'ch

Welsh

Etymology

Contraction of eich (“your”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /χ/

Determiner

'ch

1. your (either plural or polite singular; used after vowels)

   Mae’n rhan o’ch bywyd erbyn hyn.

   It’s part of your life now.

Pronoun

'ch

1. you (either plural or polite singular; used after vowels as the direct object of a verbal noun or verb)

   Ga’ i’ch helpu chi?

   May I help you?

   Hon yw’r un a’ch gwelodd.

   This is the one who saw you.

Usage notes

• In formal Welsh, the contraction 'ch is a valid form of eich found after mostly functional vowel-final words. In colloquial Welsh, eich is often contracted to 'ch after almost any vowel-final word.
• Pronomial 'ch (and eich) can occur before any verbal noun. Before a verb, pronomial 'ch is found only in formal language after certain vowel-final preverbal particles, such as fe, a, ni, na, oni and pe.

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “'ch”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies