sefyll

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *stab-, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-. Cognate with Breton sevel, Cornish sav.

Pronunciation

(North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛvɨ̞ɬ/
(South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈseːvɪɬ/, /ˈsɛvɪɬ/
Rhymes: -ɛvɨ̞ɬ

Verb

sefyll (first-person singular present safaf, not mutable)

to stand
to stop, to halt
Synonym: aros
to sit, to take (an examination)

Conjugation

Conjugation (literary)
	singular			plural			impersonal
	first	second	third	first	second	third	impersonal
present indicative/future	safaf	sefi	saif	safwn	sefwch, safwch	safant	sefir
imperfect (indicative/subjunctive)/ conditional	safwn	safit	safai	safem	safech	safent	sefid
preterite	sefais	sefaist	safodd	safasom	safasoch	safasant	safwyd
pluperfect	safaswn	safasit	safasai	safasem	safasech	safasent	safasid, safesid
present subjunctive	safwyf	sefych	safo	safom	safoch	safont	safer
imperative	—	saf	safed	safwn	sefwch, safwch	safent	safer

verbal noun	sefyll
verbal adjectives	safedig safadwy

Conjugation (colloquial)
inflected colloquial forms	singular			plural
inflected colloquial forms	first	second	third	first	second	third
future	safa i, safaf i	safi di	safith o/e/hi, safiff e/hi	safwn ni	safwch chi	safan nhw
conditional	safwn i, safswn i	safet ti, safset ti	safai fo/fe/hi, safsai fo/fe/hi	safen ni, safsen ni	safech chi, safsech chi	safen nhw, safsen nhw
preterite	safais i, safes i	safaist ti, safest ti	safodd o/e/hi	safon ni	safoch chi	safon nhw
imperative	—	safa	—	—	safwch	—

Note: All other forms are periphrastic, as usual in colloquial Welsh.

Derived terms

camsefyll (“to be offside”)
cydsefyll (“to stand together”)
gorsaf (“station”)
safbwynt (“standpoint”)
safiad (“stance”)
safle (“position”)
safwr (“standee”)
sefyllfa (“situation”)

Related terms

sefydlog (“stationary”, adjective)

Further reading

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