じゃ

Japanese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑa̠]

Etymology 1

Syllable

じゃ (romaji ja)

1. The hiragana syllable じゃ (ja). Its equivalent in katakana is ジャ (ja).

Etymology 2

Contraction of では (de wa).

Alternative forms

• じゃあ (jā)

Conjunction

じゃ • (ja) ^{←ぢや (dya)?}

1. (colloquial) so, then—used for connecting to a reasonable conclusion, supposition

Interjection

じゃ • (ja) ^{←ぢや (dya)?}

1. well; then; so
2. by extension from the "so then" meaning: bye, goodbye

Etymology 3

Contraction of である (de aru, “to be, to exist”).

Verb

じゃ • (ja) ^{←ぢや (dya)?}

1. to be

   わしはわしじゃ。

   Washi wa washi ja.

   I am me.

Usage notes

Variation on the Japanese copula だ (da) used in western Japan, such as in Chūgoku, Shikoku, or Kyūshū; particularly common in Hiroshima. The use of じゃ (ja) is also common in fictional dialogue attributed to archaic characters. In Kansai, じゃ (ja) changed to や (ya) in the late Edo period.

Conjugation

Conjugation of "じゃ" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	じゃろ では	jaro de wa
Continuative (連用形)	じゃっ で	ja' de
Terminal (終止形)	じゃ	ja
Attributive (連体形)	な	na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	なら	nara
Imperative (命令形)	-	-
Key constructions
Passive	-	-
Causative	-	-
Potential	-	-
Volitional	じゃろう	jarō
Negative	ではない じゃない¹ でない	de wa nai ja nai¹ de nai
Negative continuative	ではなくて じゃなくて¹	de wa nakute ja nakute¹
Formal	です	desu
Perfective	じゃった	jatta
Conjunctive	で	de
Hypothetical conditional	ならば	naraba
¹ Colloquial contraction

Etymology 4

Kanji reading.

Noun

じゃ • (ja) 

1. 蛇: generic name for a large snake; a heavy drinker
2. 邪: a moral wrong; a bad attitude; maliciousness, wickedness; such a person
3. 麝: short for 麝香 (jakō, “musk”); short for 麝香鹿 (jakōjika, “musk deer”)