o wynt	Out of breath	Ar ôl dringo’r staer bydda’ i allan o wynt After climbing the stairs I’ll be out of breath
A’m gwynt yn fy nwrn A'th wynt yn dy ddwrn A'i wynt yn ei ddwrn A'i gwynt yn ei dwrn A'n gwynt yn ein dyrnau A'ch gwynt yn eich dyrnau A'u gwynt yn eu dyrrnau	With my wind in my fist / Out of breath	Cyrhaeddodd hi’r ysgol a’i gwynt yn ei dwrn, wedi rhedeg yr holl ffordd yno She arrived at school out of breath, having run the whole way there
Bob amser	All the time / always	Maen nhw’n dod yn hwyr bob amser They come late all the time / They’re always late
Cenedl heb iaith (yw) cenedl heb galon	A nation without a language is a nation without a heart
Codi ofn ar rywun	To frighten someone	Gobeithio y bydd y bwgan brain yn codi ofn ar y adar i gyd I hope that the scarecrow will scare all the birds
Ar fy ngholled Ar dy golled Ar ei golled Ar ei cholled Ar ein colled Ar eich colled Ar eu colled	Worse off / losing out	Byddwn ni ar ein colled o ganlyniad i’r toriadau newydd We’ll be worse off as a result of the new cut-backs
Cyn bo hir	Before long / soon	Byddwn ni’n dod i ymweld â chi cyn bo hir We’ll be coming to visit you before long
Crynu yn ei ‘sgidiau	Shaking in one’s boots	Ro’n i’n crynu yn fy ‘sgidiau o weld y ddamwain I was shaking in my boots from seeing the accident
Dal ati	To keep at it	Er mwyn llwyddo, bydd yn rhaid i chi ddal ati! In order to succeed, you’ll have to keep at it!
Mae'n dda gan (rywun) / gyda (rhywun)	(Someone’s) glad	Mae’n dda gyda fi gwrdd â chi I’m pleased to meet you
Ddim hanner call	Not all there / daft	Dwyt ti ddim hanner call os byddi di’n credu hynny! You're not all there if you believe that!
Dro ar ôl tro	Time after time	Byddwn ni’n mynd yn ôl i’r un gwesty dro ar ôl tro We go back to the same hotel time after time
O ddrwg i waeth	From bad to worse	Aeth y sefyllfa o ddrwg i waeth ar ôl i chi gyrraedd! The situation went from bad to worse after you arrived!
Dysgu ar gof	To learn off by heart / by rote	Yn yr hen ddyddiau byddai pobl yn dysgu cerddi ar gof In the old days people would learn poems by heart
Dweud y drefn wrth (rywun)	To tell (someone) off	Dylet ti ddweud y drefn wrth y plant swnllyd ‘na! You should tell those noisy children off!
Gair am air	Word for word	Rwy’n gallu adrodd llawer o gerddi hyfryd, gair am air I can recite many lovely poems, word for word.
Gorau po gynta	Sooner the better	‘Gorau po gynta yr ei di at y deintydd’ meddai Dad ‘The sooner the better you go to the dentist’ said Dad
I’w weld	To be seen	Doedd dim byd i’w weld yn unman There was nothing to be seen anywhere
