ysbïo
Welsh
Etymology
From Middle English espien (“to espy”) or Old French espier (“to spy”), from Frankish *spehōn (“to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to see, look”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /əsˈbiː.ɔ/, [əsˈpiːɔ]
- Rhymes: -iːɔ
Verb
ysbïo (first-person singular present ysbïaf)
- to spy
- Mae'n credu bod rhywun yn ysbïo arno fe.
- He thinks someone is spying on him.
Conjugation
Conjugation (literary)
| singular | plural | impersonal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | first | second | third | |||
| present indicative/future | ysbiaf | ysbii | ysbia | ysbiwn | ysbiwch | ysbiant | ysbiir | |
| imperfect (indicative/subjunctive)/conditional | ysbiwn | ysbiit | ysbiai | ysbiem | ysbiech | ysbient | ysbiid | |
| preterite | ysbiais | ysbiaist | ysbiodd | ysbiasom | ysbiasoch | ysbiasant | ysbiwyd | |
| pluperfect | ysbiaswn | ysbiasit | ysbiasai | ysbiasem | ysbiasech | ysbiasent | ysbiasid, ysbiesid | |
| present subjunctive | ysbiwyf | ysbiech | ysbio | ysbiom | ysbioch | ysbiont | ysbier | |
| imperative | — | ysbia | ysbied | ysbiwn | ysbiwch | ysbient | ysbier | |
| verbal noun | ||||||||
| verbal adjectives | ysbiedig ysbiadwy | |||||||
| inflected colloquial forms |
singular | plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | first | second | third | |
| future | ysbïa i, ysbïaf i |
ysbii di | ysbiith o/e/hi, ysbiiff o/e/hi |
ysbïwn ni | ysbïwch chi | ysbïan nhw |
| conditional | ysbïwn i, ysbiswn i |
ysbïet ti, ysbiset ti |
ysbïai fo/fe/hi, ysbisai fo/fe/hi |
ysbïen ni, ysbisen ni |
ysbïech chi, ysbisech chi |
ysbïen nhw, ysbisen nhw |
| preterite | ysbïais i, ysbïes i |
ysbïaist ti, ysbïest ti |
ysbïodd o/e/hi | ysbïon ni | ysbïoch chi | ysbïon nhw |
| imperative | — | ysbïa | — | — | ysbïwch | — |
Note: All other forms are periphrastic, as usual in colloquial Welsh.
Derived terms
- ysbïwedd (“spyware”)
- ysbïwr (“spy”)
- ysbïwraig (“spy”)
Related terms
- sbio (“to spy; to look”)
Mutation
| radical | soft | nasal | h-prothesis |
|---|---|---|---|
| ysbïo | unchanged | unchanged | hysbïo |
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
Further reading
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “ysbïo”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies