ai
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
Originated 1685–95, from Brazilian Portuguese aí, from Old Tupi.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ai (plural ais or ai)
- A type of three-toed sloth, Bradypus tridactylus, endemic to forests of southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil.
Synonyms edit
- (Bradypus tridactylus): maned sloth
See also edit
- unau (two-toed sloth)
References edit
- “ai”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
- “ai”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
Further reading edit
- ai on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Bradypus tridactylus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
Etymology 2 edit
Contraction of aight (which itself is a contraction of all right).
Pronunciation edit
Contraction edit
ai
Anagrams edit
Akei edit
Noun edit
ai
References edit
- Sidney Herbert Ray, A comparative study of the Melanesian Island languages (1926), page 351
Albanian edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Albanian *a-ei (compound of proclitic particle a and ei), from Proto-Indo-European *ís (“he, this (one)”). Compare Latin is, German er, Lithuanian jìs, Sanskrit अयम् (ayám)).
Pronunciation edit
Pronoun edit
ai m sg (accusative atë, dative atij, ablative atij)
Declension edit
See also edit
Pronoun edit
ai
Declension edit
Amblong edit
Noun edit
ai
Further reading edit
- Darrell T. Tryon, New Hebrides languages: an internal classification (1976)
Angal Enen edit
Noun edit
ai
References edit
- transnewguinea.org, citing Franklin KJ. 1975. Comments on Proto-Engan. In SA Wurm, Ed. New Guinea Area Languages and Language Study: Papuan languages and the New Guinea linguistic scene. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, pp. 263-275.'
Apalaí edit
Noun edit
ai
Araki 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
ai
References edit
- François, Alexandre. 2008. An online lexicon of Araki (Santo, Vanuatu). Electronic files. Paris: CNRS. (Pdf version) ‒ entry ai.
Catalan edit
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
ai
Noun edit
ai m (plural ais)
- ooh (pain)
Chuukese edit
Determiner edit
ai
- First person singular general possessive; my (used with general-class objects)
Related terms edit
Small objects, concepts | Large objects, living things | Suffix | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | First person | ai | nei | -ei |
Second person | omw, om | noum | -om | |
Third person | an | noun | -an | |
Plural | First person | äm (exclusive) ach (inclusive) |
nöu̇m (exclusive) nöüch (inclusive) |
-em (exclusive) -ach (inclusive) |
Second person | ämi, ami | noumi | -emi | |
Third person | ar | nour | -er |
Corsican edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
ai
References edit
- “avè” in Aiaccinu: Cunghjugatori corsu
Dadibi edit
Noun edit
ạị
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 (see we)
Dubu edit
Noun edit
ai
Further reading edit
- Cornelis L. Voorhoeve, Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist (1975, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics), page 114
Dutch edit
Alternative forms edit
- aï (obsolete)
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Portuguese ai, from Old Tupi ai.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ai m (plural ais)
Estonian edit
Interjection edit
ai
Synonyms edit
Finnish edit
Etymology edit
Compare Estonian ai, Ingrian ai, Karelian ai, Ludian ai, Veps ai, Votic ai, and Swedish aj, Norwegian aj, Latvian aj. Perhaps natural; tracing an origin is practically impossible.
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
ai
- ouch!
- oh!
- Ai, se olitkin sinä!
- Oh, it was you!
- (colloquial, interrogative particle) Oh? As in...?
- "Käytkö kaupassa?" "Ai, ruokakaupassa?"
- "Will you go to the shop?" "Oh, the food shop?"
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Further reading edit
- “ai”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish][1] (online dictionary, continuously updated, in Finnish), Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02
Anagrams edit
French edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
ai
- first-person singular present indicative of avoir
- J’ai un chien.
- I have a dog.
Anagrams edit
Friulian edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
ai m (plural ais)
Galician edit
Etymology edit
From Old Galician-Portuguese ay (attested since the 13th century).
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
ai
- ouch! expresses pain
- ooh! expresses pain
- oh! expresses concern
- 1812, Antonio Benito Fandiño, A Casamenteira:
- Ai tontiño, porque iñoras
o qu’he mantér casa e vida,
que por ben que estea sortida,
hai faltas a todas horas.
