English edit

 
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Etymology 1 edit

From Middle English we, from Old English (we), from Proto-West Germanic *wiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *wīz, *wiz (we), from Proto-Indo-European *wéy (we (plural)). Cognate with Scots wee, we (we), North Frisian we (we), West Frisian wy (we), Low German wi (we), Dutch we, wij (we), German wir (we), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian vi (we), Icelandic vér, við (we), Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬉𐬨 (vaēm), Sanskrit वयम् (vayám).

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we (first-person plural nominative case, objective case us, possessive determiner our, possessive pronoun ours, reflexive ourselves, reflexive singular ourself)

  1. (personal) The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person (not the person being addressed). (This is the exclusive we.)
    • 2017 February 20, Paul Mason, “Climate scepticism is a far-right badge of honour – even in sweltering Australia”, in the Guardian[1]:
      It’s time to overcome queasiness and restraint. We, the liberal and progressive people of the world, are at war with the far right to save the earth.
  2. (personal) The speaker(s)/writer(s) and the person(s) being addressed. (This is the inclusive we.)
  3. (personal) The institution which the speaker/writer is acting for. (This is the editorial we, used by writers and others when speaking with the authority of their publication or organisation.)
    • 2021, Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, “Paper No. CMAB C4/9/1”, in Documents of the Hong Kong Legislative Council[2], page 1:
      In light of the promulgation of the aforementioned laws and decisions, we (the administration) propose to make the following amendments to local legislation to implement the relevant requirements on oath taking by public officers.
  4. (personal, royal) The sovereign alone in their capacity as monarch. (This is the royal we. The reflexive case of this sense of we is ourself.)
  5. (personal) The plural form of you, including everyone being addressed.
    How are we all tonight?
  6. (personal, often considered patronising) A second- or third-person pronoun for a person in the speaker's care.
    How are we feeling this morning?
  7. (colloquial) The speaker themselves, used to imply connection between the speaker's experiences and a group of listeners. (Compare the plural of modesty.)
    Hey guys, how's it going? Today we are going to be playing a new game.
    • 2021 January 6, 3:38:03 from the start, in Rally on Electoral College Vote Certification[3] (television broadcast), spoken by Donald Trump, Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN):
      All Vice President [Mike] Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify and we become president and you are the happiest people.
    • 2021 June 24, “Far from Home” (3:07 from the start), in Alone[4], season 9, episode 4 (televison production), spoken by Theresa Emmerich Kamper, via HISTORY Channel:
      [Today is] not a day to think about fishing so we will get back to working on the shelter. [cut in video] Cool, so I guess the best analogy for this, then, is that we've basically framed the house, and now we get to shingle.
    • 2022 October 25, 32:11 from the start, Vote 2022, in Joseph Camp, director, PBS NewsHour[5] (television production), spoken by John Fetterman, via Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), archived from the original on 2022-10-25:
      The elephant in the room, you know, we had a stroke back in May.
  8. (West Country, archaic) Us.
  9. (bridge) The side which is keeping score.
    Antonym: they
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
  • Jamaican Creole: wi
  • Sranan Tongo: wi
Translations edit

Determiner edit

we

  1. The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person.
    We Canadians like to think of ourselves as different.

Etymology 2 edit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we

  1. (Geordie) Us.
    He was a propa gadgie, and always bought we drinks after a long shift.
    He was a great guy, and always bought us drinks after a long shift.
    And what have you done for we since? Nowt!
    And what have you done for us since? Nothing!
Usage notes edit

Not to be confused with Tyneside us (me).

Anagrams edit

Abinomn edit

Noun edit

we (dual werom, plural wekon)

  1. tree kangaroo

References edit

  • Newguineaworld, citing Donohue and Musgrave, Abinomn nominal number (2007: 365)

Anguthimri edit

Noun edit

we

  1. (Mpakwithi) owl

References edit

  • Terry Crowley, The Mpakwithi dialect of Anguthimri (1981), page 189

Caac edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. water
    kô-ny we
    'my (glass/drink of) water'

References edit

Cameroon Pidgin edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From English we.

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we

  1. we, us 1st person plural subject and object personal pronoun

See also edit

Determiner edit

we

  1. our, 1st person plural possessive determiner

See also edit

Chuukese edit

Determiner edit

we (plural kewe)

  1. (possessive subject marker) the (singular)

Dadibi edit

Noun edit

wẹ

  1. water

Synonyms edit

References edit

  • Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
  • Karl James Franklin, Pacific Linguistics (1973, →ISBN, page 130: Polopa so/sou woman, cf. DAR sou female animal but we woman. Several multiple cognate sets appeared in the data. Daribi uses both ạị and wẹ for water; some Polopa speakers gave one term, some another. Both are probably known everywhere.

