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)

  1. to spy
    Mae'n credu bod rhywun yn ysbïo arno fe.
    He thinks someone is spying on him.

Conjugation

Conjugation (colloquial)
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)
  • sbio (to spy; to look)

Mutation

Mutated forms of ysbïo
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