O segundo, que teu pai
pensa com’home de ben,
e así por vergonza ten
unha nora que non trai.
Orasme, sobr’esto hai,
que a dous parizós que teña,
non tendes donde vos veña,
cando ela non colla un mal.- Oh, silly, because you don't know
what it is to keep house and life,
no matter how well stocked it is,
there's lack at all hours.
Second, your father
thinks like a good man,
and to his shame he has
a daughter-in-law who doesn't bear.
However, on this matter,
with just two childbirths that she has,
you'll be left resourceless,
and that if she doesn't get sick.
- Oh, silly, because you don't know
References edit
- “ay” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
- “ai” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
- “ai” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
- “ai” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.
Galoli edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw.
Noun edit
ai
Gilbertese edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Oceanic *api, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *api, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apuy, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hapuy, from Proto-Austronesian *Sapuy.
Noun edit
ai
Gun edit
Alternative forms edit
- ayí (Benin)
Etymology edit
From Proto-Gbe *a-yĩ́ (“earth”). Cognates include Fon ayǐ, Saxwe Gbe nyixɔ́, Adja anyi. Perhaps related to Yoruba ayé
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
Derived terms edit
Hawaiian edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Polynesian *qai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qasiq.
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
ai
- to have sexual intercourse; to copulate
Hiri Motu edit
Pronoun edit
ai
See also edit
Iban edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Malayic *air, Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ai
Further reading edit
- Adelaar, K. A. (1992) Proto-Malayic: The reconstruction of its phonology and parts of its lexicon and morphology[2], Canberra: The Australian National University
- Asmah Haji Omar (1977), “The Iban Language”, in The Sarawak Museum Journal, volume XXV, issue 46, pages 81-100
- Smith, A. (2017) The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Ingrian edit
Etymology edit
Ultimately a natural sound. Compare Finnish ai and Estonian ai.
Pronunciation edit
- (Ala-Laukaa) IPA(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
- (Soikkola) IPA(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
- Rhymes: -ɑi̯
- Hyphenation: ai
Interjection edit
ai
- Exclamation of pain or frustration: ouch! oh!
- ai voi ― oh-oh
References edit
- Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 5
Italian edit
Alternative forms edit
- a' (truncation)
Pronunciation edit
Contraction edit
ai
Anagrams edit
Japanese edit
Romanization edit
ai
Kalasha edit
Pronoun edit
ai
- Alternative spelling of ábi (sense 1).
Kendayan edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Malayic *air, Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ai
Further reading edit
- Smith, A. (2017) The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Kott edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Proto-Yeniseian *axʷ (“I”). Compare Assan aj (“I”), Arin aj (“I”), and Pumpokol ad (“I”).
Pronoun edit
ai
- I (first-person singular subjective)
Related terms edit
Kriol edit
Etymology 1 edit
Noun edit
ai
Etymology 2 edit
Pronoun edit
ai
Etymology 3 edit
Adjective edit
ai
Kuna edit
Noun edit
ai
Ladin edit
Etymology edit
Contraction edit
ai
Ladino edit
Adverb edit
ai (Latin spelling, Hebrew spelling אאי)
- Alternative form of aí
Latin edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
ai
References edit
- “ai”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “ai”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book[3], London: Macmillan and Co.
- do you think so? are you in earnest: ain tu?
- do you think so? are you in earnest: ain tu?
Latvian edit
Interjection edit
ai
Leti (Indonesia) edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apuy, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hapuy, from Proto-Austronesian *Sapuy.
Noun edit
ai
Lithuanian edit
Etymology edit
Compare Russian ой (oj, “ow!”).
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
ái! or aĩ!
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Lombard edit
Noun edit
ai
- Alternative form of aj (“garlic”)
Manchu edit
Romanization edit
ai
- Romanization of ᠠᡳ
Mandarin edit
Romanization edit
ai
- Nonstandard spelling of āi.
- Nonstandard spelling of ái.
- Nonstandard spelling of ǎi.
- Nonstandard spelling of ài.
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.
Mbyá Guaraní edit
Adjective edit
ai
- (to be) bitter
Conjugation edit
Noun edit
ai
Middle English edit
Pronoun edit
ai
- Alternative form of þei (“they”)
Naga Pidgin edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Assamese আই (ai).
Noun edit
ai
Norman edit
Verb edit
ai
North Frisian edit
Adverb edit
ai
Norwegian Bokmål edit
Interjection edit
ai
- used to express surprise
References edit
- “ai” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk edit
Interjection edit
ai
- used to express surprise
References edit
- “ai” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Occitan edit
Verb edit
ai
Okinawan edit
Romanization edit
ai
Pitjantjatjara edit
Interjection edit
ai
References edit
- "ai" in Cliff Goddard (1992) Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara to English Dictionary, 2nd edition
- Ninti Ngapartji
Pohnpeian edit
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
ai
Portuguese edit
Pronunciation edit
- Rhymes: -aj
- Hyphenation: ai
Interjection edit
ai
- ouch (expression of physical pain)
- Ai! Pisei um prego! ― Ouch! I stepped on a nail!
- oh (expression of concern)
Derived terms edit
Rapa Nui edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Polynesian *hai. Cognates include Tongan hai and Maori wai.
Pronunciation edit
Pronoun edit
ai
- who?
References edit
Rohingya edit
Verb edit
ai
Romanian edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
Article edit
ai (masculine plural possessive)
- of
- Niște prieteni ai lui sunt interesanți.
- Some friends of his are interesting.
See also edit
Etymology 2 edit
Noun edit
ai m (uncountable)
Declension edit
Derived terms edit
See also edit
Etymology 3 edit
Inflected form of avea (“to have”).
Verb edit
ai
- second-person singular present indicative of avea
- (you) have
- Ai vreun prieten în România?
- Do you have any friends in Romania?
- (you) have
- inflection of avea:
Etymology 4 edit
From an old or proto-Romanian form ae, from Latin habēs.[1]
Verb edit
ai
- (tu) ai (modal auxiliary, second-person singular form of avea, used with past participles to form perfect compus tenses)
- (you) have...
Related terms edit
Etymology 5 edit
Probably from a Vulgar Latin *eas, from Latin habēbās.
Verb edit
(tu) ai (modal auxiliary, second-person singular form of avea, used with infinitives to form conditional tenses)
- (you) would
- Ai fi murit dacă ți-aș fi spus.
- You would have died if I'd told you.
Related terms edit
References edit
Seri edit
Etymology 1 edit
Noun edit
ai (plural aaita)
- his father
Declension edit
Derived terms edit
- queaa (“to have as father”)
Etymology 2 edit
Adverb edit
ai
References edit
- Moser, Mary B.; Marlett, Stephen A. (2010) Comcaac quih yaza quih hant ihiip hac: cmiique iitom - cocsar iitom - maricaana iitom [Seri-Spanish-English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Hermosillo: Plaza y Valdés Editores, →ISBN, page 43.
Sranan Tongo edit
Alternative forms edit
- ay (unofficial)
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
Noun edit
ai
Etymology 2 edit
Interjection edit
ai
Sumbawa edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.
Noun edit
ai
References edit
Tày edit
Pronunciation edit
- (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
- (Trùng Khánh) IPA(key): [ʔaːj˦˥]
Noun edit
ai (埃)
- Synonym of cò niêng
References edit
- Hoàng Văn Ma; Lục Văn Pảo; Hoàng Chí (2006) Từ điển Tày-Nùng-Việt [Tay-Nung-Vietnamese dictionary] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Từ điển Bách khoa Hà Nội
- Lương Bèn (2011) Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary][5][6] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
- Lục Văn Pảo; Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003), Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày][7] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã hội
Tetum edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, compare Tagalog kahoy.
Noun edit
ai
Tok Pisin edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
ai
- (anatomy) eye
- 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:5:
- Sapos yutupela i kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai, bai ai bilong yutupela i op na yutupela i kisim save long wanem samting i gutpela, na wanem samting i nogut, na bai yutupela i kamap wankain olsem God. God i save long dispela, olsem na em i tambuim yutupela long kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai.”
- hole, opening, lid
- tip
Derived terms edit
Tokelauan edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
From Proto-Polynesian *hai. Cognates include Hawaiian ai and Samoan ai.
Pronoun edit
ai
- who?
Etymology 2 edit
From Proto-Polynesian *ai. Cognates include Hawaiian ai and Samoan ai.
Particle edit
ai
Derived terms edit
References edit
- R. Simona, editor (1986) Tokelau Dictionary[8], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 1
Torres Strait Creole edit
Etymology 1 edit
Pronoun edit
ai
Etymology 2 edit
Noun edit
ai
Venetian edit
Noun edit
ai
Vietnamese edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Vietic *ʔeː (“who”). Cognate with Tho [Cuối Chăm] ʔeː¹.
Pronunciation edit
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
Audio (Hồ Chí Minh City) (file)
Pronoun edit
- who
- Bạn là ai?
- Who are you?
- Ai (mà) biết.
- Who knows? / How should I know?
- whoever
- someone else
- one, a person
- 2005, Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, "Cuối mùa nhan sắc" (in Cánh đồng bất tận), Trẻ publishing house
- Người ở chùa, người bán vé số, người ngủ công viên, người hát rong, ít ai có nhà để về.
- Some live at the temple, some sell lottery tickets, some sleep in parks, some play music in the streets; few have a home to go back to.
- 2005, Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, "Cuối mùa nhan sắc" (in Cánh đồng bất tận), Trẻ publishing house
- (rhetorical) nobody
Usage notes edit
- The interrogative pronoun ai is used for a person. When ai functions as the subject of the question, it is placed at the beginning of the question.
- Ai có ô tô? ― Who has a car?
- When functioning as the predicate, it can either follow or predate the linking verb là.
- Hải là ai? ― Who is Hải?
- Ai là Hải? ― Who is Hải?
- When functioning as the object, it is placed after the verb.
- Nga vẽ ai? ― Whom is Nga drawing?
See also edit
Further reading edit
- "ai" in Hồ Ngọc Đức, Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project (details)
Volapük edit
Adverb edit
ai
- always
- at all times
- constantly (habitually)
- ever (always)
- habitually
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
- ai laidio (forever)
Welsh edit
Etymology edit
May derive from a (“interrogative particle”) + yw (“is, are”) or from or via the synonymous ae.
Pronunciation edit
Particle edit
ai
- interrogative particle (used when a non-verbal element is fronted for emphasis)
- Synonym: ife
- Ai ef yw dy dad?
- Is he your father?
- whether, if (used when the subordinate clause has a non-verbal element fronted for emphasis)
- Ni wn ai ef yw dy dad.
- I do not know whether he is your father.
Usage notes edit
- Used before a non-verbal element fronted for emphasis. Unemphatic initial verbs, on the other hand, employ the interrogative particle a.
- This word is found in formal language. As an initial interrogative particle, it is often dropped altogether in colloquial language or replaced with ife in some southern dialects.
- Likewise, with the meaning "whether", this may be dropped colloquially. An alternative construction influenced by English is to replaced the ai with os (“if”) followed by the appropriate dialect-specific indicating an emphatic subordinate clause, namely taw in south Wales and mai or na in the north.
References edit
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “ai”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
West Makian edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
ai
- (intransitive) to come back, return
- (intransitive) to depart
- naai sito? ― where did you depart from?
Conjugation edit
Conjugation of ai (action verb) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
singular | plural | |||
inclusive | exclusive | |||
1st person | taai | maai | aai | |
2nd person | naai | faai | ||
3rd person | inanimate | iai | daai | |
animate | ||||
imperative | naai, ai | faai, ai |
References edit
- Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours[9], Pacific linguistics (as ay)
Yami edit
Noun edit
ai
Ye'kwana edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Cariban [Term?]. Compare Apalaí ae, Hixkaryana yaye, Macushi yapai, and Waiwai yay.
Pronunciation edit
Postposition edit
ai
Usage notes edit
A possessed noun that is the object of this postposition does not take the possessed suffix -dü. The postposition can thus combine with nouns referring to body parts and parts of objects to form more complex postpositions/relational nouns.
See also edit
References edit
- Cáceres, Natalia (2011) Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana[10], Lyon, page 267–272
Zou edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
ái
References edit
- Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 40