Gwell hwyr na hwyrach	Better late than never	Pan gyrhaeddodd e’r cyfarfod o’r diwedd, ‘Gwell hwyr na hwyrach’ oedd unig sylw’r cadeirydd When he arrived at the meeting at last, ‘Better late than never,’ was the chairperson’s only comment
Gwenu o glust i glust	Smiling from ear to ear	Yn ystod y parti roedd hi’n gwenu o glust i glust During the party she was smiling from ear to ear
Gwneud ei orau glas	To do one’s very best	Dyn ni wastad wedi gwneud ein gorau glas yn yr arholiadau We’ve always done our very best in the exams
Gwneud y tro	To make do / To do the trick	Bydd y matras ‘na’n gwneud y tro nes i fi brynu gwely newydd That matress will do the trick until I buy a new bed
Mae’n hen bryd	It's about time / high time	Mae’n hen bryd i ni fynd ar wyliau It’s about time we went on holiday
Mae hi ar ben ar (rywun)	It’s all over for (someone)	Roedd hi ar ben arno fe pan gyrhaeddodd mor hwyr It was all over for him when he arrived so late
Mae hi wedi canu ar (rywun)	It’s all over for (someone)	Roedd hi wedi canu ar Y Gweilch yn dilyn ail gais Y Sgarlets It was all over for the Ospreys following the second try for the Scarlets
Mae hiraeth ar (rywun) am (rywbeth)	(Someone) is longing for / yearning for / nostalgic about (something)	Roedd hiraeth arna i am yr hen ddyddiau ysgol I was nostalgic abut the old school days
Man a man	Might as well	Ar ôl dydd caled o waith, man a man i ti fynd i’r dafarn Arfer a hard day of wrk, you might as well go to the pub
O'r golwg	Out of sight	Aeth yr arwyr ifainc o’r golwg dros y ffosydd The young heroes went out of sight over the trenches
Pwyso a mesur	To weigh up / consider carefully	Bydd arnoch chi angen pwyso a mesur yr holl syniadau’n ofalus You’ll need to weigh up all the ideas carefully
Rhag ofn	In case	Dyma i chi gwmpawd rhag ofn i chi fynd ar goll Here’s a compass in case you get lost
Rhoi'r gorau i	To give it up	Byddai’n well i ti roi’r gorau i ‘smygu, ‘achan! You’d better give up smoking, mate!
Teg edrych tuag adref	It's good to look homewards
Uchel ei gloch	Loud-mouthed / loud	Jiw, Jiw, roedd y gyrrwr tacsi ‘na yn uchel ei gloch, on’d oedd e? Good grief, that taxi driver was loud-mouthed, wasn’t he?
Unwaith ac am byth	Once and for all	Rhaid i ni gael gwared ar y bysen saethwr unwaith ac am byth! We’ve got to get rid of the knotweed once and for all!
Wrth ei fodd o	Delighted / in one’s element about	Ro’ch chi wrth eich bodd o glywed y newyddion da You were delighted to hear the good news
Yn awr ac yn y man	Every now and then	Byddan nhw’n mynd i’r Alban yn awr ac yn y man They go to Scotland every now and then
Yma ac acw	Here and there	Roedd llestri brwnt wedi’u gadael yma ac acw ar y byrddau i gyd Dirty dishes had been left here and there on all the tables

