по

See also: По, ПО, по-, and Appendix:Variations of "po"

Bulgarian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *po.

Pronunciation

• (unstressed) IPA^(key): [pɔ]

Preposition

по • (po)

1. used to indicate movement over a surface or movement bound to certain limits (usually continuous or repeating in time), on, over, through, along

   Вървя по улицата.

   Vǎrvja po ulicata.

   I am walking on the street.

2. introducing the object of a targeted action or for an action related to certain state, on, over, for

   Потупах го по рамото.

   Potupah go po ramoto.

   I tapped him on the shoulder.

   Ударих го по главата.

   Udarih go po glavata.

   I hit him on/over the head.

   Тъгувам по лятото.

   Tǎguvam po ljatoto.

   I long for the summer.

3. in conjunction with countable nouns for price or quantity, expressing quantity, expressing distribution, by

   По евро за книга.

   Po evro za kniga.

   A euro for a book.

   Двама по двама.

   Dvama po dvama.

   Two by two.

   Тичам по малко (всеки ден).

   Tičam po malko (vseki den).

   I am running a little (every day).

4. expressing approximate time

   По обед.

   Po obed.

   Around lunchtime.

   По Коледа.

   Po Koleda.

   Around Christmas.

5. used to describe attire, in, with ... on

   Ходя по чорапи.

   Hodja po čorapi.

   I am walking in my socks.

6. used to indicate means, by, via, on

   Пращам го по автобус.

   Praštam go po avtobus.

   I am sending it by bus.

   Пращам го по въздушна поща.

   Praštam go po vǎzdušna pošta.

   I am sending it via airmail.

   Говоря по телефона.

   Govorja po telefona.

   I am talking on the phone.

7. indicating an activity or its domain, of

   Учител по история.

   Učitel po istorija.

   History teacher.

   Факултет по физика.

   Fakultet po fizika.

   Faculty of physics.

8. according to, based on, by, of

   Съдя го по външността му.

   Sǎdja go po vǎnšnostta mu.

   I am judging him by his appearance.

   Работя по усмотрение.

   Rabotja po usmotrenie.

   I work of my own accord.

9. used to indicate cause, by

   Пропуснато е по погрешка.

   Propusnato e po pogreška.

   It is missed by mistake.

   По негова вина закъснях.

   Po negova vina zakǎsnjah.

   It is his fault I was late.

10. used to indicate direction, along

    Плувам по течението.

    Pluvam po tečenieto.

    I am swimming along the current.

    Ходя по пътеката.

    Hodja po pǎtekata.

    I am walking along the path.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (stressed) IPA^(key): [pɔ]

Particle

по́- • (pó-)

1. used as a prefix to form comparative for adjectives and adverbs, more

   Корабите са по-бавни от самолетите.

   Korabite sa po-bavni ot samoletite.

   Ships are slower than airplanes.

   Този филм е по-интересен.

   Tozi film e po-interesen.

   This film is more interesting.

   Трябва да ходя по-бързо.

   Trjabva da hodja po-bǎrzo.

   I should walk faster.

по́ • (pó)

1. used for nouns, verbs and other parts of speech to form a comparative, more

   По́ я обичам!

   Pó ja običam!

   I love her more!

   Той е по́ юнак от теб.

   Toj e pó junak ot teb.

   He is more of a hero than you.

2. used before prepositions to form a comparative, more, further

   Областта е по́ на север.

   Oblastta e pó na sever.

   The region is further to the north.

See also

• повече (poveče)

Macedonian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *po.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pɔ]
• Rhymes: -ɔ

Preposition

по • (po)

1. after

   Ќе се вратат по вечерата. ― Ḱe se vratat po večerata. ― They'll return after dinner.

2. on (movement along a surface)

   Одам по улицата. ― Odam po ulicata. ― I'm walking on the street.

3. by (distributive)

   Влезете еден по еден. ― Vlezete eden po eden. ― Enter one by one.

4. times

   Два по два е четири. ― Dva po dva e četiri. ― Two times two is four.

5. (colloquial) according to

   По тебе, што ќе се случи следно? ― Po tebe, što ḱe se sluči sledno? ― According to you, what's going to happen next?

6. wearing

   Излегува по кратки ракави. ― Izleguva po kratki rakavi. ― He goes out wearing short sleeves.

7. in pursuit of, in order to acquire

   Отиде на пазар по пиперки. ― Otide na pazar po piperki. ― He went to the marketplace to get peppers.

Old Church Slavonic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *po.

Preposition

по • (po)

1. along
2. on
3. after
4. by

References

• Mali staroslavensko-hrvatski rječnik, Matica hrvatska, Zagreb, 2004

Russian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *po

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pə]
• IPA^(key): [pɐ] (before a stressed syllable)
• IPA^(key): [ˈpo] (when stressed)

• Audio

  (file)

Preposition

по • (po)

1. with accusative case
   1. up to
   2. till
   3. indicates distribution (with numerals other than one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending these words)

      по́ два (две) / по две́сти ― pó dva (dve) / po dvésti ― two / two hundred each

2. with dative case
   1. along
   2. over
   3. around
   4. about
   5. on

      плыть по реке́ ― plytʹ po reké ― to swim in a river

   6. according to
   7. showing the cause that is unwanting or unwilling (see из-за usage notes for more detail)
   8. indicates the direct object of some verbs of striking or hitting

      нанести́ уда́р по я́дерным объе́ктам Ира́на ― nanestí udár po jádernym obʺjéktam Irána ― to launch a strike at Iran's nuclear ambitions

   9. indicates repetition of time

      по четверга́м ― po četvergám ― on Thursdays (every Thursday)

   10. indicates distribution (with numerals one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending in these words)

       по одному́ (одно́й) / по ты́сяче / по миллио́ну / по миллиа́рду ― po odnomú (odnój) / po týsjače / po milliónu / po milliárdu ― one / a thousand / a million / a billion each

3. with prepositional case
   1. on, immediately after

      по прие́зде ― po prijézde ― on arrival

   2. for

      носи́ть траур по нём ― nosítʹ traur po njom ― be in mourning for him

   3. to the liking of

      по нём ― po njom ― to his liking

Usage notes

• When used with numerals in a distributive sense, the following should be noted:
  • The case of the numeral is the dative for the numerals one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending in these words, e.g. twenty-one, but the accusative inanimate (even with animate nouns) for the remainder.

    Я дал им по пя́ть рубле́й. ― Ja dal im po pjátʹ rubléj. ― I gave them five rubles each.

    Я дал им по двадцати́ одному́ рублю́. ― Ja dal im po dvadcatí odnomú rubljú. ― I gave them twenty-one rubles each.

    Мы отпра́вили по три́ челове́ка. ― My otprávili po trí čelovéka. ― We sent three men each. (note, not animate *трёх)

  • The case of an associated noun, if any, follows the normal rules for the numeral (dative singular for one and compounds ending in one; genitive singular for two, three, four and compounds ending in these numerals; and genitive plural in all other cases).
  • With два (dva), три (tri), сто (sto) (but not compounds ending in these numerals), the stress is optionally drawn onto по:

    Я дал им по́ два/по два́ рубля́. ― Ja dal im pó dva/po dvá rubljá. ― I gave them two rubles each.

Related terms

• по ме́ре того́ как (po mére tovó kak)

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From пол, from Proto-Slavic *polъ. See по-.

Alternative forms

• по̑л

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pôː/

Adverb

по̑ (Latin spelling pȏ)

1. half

   сат и по ― hour and a half

   четири и по ― four thirty

   чов(ј)ек и по ― an excellent man

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *po, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)po.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pô/

Preposition

по̏ (Latin spelling pȍ)

1. (+ accusative case) for

   отићи по мл(иј)еко ― to go and get the milk

   по ц(иј)ели дан ― all day long

   по шести пут ― for the sixth time

   бити штетан по некога/нешто ― to be harmful for sb/sth

   добро/лоше по њега ― good/bad for him

2. (+ locative case) over, through, across, in, on

   ударити по глави ― to hit on the head

   сн(иј)ег је пао по цести ― snow fell on the road

   вода се пролила по поду ― water spilled over the floor

   шетати по шуми ― to walk in the woods

3. (+ locative case) by, with, through (using an intermediary or medium)

   Послао сам му пакет по заједничком пријатељу. ― I've sent him a package via a mutual friend.

   по зраку/води ― by air/water

4. (+ locative case) by, according to

   све иде по плану ― everything is going according to the plan

   Америка је прва држава по богатству у св(иј)ету. ― America is the richest country in the world.

   по глави становника ― per capita

   жив(ј)ети по принципима ― to live according to principles

   по мом(е) мишљењу ― in my opinion

   по мом рачуну ― by my reckoning

   по мени ― in my opinion; as far as I'm concerned

   свирати по слуху ― to play by ear

   судити по вањштини ― to judge by appearance

5. (+ locative case) after

   по свршетку сукоба ― after (the end of) the conflict

6. (+ locative case) during

   по киши/сунцу ― in the rain/sun

   по дану ― during the day

7. (+ locative case) in miscellaneous senses in various phrasal constructs

   разум(иј)е се (само) по себи ― it goes without saying

   нека буде по твоме ― let it be your way

   једнак по величини ― equal in size

   све је по старом ― everything is/goes in the accustomed/usual manner

   по обичају ― as usual, according to custom

   по вр(иј)едности ― in value

   по свој прилици ― in all likelihood

   по роду ― by birth

   по нарави/природи ― in nature

   по тој ц(иј)ени ― at this price

   по параграфу 13 ― under section 13

   по што по то ― by all means

   по могућности ― if possible

   по реду ― in order, one after another

   по мом укусу ― (according) to my taste

   по квалитети ― by quality

   по томе ― according to this/that, accordingly, consequently, then

   по закону ― according to the law, by the law

   по дуљини ― lengthwise

Etymology 3

Particle

по (Latin spelling po)

1. (+ accusative case or nominative case) denoting distribution and succession; by, per, each, apiece

   Попили смо сви по чашицу ракије. ― We all drank a glass of rakija each.

   корак по корак ― step by step

   један по један ― one by one

   трипут по сату ― three times per hour

   Cви смо добили по јабуку. ― Each of us received an apple.

References

• “по” in Hrvatski jezični portal
• “по” in Hrvatski jezični portal

Shor

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *bu(-n) (“this”). Compare Old Turkic 𐰉𐰆‎ (bu, “this”).

Pronoun

по • (po)

1. this

See also

• кайдығ
• мендиг, мындығ
• андығ, эндиг

Tajik

Etymology

From Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎭 (pād(a)), from Proto-Iranian *pā́dah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *pā́ts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds. Cognate with Sanskrit पद् (pád), Latin pes, German Fuß, English foot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔː/

Noun

Dari	پا‎
Iranian Persian
Tajik	по (po)

по • (po)

1. leg, foot

Inflection

Inflection of по

		singular	plural
sound	broken1
bare		по po	поҳо poho	[Term?]
definite object		поро poro	поҳоро pohoro	ро ro
izofa		пои poyi	поҳои pohoyi	и i
indefinite, definite relative	bare	пое poye	—	—
	object	поеро poyero	—	—

Possessive forms of по

		singular	plural
sound	broken1
bare	1st singular	поям poyam	поҳоям pohoyam	ам am
	2nd singular	поят poyat	поҳоят pohoyat	ат at
	3rd singular	пояш poyaš	поҳояш pohoyaš	аш aš
	1st plural	поямон poyamon	поҳоямон pohoyamon	амон amon
	2nd plural	поятон poyaton	поҳоятон pohoyaton	атон aton
	3rd plural	пояшон poyašon	поҳояшон pohoyašon	ашон ašon
definite object	1st singular	поямро poyamro	поҳоямро pohoyamro	амро amro
	2nd singular	поятро poyatro	поҳоятро pohoyatro	атро atro
	3rd singular	пояшро poyašro	поҳояшро pohoyašro	ашро ašro
	1st plural	поямонро poyamonro	поҳоямонро pohoyamonro	амонро amonro
	2nd plural	поятонро poyatonro	поҳоятонро pohoyatonro	атонро atonro
	3rd plural	пояшонро poyašonro	поҳояшонро pohoyašonro	ашонро ašonro

See also

• пой (poy)

Tundra Nenets

Etymology

From Proto-Samoyedic *poəj.

Noun

по • (po)

1. year