-ke

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ke"

Dutch

Alternative forms

• -ken

Etymology

From earlier -ken, from Middle Dutch -ken, -kin, -kijn, apparently representing Proto-Germanic *-ukīną, a double diminutive, from *-ukaz. The standard Dutch -tje and its variants are derived from -ke(n) through palatalization. Cognate with German -chen, Low German -ken, English -kin, -ock.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Suffix

-ke n (plural -kes)

1. Appended to a noun, making it diminutive.

---

Estonian

Alternative forms

• -kene

Suffix

-ke (genitive -kese, partitive -kest)

1. A noun suffix that builds diminutives from nouns.

• kivi (stone) → kivike (a small stone)

Usage notes

Diminutives can be stacked, yielding -kene, -keseke, -kesekene. The longer forms are rarely used.

Declension

Inflection of -ke (ÕS type 12/oluline, no gradation)

	singular	plural
nominative	-ke	-kesed
accusative	-kese	-kesed
genitive	-kese	-keste
partitive	-kest	-kesi
illative	-kesse -kesesse	-kestesse -kesisse
inessive	-keses	-kestes -kesis
elative	-kesest	-kestest -kesist
allative	-kesele	-kestele -kesile
adessive	-kesel	-kestel -kesil
ablative	-keselt	-kestelt -kesilt
translative	-keseks	-kesteks -kesiks
terminative	-keseni	-kesteni
essive	-kesena	-kestena
abessive	-keseta	-kesteta
comitative	-kesega	-kestega

Inflection of -ke (ÕS type 10/soolane, no gradation)

	singular	plural
nominative	-ke	-kesed
accusative	-kese	-kesed
genitive	-kese	-keste
partitive	-kest	-keseid
illative	-kesesse	-kestesse -keseisse
inessive	-keses	-kestes -keseis
elative	-kesest	-kestest -keseist
allative	-kesele	-kestele -keseile
adessive	-kesel	-kestel -keseil
ablative	-keselt	-kestelt -keseilt
translative	-keseks	-kesteks -keseiks
terminative	-keseni	-kesteni
essive	-kesena	-kestena
abessive	-keseta	-kesteta
comitative	-kesega	-kestega

---

Finnish

Etymology

-kka +‎ -e

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /keˣ/, [ke̞(ʔ)]

Suffix

-ke

1. Forms diminutive forms of nouns.

   ‎aalto (“wave”) + ‎-ke → ‎aalloke (“wavelet”)

   ‎siipi (“wing”) + ‎-ke → ‎siiveke (“aileron”)

   ‎lause (“sentence”) + ‎-ke → ‎lauseke (“expression; phrase”)

2. Forms nouns from verbs, often to describe the result of an action.

   ‎elää (“to live”) + ‎-ke → ‎eläke (“pension”)

   ‎seisahtaa (“to come to a standstill”) + ‎-ke → ‎seisake (“railway stop”)

3. (rare) Forms nouns from adjectives.

   ‎lämmin (“warm”) + ‎-ke → ‎lämmike (“something used to warm up”)

Derived terms

Finnish words suffixed with -ke

See also

• -e
• -te

References

• § 257 ke-sanojen koostumus ja merkitys, Iso suomen kielioppi, 2004[1]

Anagrams

• EK

---

German Low German

Alternative forms

• -ken (in other dialects)

Etymology

Compare German -chen, Dutch -ke.

Suffix

-ke (noun plural -kes)

1. (Low Prussian) Suffix used to form the diminutive of nouns and hypocoristic forms of proper nouns and other parts of speech.

   Brotke ― bread

   Anke ― Annie

   Gottke ― God

   kommke ― come (second-person singular present imperative, hypocoristic)

References

• Erhard Riemann (et al.), Preußisches Wörterbuch: deutsche Mundarten Ost- und Westpreußens (1974)
• A. Treichel, Dialectische Räthsel, Reime und Märchen aus dem Ermlande, in Altpreussische Monatsschrift neue Folge. Der Preussischen Provinzial-Blätter vierte Folge, volume 27 (1890), edited by Rudolf Reicke and Ernst Wichert, pp. 327–332; on p. 332:

  Aus Braunsberg wird mir noch gemeldet (Pfr. Preuschoff), daß dort und in der Umgegend die Verkleinerungs-Endsilbe -chen und -lein, erstere in -ke verplattdeutscht, überaus häufig und überall angehängt werden, wie z. B. Jacke! nêke! kommke! Ebenso an Personennamen. Man hört die Schulkinder ihren Gefährten also zurufen: Albrechtke, Ehmke, Eadmannke (Erdmannchen), Wulfke u. s. w.

• H. Frischbier, Preußisches Wörterbuch. Ost- und westpreussische Provinzialismen, volume 1, A–K (1882)
• H. Frischbier, Preußisches Wörterbuch. Ost- und westpreussische Provinzialismen, volume 2, L–Z (1883)

---

Hungarian

Etymology

From Proto-Finno-Ugric. Compare Finnish -kka and Estonian -ke.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɛ]
• Rhymes: -kɛ

Suffix

-ke

1. (diminutive suffix) Added to a word to express smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment. When added to present participles, it can also express the instrument or place of the action indicated in the base word.

   egy (“one”) → egyke (“only child”)

   egér (“mouse”) → egérke (“tiny mouse”)

   ül (“to sit”) → ülő (“sitting”) → ülőke (“seat, small seat”)

Usage notes

• (diminutive suffix) Harmonic variants:

  -ka is added to back vowel words

  -ke is added to front vowel words

Derived terms

Hungarian words suffixed with -ke

See also

• -cske
• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

---

Zulu

Etymology

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

Suffix

-ke

1. now
2. and so
3. then
4. very well

   Yeboke.

   Yes, very well.

Usage notes

The suffix is usually affixed to the first word of the sentence.

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “-ke”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “-ke”