Mwy o Idiomataidd Cyffredin / More Common Idioms

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Dehongliad / Interpretation	Mewn cyd-destun / In context
A barnu wrth	Judging by	A barnu wrth ei wyneb, mae hi wrth hi bodd Judging by her face, she’s delighted
Cael a chael	To have a close shave	Pasiais i’r arholiad, ond cael a chael oedd hi I passed the exam, but it was a close shave
Cael siom ar yr ochr orau	To be pleasantly surprised	Cefais i siom ar yr ochr gorau o weld y sioe I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the show
Cadw (o) hyd fraich	To keep at arm’s length	Mae e’n cadw ei frawd o hyd braich He keeps his brother at arm's length
Cilio i’r cefndir	To take a back seat	Ar ôl iddi ymddeol ciliodd hi i’r cefndir unwaith eto After she retired she took a back seat once again
Codi awydd arno fe Codi awydd arni hi	To make one want to do something	Roedd y gwynt hyfryd yn codi awydd arna i i flasu’r gacen The lovely smell made me want to taste the cake
O’r cychwyn cyntaf	From the very beginning	Rydych chi wedi bod yn anobeithiol o’r cychwyn cyntaf! You’ve been hopeless since the very beginning!
Fel cynffon buwch	Later than everyone else	Byddi di wastad yn cyrraedd fel cynffon buwch! You always arrive later than everyone else!
Dianc â chroen cyfan	To escape unscathed	Roedd e mewn damwain ond dihangodd â chroen cyfan He was in an accident but escaped unscathed
Fel mae’n digwydd	As it happens	Dw i ddim yn gweithio ar hyn o bryd, fel mae’n digwydd I’m not working at the moment, as it happens
Dod trwyddi	To see it through	Mae’r cwrs yn anodd iawn ond bydda i’n dod trwyddi The course is very hard but I’ll see it through
Dros ei grogi Dros ei chrogi	For the sake of his hanging / For all the world / For all the tea in China	Fyddwn i ddim yn dod gyda chi dros fy nghrogi I wouldn’t go with you for all the world
Dweud arno fe Dweud arni hi	To have a bad effect on one	Bydd y diffyg awyr iach yn dweud arnyn nhw The lack of fresh air will have a bad effect on them
Mae e’n falch o Mae hi’n falch o	He’s pleased to / She’s pleased to	Byddem ni’n falch o ddod i’r parti We would be pleased to come to the party
Gallu dweud ar ei lygaid Gallu dweud ar ei llygaid	To tell from one’s eyes	Ro’n i’n gallu dweud ar eu llygaid eu bod yn drist I could tell from their eyes they were sad
Golchi ei ddwylo â Golchi ei dwylo â	To wash one’s hands of	Dylwn i olchi fy nwylo â’r holl gynllun I should wash my hands of the whole plan
Lawn gymaint â	Quite as much as	Dw i ddim yn ‘smygu bellach lawn gymaint ag o’r blaen I don’t smoke now quite as much as before
Pwy a ŵyr	Who knows / You never know	Pwy a ŵyr, efallai y bydd hi yno You never know, perhaps she’ll be there
‘Does rhyfedd ei fod e ‘Does rhyfedd ei bod hi	No wonder one is	Does rhyfedd ein bod ni’n hwyr bob amser! No wonder we’re late all the time!
Traed o bridd	Feet of clay	Mae hi’n ffroenuchel ond mae ganddi hi draed o bridd She’s stuck up but she has feet of clay
Tynnu blewyn o’i drwyn Tynnu blewyn o’i thrwyn	To take the wind out of one’s sails / To deflate	Bydd colli’r swydd yn tynnu blewyn o’i drwyn! Losing the job will take the wind out of his sails!
(Yn) ôl ei draed (Yn) ôl ei thraed	In one’s footsteps	Mae fy chwaer eisiau dilyn yn ôl fy nhraed My sister wants to follow in my footsteps
Y tu ôl i’w gefn Y tu ôl i’w chefn	Behind one’s back	Mae dy ffrind di’n hela clecs y tu ôl i’th gefn Your friend is gossiping behing your back
O’i wirfodd e O’i gwifodd hi	Of one’s own accord	Bydd yn rhaid i chi astudio o’ch gwirfodd You’ll have to study of your own accord

Priod-ddulliau Mwy Cymhleth a Diarhebion / More Complex Idioms and Proverbs

Mae diarhebion yn debyg i idiomau (neu briod-ddulliau) - dywediad byrion, adnabyddus ydyn nhw, yn cyflwyno doethineb mewn ffordd gwta, gofiadwy. Isod mae rhestr o briod-ddulliau a diarhebion mwy cymhleth, yr ystyron llythrennol a sawl nodyn ar sut maen nhw’n cael eu defnyddio.

Proverbs are similar to idioms - namely short, well-known sayings, conveying wisdom in a curt, memorable way. Below is a list of more complex idioms and proverbs, the literal meanings and with some notes on how they are used.