Dutch edit

Etymology edit

See wij.

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we (personal pronoun)

  1. we

Inflection edit

Synonyms edit

Descendants edit

  • Jersey Dutch:

See also edit

Fijian edit

Noun edit

we

  1. scar

Fwâi edit

 
we

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Galoli edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiR.

Noun edit

we

  1. (Talur) water

References edit

Haeke edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Jean Claude Rivierre, Sabine Ehrhart, Raymond Diéla, Le Bwatoo: et les dialectes de la région de Koné (2006)

Haveke edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Jean Claude Rivierre, Sabine Ehrhart, Raymond Diéla, Le Bwatoo: et les dialectes de la région de Koné (2006)

Hmwaveke edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water

References edit

Ido edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we (plural we-i)

  1. The name of the Latin script letter W/w.

See also edit

Indonesian edit

Etymology edit

From Dutch wee.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter W/w.

Synonyms edit

See also edit

Further reading edit

Japanese edit

Romanization edit

we

  1. Rōmaji transcription of
  2. Rōmaji transcription of
  3. Rōmaji transcription of うぇ
  4. Rōmaji transcription of ウェ

Jawe edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Kashubian edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈvʲɛ/
  • Syllabification: wew

Preposition edit

we

  1. Alternative form of w.

Kikuyu edit

Etymology 1 edit

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we (second person singular)

  1. you, thou
Related terms edit
  • -aku (“your, thy”)

Etymology 2 edit

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we (third person singular)

  1. s/he
Related terms edit
  • -ake (“his/her”)

See also edit

Independent personal pronouns in Kikuyu
singular plural
1st person niĩ ithuĩ
2nd person we /wɛ(ː)/ inyuĩ
3rd person we /wɛ/ o

References edit

  • “we” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary, p. 561. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Laboya edit

Noun edit

we

  1. water

References edit

  • Greenhill, S. J.; Blust. R; Gray, R. D. (2008), “The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics”, in Evolutionary Bioinformatics[6], issue 4, archived from the original on 2017-04-18, pages 271-283
  • Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen (2010–), “*wahiR”, in The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Lower Sorbian edit

Pronunciation edit

Preposition edit

we (with locative)

  1. Alternative form of w (especially before labial consonants and consonant clusters)

Mandarin edit

Romanization edit

we (we5we0, Zhuyin ˙ㄨㄝ)

  1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of

Romanization edit

we

  1. Nonstandard spelling of .

Usage notes edit

  • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Mapudungun edit

Adjective edit

we (Raguileo spelling)

  1. new, recent

References edit

  • Wixaleyiñ: Mapucezugun-wigkazugun pici hemvlcijka (Wixaleyiñ: Small Mapudungun-Spanish dictionary), Beretta, Marta; Cañumil, Dario; Cañumil, Tulio, 2008.

Masurian edit

Pronunciation edit

Preposition edit

we

  1. Alternative form of w

Middle English edit

Etymology 1 edit

from Old English (we), from Proto-West Germanic *wiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *wīz, *wiz (we), from Proto-Indo-European *wéy (we (plural)). Compare wit (first person dual pronoun).

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

we (accusative us, we, genitive oure, possessive determiner oures)

  1. First-person plural pronoun: we
  2. First-person plural accusative pronoun: us
Descendants edit
See also edit
References edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Old English wēa, from Proto-Germanic *waiwô. Doublet of wowe.

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we (uncountable)

  1. woe, grief, sadness
References edit

Middle Low German edit

Pronunciation edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Old Saxon hwē, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaʀ, from Proto-Germanic *hwaz.

Pronoun edit

(accusative wēne or wen, dative wēme or wem, genitive wes)

  1. (interrogative, masculine, feminine) who

Etymology 2 edit

From Proto-Germanic *wiz.

Pronoun edit

  1. (personal, first person, in the plural, nominative) Alternative form of .

Nedebang edit

Noun edit

we

  1. blood

References edit

  • Gary Holton and Laura Robinson, The Internal History of the Alor-Pantar language family, in The Alor-Pantar languages: History and Typology, edited by Marian Klamer
  • transnewguinea.org (wæ), ASJP 1 (wE i.e. wɛ), ASJP 2 (we)

Nemi edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

North Ambrym edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water

Further reading edit

  • Darrell T. Tryon, New Hebrides languages: an internal classification (1976)
  • George William Grace, The position of the Polynesian languages within the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language family (1959)

Nyâlayu edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Jim Hollyman, K. J. Hollyman, Études sur les langues du Nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (1991), page 81

Old English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Germanic *wiz, *wīz, from Proto-Indo-European *wéy, plural of *éǵh₂.

Cognate with Old Frisian (West Frisian wy), Old Saxon (Low German wi), Old Dutch (Dutch wij), Old High German wir (German wir), Old Norse vér (Danish and Swedish vi), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 (weis).

Pronunciation edit

Pronoun edit

(personal pronoun)

  1. we (nominative plural of )

Declension edit


Descendants edit

Old Javanese edit

Pronunciation edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *waʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *waʀi. Doublet of wari.

Noun edit

we

  1. sun
  2. day
Usage notes edit

Zoetmulder used Old Javanese we as primary entry for sun and day sense, while Old Javanese wwe used for water as primary entry.

Alternative forms edit
Derived terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Noun edit

we

  1. Alternative spelling of wwe (water)

Further reading edit

  • "we" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Old Polish edit

Pronunciation edit

Preposition edit

we

  1. Alternative form of w

Pije edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • André-Georges Haudricourt, Françoise Ozanne-Rivierre, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (1982)

Polish edit

Pronunciation edit

Preposition edit

we

  1. Alternative form of w, used mostly before words that begin with consonant clusters.

Scots edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English we, from Old English (we), from Proto-West Germanic *wiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *wīz, *wiz (we), from Proto-Indo-European *wéy (we (plural)). Cognate with English we.

Pronunciation edit

  • (stressed) IPA(key): /wi/
    • (South Scots) IPA(key): /wəi/ (sometimes spelled wey)
  • (unstressed) IPA(key): /wə/ (sometimes spelled wa)

Pronoun edit

we (first person singular, objective us or hus, possessive oor or wir, possessive pronoun oors or wirs, reflexive oorsels or wirsels)

  1. we
    Synonym: oo

See also edit

References edit

Silesian edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈvɛ/
  • Rhymes:
  • Syllabification: we

Preposition edit

we

  1. Alternative form of w, used mostly before words that begin with consonant clusters

Spanish edit

Etymology edit

Variant of güey, representing the relaxed pronunciation of the /gw/ sounds and in some cases loss of the /i/ sound.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈwe/ [ˈwe]
  • Rhymes: -e
  • Syllabification: we

Noun edit

we m or f by sense (plural wees)

  1. (colloquial) dude, guy, buddy
    Synonyms: carnal, cuate, tonto, bato
  2. (Mexico, colloquial slang) chump, punk, dumbass, idiot, jerk

Tocharian A edit

cardinal numbers
Previous: sas
Next: tre

Etymology edit

From Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Compare Tocharian B wi.

Numeral edit

we f

  1. two

Related terms edit

Tok Pisin edit

This entry has fewer than three known examples of actual usage, the minimum considered necessary for clear attestation, and may not be reliable. Tok Pisin is subject to a special exemption for languages with limited documentation. If you speak it, please consider editing this entry or adding citations. See also Help and the Community Portal.

Etymology edit

From English where.

Adverb edit

we

  1. where

Turkmen edit

Etymology 1 edit

Borrowed from Persian وَ (va).

Conjunction edit

we

  1. and

Etymology 2 edit

Noun edit

we (definite accusative [please provide], plural [please provide])

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter W/w.

Uyghur edit

Noun edit

we

  1. Latin (ULY) transcription of ۋە (we)

Vamale edit

Noun edit

we

  1. water

References edit

Welsh edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. Soft mutation of gwe.

Mutation edit

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
gwe we ngwe unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

West Makian edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. leaf

References edit

  • Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours[7], Pacific linguistics

Yola edit

Pronoun edit

we

  1. Alternative form of wough
    • 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 7-9:
      and whilke we canna zei, albeit o' 'Governere,' 'Statesman,' an alike.
      and for which we have no words but of 'Governor,' 'Statesman,' &c.
    • 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 21-23:
      Ye pace——yea, we mai zei, ye vaste pace whilke bee ee-stent owr ye londe zince th'ast ee-cam,
      The peace——yes, we may say the profound peace—which overspreads the land since your arrival,
    • 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 116, lines 6-8:
      Na oure gladès ana whilke we dellt wi' mattoke, an zing t'oure caulès wi plou,
      In our valleys where we were digging with the spade, or as we whistled to our horses in the plough,

References edit

  • Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 114

Yuaga edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

we

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Jim Hollyman, K. J. Hollyman, Études sur les langues du Nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (1999), page 81

Zaghawa edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

we

  1. head lice

Numeral edit

we

  1. three

References edit

Zulu edit

Pronoun edit

-we

  1. Combining stem of wena.