Learning a new language involves familiarizing oneself with various vocabularies across different fields. If you are interested in law or need legal terminology for professional or personal reasons, understanding Welsh legal terms can be particularly useful. This article will guide you through essential Welsh vocabulary for legal and law-related terms, offering you a solid foundation to navigate through legal documents or discussions in Welsh.

General Legal Terms

We start with some of the most common legal terms that you might encounter in various contexts:

Cyfraith (Law) – This term refers to the system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members.
“Dilynwyd y cyfraith yn ofalus i sicrhau tegwch.”

Barnwr (Judge) – A public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.
“Cafodd y barnwr ei barchu am ei benderfyniadau doeth.”

Achos (Case) – A matter that is to be decided by a court.
“Mae’r achos hwn yn gymhleth ac yn gofyn am astudiaeth fanwl.”

Cyfreithiwr (Lawyer) – A person who practices or studies law; an attorney or a counselor.
“Mae’r cyfreithiwr yn paratoi ei hamddiffyniad yn ofalus.”

Dedfryd (Sentence) – The punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offence.
“Dyfarnwyd dedfryd o dair blynedd yn y carchar.”

Terms Related to Court Proceedings

Understanding the terms related to court proceedings is crucial for anyone involved in legal processes:

Llys (Court) – The place where legal trials are held and justice is administered.
“Cynhaliwyd y gwrandawiad yn y llys leol.”

Tyst (Witness) – A person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place.
“Galwyd y tyst i roi tystiolaeth.”

Pledio (To plead) – To make an answer to a charge in a court.
“Plediodd y diffynnydd yn euog i’r cyhuddiadau.”

Trosedd (Crime) – An action or omission which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law.
“Roedd y trosedd yn ddifrifol a chafodd sylw cenedlaethol.”

Bargen euog (Plea bargain) – An agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a particular charge in return for some concession from the prosecutor.
“Cytunodd ar bargen euog er mwyn lleihau ei ddedfryd.”

Property and Contract Law

Whether dealing with business agreements or property ownership, these terms will often come up:

Contract (Contract) – A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.
“Arwyddwyd y contract gan y ddau barti ddydd Llun.”

Eiddo (Property) – Any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation.
“Mae’r eiddo hwnnw yn werth llawer o arian.”

Hawlfraint (Copyright) – The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.
“Diogelir y llyfr gan hawlfraint.”

Prydles (Lease) – A contract by which one party conveys land, property, services, etc., to another for a specified time, usually in return for a periodic payment.
“Mae’r prydles ar gyfer y swyddfa hon yn para deng mlynedd.”

These terms provide a basic framework to engage with Welsh language in a legal context. Whether you’re a student, professional, or simply a language enthusiast, this vocabulary will assist in understanding and participating in legal discussions or reading legal documents in Welsh.