Am Bobl / About People

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Ystyr llythrennol / Literal meaning	Dehongliad / Interpretation
(Mae e’n) angel pen ffordd, diawl pen tân	(He is) an angel on the road, a devil at the fireplace	He is two-faced / He is charming to outsiders, horrid when you know them
Anodd tynnu cast o hen geffyl	It is difficult to cure an old horse of a bad habit	You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
Roedd hi’n berwi fel cawl pys	She was boiling like pea soup	She was chattering / talking incessantly
Mae e’n cadw draenog yn ei boced Mae hi’n cadw draenog yn ei phoced	He / she keeps a hedgehog in his pocket	He’s / she’s tight with money
Gellir diddanheddu’r blaidd ond ni ellir ei ddinaturio	The wolf’s teeth can be removed but his nature can’t be changed	A leopard never changes his spots
Ddim yn werth cnec mochyn (pumswllt)	Not worse than a sheep’s fart / Completely worthless / useless	Dyw ei frawd e ddim yn werth cnec mochyn His brother’s completely worthless
A ddwg ŵy a ddwg fwy	He who steals an egg will steal more	One thing leads to another
Mae ganddo fe ddwylo blewog Mae ganddi hi ddwylo blewog	He has ‘sticky fingers’ She has ‘sticky fingers’	Mae gan y plant y drws nesa’ i ni ddwylo blewog, a bydd pethau’n diflannu bob tro o’r ardd! The children next door to us have sticky fingers and things are always disappearing from the garden!
Mae e ar gefn ei geffyl gwyn Mae hi ar gefn ei cheffyl gwyn	He / she is on the back of his / her white horse	He / she is full of mischief
Mae e ar gefn ei geffyl Mae hi ar gefn ei cheffyl	He / she is on the back of his / her horse	He / she is exultant / proud / on his / her high horse
Mae e ar gefn ei geffyl cwta Mae hi ar gefn ei cheffyl cwta	He / she is on the back of his / her short horse	He / she is in a temper
Mae e fel marchog ar geffyl Mae e fel marchog ar farch gwyn	He is like a knight on horseback He is like a knight on a white steed	He is like a knight in shining armour
Mae hi’n dawnsio ar y dibyn	She is dancing on the cliff edge	She’s playing with fire
Dyw’r dau dîm ddim yn yr un cae	The two teams are not on the same field/pitch	The two teams are not in the same league
Mae’n draed moch arnaf fi	It’s pigs’ feet on me	I’ve made a mess / in a mess
A ddywedo leiaf, hwnnw yw’r callaf	Who speaks the least, he is the wisest	Empty vessels make the most sound
Mae e’n gwybod hyd ei gyrn Mae hi’n gwybod hyd ei chyrn	He / she knows the length of his / her horns	He / she knows his own strengths and weaknesses
Heb ei fai, heb ei eni	He who is blameless has not been born	No-one is without fault
Mae e’n lladd gwair	He’s mowing hay	He’s killing time
Mi rown fy mhen i’w dorri (Gogledd) Fe rown fy mhen i’w dorri (De Cymru)	I’ll give my head to be broken	I’m absolutely certain
'Tin du!’, meddai’r frân wrth yr wylan	'Black arse!’, says the crow to the seagull	The pot calls the kettle black
A ŵyr leiaf, a ddywed fwyaf	He who knows least, says most	Empty vessels make the most sound

