I have just started the ssiw 6 month course can anyone tell me how I can know when to use “i” (to) and when to assume that the following word already includes “to”. eg trio i siarad or trio siarad.
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Firstly, I’d say don’t try to over think it - the course is structured so that you’ll naturally pick up when to use it because it will sound ‘right’.
However, the easiest way to think of it is to use it when putting “in order to” into the english sentence makes sense (although there are exceptions - aren’t there always!)
There are occasions, though, when you need it because the i is attached to the preceding verb (mynd is one of them, for example) not the one that follows.
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Good question! This used to drive me mad when I first started learning Welsh, and still occasionally does (sadly, I’m one of those people who likes to know the whys and wherefores). @siaronjames’s explanation, however, is a very good rule of thumb (though, as she says, there will always be exceptions). ‘Don’t over-think it’ is probably also good advice (but if you’re like me, difficult to follow!)
I was tempted to try and offer a more ‘technical’ explanation but then I thought better of it…
It’s strange that grammar books (at least the ones I’ve consulted) don’t seem to address this issue.
Incidentally, even in English, whether a verb can be followed by the so-called infinitive (i.e. the ‘to’ form of the verb) is not an entirely straightforward matter, so Welsh is by no means uniquely difficult in that respect.
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Have you looked at any of Gareth King’s grammar books? I’m sure it’s addressed there (the one I have is at home but I’m at work - ssshhhh! - so I can’t give you a page number at the moment 
)
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This thread might help too:
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thanks for the replies. I will try not to over think, and I am glad PeterG did not go into a technical explanation. I am not into grammar.
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[quote=“siaronjames, post:4, topic:11246, full:true”]
Have you looked at any of Gareth King’s grammar books? I’m sure it’s addressed there [/quote]
I have Gareth King’s Colloquial Welsh, Intermediate Grammar workbook, and Comprehensive Grammar. I dare say the explanation is in one of those (probably the latter) but I’ve not tumbled across it yet…
Oooh, that’s shocking! I would never dream of going on this discussion board during work time. Er…cough…!
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Great link - thanks! (And you get the seal of approval from GK himself…!)
thanks for the replies. I will try not to over think, and I am glad PeterG did not go into a technical explanation. I am not into grammar.
Phew - lucky escape there then! 
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If you look at the list of verbs that are not followed by i (http://clwbmalucachu.co.uk/cmc/cheat/cheat_vn_no_i.htm) you will see that they are all things that you do inside your head.
Raymond
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Thank you the list will be very useful
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