gweu

Welsh

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle Welsh gwëu, from Proto-Celtic *wegyeti (“to weave”). Equivalent to gwe (“web”) +‎ -u. Cognate with Breton gweañ and Cornish gwia.

Pronunciation

Verb

gweu (first-person singular present gweaf)

  1. to weave
    Synonym: gwehyddu
  2. to weave a web
  3. to knit

Usage notes

The alternative form gwau is only slightly less common than gweu.

Conjugation
Conjugation (literary)
singular plural impersonal
first second third first second third
present indicative/future gweaf gwei gwea gwëwn gwëwch gweant gwëir
imperfect (indicative/subjunctive)/conditional gwëwn gweit gweai gweem gweech gweent gwëid
preterite gweais gweaist gweodd gweasom gweasoch gweasant gwëwyd
pluperfect gweaswn gweasit gweasai gweasem gweasech gweasent gweasid, gweesid
present subjunctive gwëwyf gweych gweo gweom gweoch gweont gweer
imperative — gwea gweed gwëwn gwëwch gweent gweer
verbal noun gweu
verbal adjectives gweedig
gweadwy
Conjugation (colloquial)
Inflected colloquial forms singular plural
first second third first second third
future gwea i, gweaf i gwei di gweith o/e/hi, gweiff e/hi gwewn ni gwewch chi gwean nhw
conditional gwewn i, gweswn i gweet ti, gweset ti gweai fo/fe/hi, gwesai fo/fe/hi gween ni, gwesen ni gweech chi, gwesech chi gween nhw, gwesen nhw
preterite gweais i, gwees i gweaist ti, gweest ti gweodd o/e/hi gweon ni gweoch chi gweon nhw
imperative — gwea — — gwewch —
Note: All other forms are periphrastic, as usual in colloquial Welsh.

Derived terms
  • gwead (“weaving, knitting; conposition”)
  • gwëydd (“weaver”)

Mutation
Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
gweu weu ngweu unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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