פֿיר

Yiddish

Yiddish numbers ^(edit)

	40
←  3	4	5  →
Cardinal: פֿיר (fir)     Ordinal: פֿערט (fert)     Fractional: פֿערטל (fertl)

Pronunciation

• (YIVO, Northeastern) IPA^(key): /fɪr/
• (Poylish) IPA^(key): /fiːr/
• (Ukrainish) IPA^(key): /fir/

Etymology 1

From Middle High German vier, from Old High German fior, from Proto-West Germanic *feuwar, from Proto-Germanic *fedwōr, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr, the neuter form of *kʷetwóres.

Numeral

פֿיר • (fir)

1. four

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

פֿיר • (fir)

1. inflection of פֿירן (firn):
   1. first-person singular
   2. imperative singular

Etymology 3

From Old High German vür, from Old High German furi, from Proto-West Germanic *furi, from Proto-Germanic *furi (“for”), from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i-.

Preposition

פֿיר • (fir)

1. Alternative form of פֿאַר (far): before, in front of, ahead of, prior to

Usage notes

• Sometimes used as a prefix or adverbial complement to form verbs, such as פֿירברענגען (firbrengen, “to bring forward”), פֿירקומען (firkumen, “to occur”) or פֿירהאַלטן (firhaltn, “to reproach”).

Derived terms

• פֿיר־ (fir-)

Etymology 4

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

Noun

פֿיר • (fir) m, plural פֿירן (firn)

1. practice, custom, usage
2. stroke (of a brush, etc.)
3. gesture of passing the hand over something

Further reading

• Justus van de Kamp et al., “פֿיר” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].
• Beinfeld, Solon, Bochner, Harry (2013) “פֿיר”, in Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, →ISBN