Niferoedd / Numbers

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Dehongliad / Interpretation	Mewn cyd-destun / In context
Ateb yn unair	To answer unanimously	Atebodd yr holl bobl yn unair gan weiddi ar y gwleidydd All the people answered unanimously, shouting at the politician
Mae mwy nag un ffordd i gael Wil i’w wely	There’s more than one way to get Wil to his bed / There’s more than one way to do something	Mae’n flin ‘da fi nad yw dy gynllun i ennill mwy o arian wedi llwyddo, ond, ceda di fi, mae mwy nag un ffordd i gael Wil i’w wely I’m sorry that your plan to earn more money hasn’t succeeded, but, believe you me, there’s more than one way to do it.
Dan un	At the same time / together	Bydd yn llawer gwell os byddan ni oll yn mynd i weld y rheolwr dan un It will be a lot better if we all go to see the manager at the same time
Rhedeg am y cyntaf	To run for first-place / To race	Gallwn ni redeg am y gynta’ i’r siopiau We can race to the shops
Fel ci â dau gynffon	Like a dog with two tails / Extremely pleased	Roedd Siôn fel ci â dau gynffon ar ôl ennill y gêm Siôn was extremely pleased after winning the game
Ddwywaith gymaint	Twice as much	Fydda i ddim yn llwyddo hyd yn oed os bydda i’n astudio ddwywaith gymaint â hi I won’t succeed even if I study twice as much as her
Dauddyblyg	Two-fold / As much again	Roedd gan fy Mam doniau dauddyblyg: fel athrawes ac fel awdur My Mother had two-fold talents: as a teacher and as an author
Deufisol	Bi-monthly	Bydd y cyfarfod deufisol yn digwydd unwaith bob yn ail fis The bi-monthly meeting takes place once every two months
Di-ail Heb ei ail Heb ei hail	Second to none	Mae’r siop newydd yn y dre’ heb ei hail The new shop in town’s second to none
'Does dim dwywaith amdani	There’s no two ways about it / It’s absolutely certain	‘Sdim dwywaith amdani, bydd yn rhaid i ni symud tŷ flwyddyn nesa’ There’s no two ways about it, we’ll have to move house next year
Tri chynnig i Gymro	‘Three tries for a Welshman’	Mae rhai’n credu y bydd Cymro neu Gymres yn llwyddo o gael tri chyfle i gyflawni tasg, a dyna pam y dywedir ‘Tri chynnig i Gymro’ Some people believe that a Welshman or Welshwoman will succeed after having three tries at completing a task, and that’s why they say ‘Three tries for a Welshman’
Tri chysur henaint: tân, tê, a thybaco	The three comforts of old age: fire, tea, and baccy	Wel, falle taw tri chysur henaint yw tân, tê, a thybaco, ond dylai rhywun fod wedi rhybuddio Tad-cu cyn iddo danio’r tŷ gyda’i getyn ac wedyn trio diffodd y fflamiau gyda disgled o dê! Well, perhaps the three comforts of old age are fire, tea, and baccy, but someone should have warned Grand-pa before he set the house on fire with his pipe and then tried to put out the flames with a cup of tea!
Unwaith yn y pedwar amser	Once in the four times / Once in a blue moon	Dim ond unwaith yn y pedwar amser byddan nhw’n mynd i ymweld â ni It’s only once in a blue moon they come to visit us
Mae e ar ei bedwar Mae hi ar ei phedwar	He’s on all fours She’s on all fours	Aethon ni ar ein pedwar er mwyn mynd trwy’r twnnel We went on all fours to go through the tunnel
Estyn ei bump Estyn ei phump	To extend his hand To extend her hand	Peidiwch ag estyn eich pump os byddwch yn cwrdd â’r cwîn! Don’t extend your hand if you meet the queen!
Rhoi ei bump ar Rhoi ei phump ar	To nab / grab / pinch	Dych chi wedi rhoi’ch pump ar fy mrechdan i? Have you pinched my sandwich?
Yn y seithfed nef	In seventh heaven	Bydda i yn y seithfed nef pan fydda i wedi gorffen y gwaith I’ll be in seventh heaven when I’ve finished the work
Yr hoelion wyth	The eight nails / Pillars of the community	Un o’r hoelion wyth rownd ffor’ma yw Jones y Cigydd Jones the Butcher is one of the pillars of the community round here
Ar y naw	On the nine / awfully / terribly	Roedd yr arholiad yn anodd ar y naw The exam was terribly difficult
Saith gwaeth / Naw gwaeth	Seven times worse / Nine times worse / Much worse	Roedd ei phroblemau naw gwaeth ar ôl iddi golli ei swydd Her problems were much worse after she lost her job
Arddegau	Teenage years	Yr arddegau yw’r cyfnod rhwng un deg un ac un deg naw oed The teens is the period between eleven and nineteen years old
Siarad pymtheg i'r dwsin Siarad deunaw i'r dwsin	To talk nineteen to the dozen	Mae e wastad yn siarad pymtheg i'r dwsin He always talks nineteen to the dozen
Taro deuddeg	To hit the nail on the head	Mae’r adrodd gan y pennaeth wedi taro deuddeg o ran problemau’r ysgol The report by the headteacher has hit the nail on the head with respect to the school's problems
Hanner cant namyn un	Forty-nine	Un llai na phum deg yw hanner cant namyn un Forty-nine is one less than fifty
Rhif y gwlith	Numbered like the dew-drops / Innumerable	Cafodd milwyr rif y gwlith eu lladd ym Mrwydr y Somme Innumerable soldiers were killed in the Battle of the Somme

