به

Arabic

Etymology

Compounded from the preposition -ب (bi) + the pronoun ه- (hu).

Preposition

به (bíhi)

1. for him/it, with him/it
2. in him/it, at him/it, on him/it
3. with him/it, in connection with him/it
4. through him/it, by means of him/it
5. by him/it

Related terms

• ب

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Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bah/
• Rhymes: -bah, -ah

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayic *bah, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *bah, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *bah, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *bah, from Proto-Western Malayo-Polynesian *bahaq, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bahaq, from Proto-Austronesian *bahaq.

Alternative forms

• bah

Noun

به (Rumi spelling bah, plural به٢)

1. flood (overflow of water)

Synonyms

• banjir / بنجير

Etymology 2

Shortened form of ابه, from Proto-Malayic *aba-h, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *aba-h, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *aba-h, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *aba-h, from aba, from Proto-Western Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Austronesian *aba.

Alternative forms

• abah
• aba
• bah
• ابه
• اب

Noun

به (Rumi spelling bah)

1. Alternative form of ابه.

Etymology 3

Shortened form of بابه, from بابا, variant of باڤ.

Alternative forms

• bapa
• baba
• babah
• bah
• bapanda
• bapai
• bapak
• bapang
• papa
• باڤ
• بابا
• بابه
• باڤندا
• باڤاي
• باڤق
• باڤڠ
• ڤاڤ

Noun

به (Rumi spelling bah)

1. Alternative form of bapa.

Etymology 4

Abbrevation of بهاس, from Sanskrit भाषा (bhāṣā).

Alternative forms

• bahasa
• بهاس
• bahasa

Abbreviation

به (Rumi spelling bah)

1. Abbreviation of بهاس.

Etymology 5

Shortened form of باوه, from Proto-Malayic *babah, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *babah, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *babah, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *babah, from Proto-Western Malayo-Polynesian *babaq, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babaq, from Proto-Austronesian *babaq.

Alternative forms

• bawah
• bah
• باوه

Preposition

به (Rumi spelling bah)

1. Alternative form of باوه.

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Pashto

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ba/

Particle

به • (ba)

1. will (indicating future action)

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Persian

Etymology 1

From Middle Persian 𐭯𐭥𐭭 (pad).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /be/

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Preposition

Dari	به‍
Iranian Persian	به‍
Tajik	‍ба‍

به (be)

1. at
2. to
3. in
4. for

Etymology 2

Wikipedia ^fa

Dari	به‍
Iranian Persian	به‍
Tajik	‍беҳ‍

From Middle Persian  (beh).

Alternative forms

• بهی (behi)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /beh/

Noun

به • (beh)

1. quince

Etymology 3

From Middle Persian  (veh), from Old Persian  (vahu, vohu). Related to Old Armenian վեհ (veh, “sublime”), an Iranian borrowing.

Adjective

Dari	به‍
Iranian Persian	به‍
Tajik	‍беҳ‍

به (beh)

1. (archaic) good, excellent
2. (archaic) elegant
3. (archaic) safe, sound

Synonyms

• (good): خوب (xub)

Derived terms

• بهینه (behine)
• بهتر (behtar)
• به‌آفرید (behâfarid)

References

• به in Francis Joseph Steingass (1892), A Comprehensive Persian-English dictionary (London: Routledge & K. Paul)