2026 Day 22

2026 Dedh Dew warn Ügens

De Yow, nessa warn ügens mis Genver
Thursday, 22nd January

Ma caletter dhebm gen ow jynn amontya. Na ellama danvon ow descans e'n maner herwedh ûsadow. Pandr'ew wharvedhys? Res ew dhebm y witha avel blogg.

I have a problem with my computer. I can't send my lesson in the customary way. What has happened. I must keep it as a blog. 

Another use of bos descriptive

How do we say what we ‘must’ do or ‘have to’ do?

There is a defective verb, ‘res’, which comes in two versions.

The third person singular of the present future can be used with any subject and verbal particle ‘a’. See first column.

This can be followed by any verbal noun (infinitive) with or without adverbs, objects, etc. See second column.

1s    My a res = I must 2s    Ty a res = thou must 3sm Ev a res = he must 3sf  Hei a res = she must 1pl  Nei a res = we must 2pl  Whei a res = you must (also formal register) 3pl  Anjei a res = they must An den a res = the man must An venyn a res = the woman must An flehes a res = the children must Pobel gryjyk a res = religious people must Cathes a res = cats must

mos go mos tre go home dos come dos òbma come here debry eat debry boos da eat good food eva drink eva le drink less kerdhes gen rach walk with caution pònya üskis run fast mires ort an fylm ma watch this film gweles an mor see the sea leverel pejadow say prayers cacha logas catch mice

 

Try some combinations! And think what else you might want to say.

Start a negative sentence with ‘na res’ followed by the subject, e.g. Na res benenes coth pònya re üskis. Old women must not run too fast.

Using with bos descriptive is an alternative. It can be impersonal, neutral:

Res ew One must/ It is necessary

With extra emphasis:

Res ew pòrres It is essential/ compelling/ etc.

Res ew pòrres clappya Kernôwek moy.

It is essential to speak more Cornish.

The negative is

Nag ew res One must not/ It is not essential

Nag ew res scrifa Sowsnek.

It is not essential to write English.

 

Used with the prepositional pronoun paradigm of ‘dhe’ to, at (The initial dh may become d in Modern Cornish.)

1s.     dhebm, dhemm, dhebma, dhe vy

2s.    dhis, dhe chy, dhe jy

3sm. dhodho, dhodh’ev, dhe ev

3sf.   dhodhy, dhedhy, dhe hei

1pl.   dhen, dhe nei

2pl.   dhew, dhewgh, dhe whei

3pl.   dhodhans, dhedhans, dhonjy, dhe anjei

 

Res ew dhe nei clappya Kernôwek gwell.

We must/ have to speak better Cornish.

Res ew dhewgh desky agas geryow.

You must/ have to learn your words.

Res ew dhe Rosa cawas olifans gwydn.

Rosa must/ has to have/ get a white elephant.

Res ew dhebm trouvya ow lever nowydh.

I must/ have to find my new book.

Res ew dhe’n tiek maga y vestes.

The farmer must/ has to feed his animals.