Am Bethau / About Things

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Ystyr llythrennol / Literal meaning	Dehongliad / Interpretation
Allwedd arian a egyr pob clo	Money is the key that opens all locks	Money’s the answer to everything
Bwlch yr aiff ceffyl a throl drwyddo yw hwn	This is a gap a horse and cart will go through	This is a huge gaping hole
Y mae dau du i bob tudalen	There are two sides to every page	There’s two sides to every story
A elo yn hwch i Rydychen, yn hwch y daw yn ôl	A sow that goes to Oxford will still be a sow when she returns	You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear
Mae’r esgid yn gwasgu	The shoe is squeezing	Money is tight
Gŵr dieithr yw yfory	Tomorrow is a stranger	Tomorrow’s another day
Dyna’r drwg yn y caws	That’s the badness in the cheese	That’s the fly in the ointment
Gwell fy mwthyn fy hun na phlas arall	Better my own cottage than the palace of another	There’s no place like home
Aeth y newydd ar gyrn a phibau	There news spreads on horns and pipes	There news spread like wildfire
Segurdod yw clod y cledd	A sword’s credit is its idleness	Power is best when it’s not used

Am Wneud Pethau / About Doing Things

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Ystyr llythrennol / Literal meaning	Dehongliad / Interpretation
Cam dros y trothwy, hanner y daith	A step over the threshold is half the journey	Every journey begins with a single step
Can di bennill mwyn i’th nain, fe gân dy nain i tithau	Sing your grandma a sweet song and your gran shall sing for you	I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine
Canu cyn borefwyd, crïo cyn swper	To sing before breakfast is to weep before supper	Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched
Paid â chodi pais ar ôl piso (informal) Peidiwch â chodi pais ar ôl piso (formal)	Don’t raise your petticoat after peeing	Don’t cry over spilt milk
Y cyntaf i’r felin caiff falu	The first to the mill will get to grind	First come, first served / The early bird catches the worm
Deuparth gwaith ei ddechrau	Two-thirds of a job is starting it	Once begun a job’s soon done
Ennyn cannwyll i chwilio am haul canoldydd	To light a candle to search for the mid-day sun	To go on a fools’ errand
Gwna dda dros ddrwg, uffern ni’th ddwg	Repay evil with good, and hell will not claim you
Roedd e’n cerdded yn ling-di-long	He was loitering / walking casually	He was dilly-dallying / shilly-shallying
Dianc rhag y mwg a syrthio i’r tân	To escape from the smoke and fall into the fire	To jump from the frying-pan into the fire
Dyfal donc a dyr y garreg	Constant tapping breaks the stone	Slow and steady wins the day
Dw i eisiau rhoi’r ffidil yn y to	I want to put the fiddle in the roof	I want to throw in the towel / give up
Gorau cam, cam cyntaf	The best step, the first step	Every journey begins with a single step
Gorau prinder, prinder geiriau	The best economy, economy of words	Least said soonest mended
Gochel y pechod cyntaf, canys y mae lleng yn dynn wrth ei sawdl	Beware of the first sin, for there is a legion hard on its heels	Bad leads to worse
Hawdd dywedyd ‘mynydd’ na myned drosto	It is easier to say ‘mountain’ than to go over it	It’s easier said than done
Hawdd dweud na ‘neud	It’s easier said than done
Hir y byddir yn cnoi tamaid chwerw	A bitter morsel will be chewed for a long time	Sin in haste, repent at leisure
Pan fo llawer yn llywio fe sudda’r llong	When the steersmen are many the ship will sink	Too many cooks spoil the broth
Prynu cath mewn cwd	To buy a cat in a bag	To buy a pig in a poke
Mae rhywbeth ar y gweill	There’s something on the (knitting) needles	There’s something in progress / ‘up’
Na sang ar droed ci chwerw	Do not trample on an angry dog’s paw	Let sleeping dogs lie
Troi’r gath yn y badell	To turn the cat in the pan	To change the subject

Mwy Priod-ddulliau Cymhleth a Diarhebion / More Complex Idioms and Proverbs

Ymadrodd / Phrase	Ystyr llythrennol / Literal meaning	Dehongliad / Interpretation
Adar o'r unlliw (a) hedant i'r unlle	Birds of the same colour fly to the same place	Birds of a feather flock together
Adfyd a ddaw â dysg yn ei law	Sweet are the uses of adversity	Adversity brings learning in its hand
Adfyd ddwg wybodaeth, gwybodaeth ddoethineb	Adversity bears knowledge, and knowledge wisdom	Hardship is a good teacher
Araf deg mae mynd ymhell / Yn ara’ deg mae dal iâr	By going slowly one goes far	Slow and steady wins the race
Nid aur (yw) popeth melyn	Everything yellow is not gold	All that glitters is not gold
Benthyg dros dro popeth yn y byd hwn	Nothing’s permanent	A temporary borrowing is everything in this world
Mwyaf y brys, mwyaf y rhwystr	The greater the hurry, the greater the hindrance	More haste less speed
Cartref yw cartref er tloted y bo	There’s no place like home
Ceffyl da yw ewyllys	Determination is a good horse
O geiniog i geiniog yr â’r arian yn bunt	From penny to penny the money becomes a pound	Look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves
Mae chwarae’n troi’n chwerw wrth chwarae gyda thân	Playing turns bitter when you play with fire	Play with fire and you’ll get burned
Chwery mab noeth, ni chwery mab newynog	A naked boy will play, but a starving boy will not play
Ci yn udo noson ole, newydd ddrwg ddaw yn y bore	A baying dog on a moonlit night, bad news comes in the morning	A portent of doom
Wrth gicio a brathu mae cariad yn magu	Kicking and biting, love grows up
Cynt cwymp dâr na miaren	Sooner an oak falls than a briar	Home is home despite how poor it may be
Mae dafan ddu ym mhob praidd	There is a bad sheep in evey flock	There’s a bad apple in evey barrel
Derfydd dannedd merch yn gynt na’i thafod	A girl’s teeth wear out sooner than her tongue
Diwedd y gân yw’r geiniog	The end of the song is the penny	To sing for your supper
Dywed yn dda am dy gyfaill, am dy gelyn dywed ddim	Speak well of your friend and about your enemy say nothing
Mae’r euog yn ffoi heb neb yn ei erlid	The guilty flee when no one chases him	The guilty flee their own shadows
Gall pechod mawr ddyfod trwy ddrws bychan	A big sin can come in through a tiny door	One thing leads to another / It’s a slippery slope
Gormod o bwdin a dagith gi	Too much pudding chokes a dog	To have too much of a good thing
Gwell bachgen call nab renin ffôl	Better a wise boy than a foolish king
Gwyn y gwêl y frân ei chyw	The crow sees her chick as white	To have a biased opinion of someone
Gŵr heb bwyll, llong heb angor	A man without sense is a ship without an anchor
Yr hen a ŵyr a’r / yr ifanc a dybia	The old know and the young suspect	Respect the wisdom of your elders
Llon llygod lle ni bo cath	Merry mice where there's no cat	When the cat's away, the mice play
Yr oen yn dysgu’r ddafad i bori	The lamb teaches the ewe to graze
Mewn pob daioni mae gwobr	In every goodness there’s a prize	Goodness is its own reward
Rhaid cropian cyn cerdded	One must crawl before walking	Learn to walk before you can run
Taro’r post i’r pared gael clywed	To hit the post so that the wall hears

Diarhebion Hynafol / Ancient Proverbs

Ceir y diarhebion hynafol, canlynol ar y blog diddorol iawn o'r enw Sedulia's Quotations lle mae'r awdur wedi'u casglu nhw o sawl hen ffynhonnell. Yma, rydym ni wedi diweddaru'r sillafu ychydig, trwy, er enghraifft, droi 'fyno' yn 'fynno', heb newid ystyr yr ymadrodd. Rydym hefyd wedi darparu cyfieithiadau sydd ychydig mwy llythrennol i lawer o'r diarhebion, a rhoi ystyron lle roedd angen.

Mae'n ymddangos bod 'arwyddeiriau' hen deuluoedd yw llawr o'r rhain, ac felly ni fydd pobl yn eu defnyddio ym mywyd pob dydd heddi' fel rheol. Rydym yn eu rhannu nhw yma i ddangos sut y defnyddir iaith eitha' hynafol yn cynnwys ffurfiau ffurfiol a llenyddol iawn - ni fydd yn rhaid i ddysgwyr eu dysgu na'u defnyddio ar lafar!

The following ancient proverbs are found on the very interesting blog called Sedulia's Quotations where the author has collected them from several old sources. Here, we have updated the spelling a little, by, for example, turning 'fyno' into 'fynno', without changing the meaning of the phrase. We have also provided translations which as a little more literal for many of the proverbs, and given meanings where needed.

It appears that many of these are the 'mottoes' of old families, and so people don't use them in everyday life today as a rule. We are sharing them here to show how quite archaic language, containing very formal and literary forms, is used - there's no need for learners to learn or use them in speech.

A ddarleno ystyried	Let him who reads reflect
A ddialo air hagr rhoed ateb teg	He who would revenge a harsh word let him give a gentle reply
A ddwg angau nid adfer	What death takes it will not restore
A ddywedo pob un gwir yw	What everyone says is true
A elwir yn gall a gais fod yn gall	He who is called wise will seek to be wise
A fo gâr iddo ei hun a gaiff pob un arall yn gâr iddo	He who is his own friend will have everyone else as his friend
A fo ysgafn galon ef a gân	The light-hearted will sing
A fynno barhau yn hir yn ieuanc aed yn ebrwydd yn hen	He who wishes to stay young for a long time let him soon become old
A fynno barch bid gadarn	He who desires respect let him be strong
A fynno Duw derfid	What God wills let it be done
A fynno ei fodd porthed amynedd	Who desires to be satisfied let him feed patience
A fynno wrando bid gymar	He who would listens let him be a companion
A fynno iechyd bid lawen	He who desires health let him be cheerful
A gano yn ei wely, a gria cyn cysgu	He who sings in his bed shall cry before sleeping He who wishes his neighbour ill, shall come to ill himself
A gerir neu caseir a welir o bell	He who is loved or hated is seen from afar
A ystyrio gwnaed	He who considers: let him act
Mae adfail dedwydd yn ddiddos	A joyful ruin is snug
Adfyd a bair i rai edrych o'u deutu	Adversity causes some to look around them
Adfyd a ddaw â dysg yn ei law	Adversity brings instruction in its hand
Adfyd a phall a wna ddyn yn gall	Adversity and failure make a man wise
Addawa y môr a'r mynydd	He promises the sea and the mountain
Addef yw tewi	To be silent is to confess
Ail natur yw greddf arferiad	Practised instinct is second nature
Allan o olwg allan o feddwl	Out of sight out of mind
Am y tywydd gorau tewi	It is best to be silent about the weather
Aml fai lle nis cerir	Many are the faults where there is no-one loving
Amlwg cas a chariad	Hatred and love are conspicuous
Amod a dyr ddefod	An agreement will break a custom
Anaml lles o rodio'r nos	Seldom is there benefit in wandering at night
Angen a dyr ddeddf	Need will break a law
Angwanegiad mefl mawrair	Augmentation is the shame of boasting
Ar ddiwedd y mae barnu	At the end there is judging
A'r ni roddo na charu ni chaiff a ddymuno	He who neither gives nor loves shall not have what he desires
Arf glew yn ei galon	The weapon of the brave is in his heart
Arglwydd gwan, gwae ei was	Woe to the servant of a feeble lord
Asgre lân, diogel ei pherchen	Safe is the owner of a pure heart
Ateb araf gan ddysgedig	A slow answer from a wise man
Blwyddyn o eira, blwyddyn o lawndra	Year of snow, year of plenty
Bo tynnaf y llinyn cyntaf y tyr	The tighter the string the sooner it will break
Bum gall unwaith, hynny oedd llefain pan y’m ganed	I was wise once, that was crying when I was born
Byr ei hun, hir ei hoedl	Short his sleep, long his life
Doeth pawb tra tawant	All are wise while they are silent
Hir nych yr angau	Long is the languor of death
Ni chaiff chwedl nid êl o’i dŷ	He gets no news who goes not from his house
Ni ŵyr neb lai na’r hwn a ŵyr y cyfan	No one knows less than he who knows all
Nid hawdd gwybod y cyfan	It is not easy to know everything
Pob hir nychdod hir angau	Every long pining is a long death
Plant gwirionedd yw hen ddiarhebion	Old proverbs are the children of truth
Rhydd barn i bawb	Opinion is free to all
Y doeth ni ddywed a ŵyr	The wise man does not say what he knows