ja

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ja"

Contents

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Afrikaans ja (“yes”), from Dutch ja (“yes”). More at yeah.

Alternative forms

• ya

Adverb

ja (not comparable)

1. (chiefly South Africa, informal) yes

Derived terms

• ja well no fine

Etymology 2

From the Revised Romanization of Korean 자 (ja)

Alternative forms

• cha

Noun

ja (plural jas or ja)

1. (Korean units of measure) Synonym of Korean foot: a traditional unit of length equivalent to about 30.3 cm.

Anagrams

• AJ, aj

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Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch ja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

Adverb

ja

1. yes

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Assan

Etymology

From Proto-Yeniseian *ʔaʒ (“I”). Compare Kott ai (“I”), Pumpokol ad (“I”), and Arin aj.

Pronoun

ja

1. I (first-person singular subjective)

Synonyms

• aj

Related terms

• ajun

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Catalan

Etymology

From Latin iam.

Pronunciation

• (Central) IPA^(key): /ˈʒa/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ˈja/
• Rhymes: -a

Adverb

ja

1. already, (in negative sentences) any more
2. now, immediately, at once

Derived terms

• ja que

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Central Melanau

Central Melanau cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : ja

Alternative forms

• je-

Numeral

ja

1. (cardinal) one

Synonyms

• satu

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Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse já (“yes”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ja/, [jɛ]
• IPA^(key): /jar/, [jæɐ̯]
• Rhymes: -a

Interjection

ja

1. yes

Antonyms

• nej

Related terms

• jo

Noun

ja n (singular definite jaet, plural indefinite jaer)

1. yes

Inflection

Declension of ja

neuter gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	ja	jaet	jaer	jaerne
genitive	jas	jaets	jaers	jaernes

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Dimasa

Noun

já

1. foot

Derived terms

• jaga

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch ja, from Old Dutch *jā, from Proto-Germanic *ja.

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

Adverb

ja

1. yes

   Wil je met ons meegaan? — Ja, graag!

   Would you like to come with us? — Yes, I'd love to!

Synonyms

• jep

Antonyms

• nee, neen

Derived terms

• jawel

Noun

ja m, n (plural ja's, diminutive jaatje n)

1. yes

   Een ja kan je krijgen, een nee heb je al.

   A yes you can get, a no you already have.

   Het begon met een ja...

   It began with a yes...

Synonyms

• jawoord

Antonyms

• nee

Interjection

ja

1. yes!

   "Ja!" riep hij luid toen er een doelpunt viel.

   Yes! he screamed loudly when they scored a goal.

Synonyms

• yes

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Esperanto

Etymology

From German ja. Compare Danish jo, Swedish ju.

Adverb

ja

1. indeed

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Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”); compare Gothic 𐌾𐌰𐌷 (jah), Old High German ja, joh.

Conjunction

ja

1. and

Synonyms

• ning

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Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse já, from Proto-Germanic *ja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɛaː/

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Antonyms

• nei, neiggj

Related terms

• jú, júgv

Noun

ja n (genitive singular jas, plural ja)

1. yes

Declension

Declension of ja
n3	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	ja	jaið	ja	jaini
accusative	ja	jaið	ja	jaini
dative	jai	jainum	jaum	jaunum
genitive	jas	jasins	jaa	jaanna

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Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”); compare Gothic 𐌾𐌰𐌷 (jah), Old High German ja, joh.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈjɑ/, [ˈjɑ]

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ja

Conjunction

ja

1. (coordinating) and

Synonyms

• sekä (used when listing things — not when joining clauses)

Noun

ja

1. AND (logic gate or connector)

Declension

Rarely inflected; if inflection is necessary, it is used as a first component in a compound, such as JA-portti ("AND gate").

Inflection of ja (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation)
nominative		ja	jat
genitive		jan	jaiden jaitten
partitive		jata	jaita
illative		jahan	jaihin
		singular	plural
nominative		ja	jat
accusative	nom.	ja	jat
	gen.	jan
genitive		jan	jaiden jaitten
partitive		jata	jaita
inessive		jassa	jaissa
elative		jasta	jaista
illative		jahan	jaihin
adessive		jalla	jailla
ablative		jalta	jailta
allative		jalle	jaille
essive		jana	jaina
translative		jaksi	jaiksi
instructive		—	jain
abessive		jatta	jaitta
comitative		—	jaineen

References

• Häkkinen, Kaisa (2004-2005). Nykysuomen etymologinen sanakirja. Juva: WSOY. →ISBN.

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German ja, from Old High German ja, jā (“yes”), from Proto-Germanic *ja (“yes”), from Proto-Indo-European *yē (“already”). Cognate with Dutch ja (“yes”), English yea (“yes, yea”), Latin iam (“already”). More at yes.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

• audio

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aː
• Homophone: Jahr (according to a widespread pronunciation of this word)

Adverb

ja

1. yes

   Willst du das? Ja. ― Do you want that? Yes.

   Aber ja! ― Yes, of course!

2. (intensifier) obviously; certainly; of course; really; just; as you know; as is generally known (indicates and emphasises that one is expressing a known fact)

   Es kann ja nicht immer so bleiben. ― It obviously cannot always remain so.

   Der Peter war ja gestern krank. ― Peter was sick yesterday, as you know.

Usage notes

• (yes): Ja is used to indicate agreement with a positive statement. To contradict a negative statement (where English would use “yes”), doch is used instead.
• (obviously): Ja means roughly the same as English obviously or as you know, but given its shortness it is used much more frequently. In colloquial German, ja is used in most statements of facts already known to the one addressed.

Synonyms

• (yes): jawohl
• (obviously): doch, bekanntlich

Antonyms

• nein

Derived terms

• bejahen
• Ja
• jein

Interjection

ja

1. yes

Synonyms

• (yes): jawohl

Antonyms

• (yes): nein

Further reading

• ja in Duden online

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Gothic

Romanization

ja

1. Romanization of 𐌾𐌰

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Guerrero Amuzgo

Adjective

ja

1. heavy

Pronoun

ja

1. I

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Gutnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jaː/, [jɑː]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse ek. Compare Swedish jag.

Alternative forms

• jag (Fårö and Lau dialects)

Pronoun

ja

1. I (first-person singular pronoun)

Inflection

	inflection of "ja"
subject	ja
object	mi
possessive	min, mein, mitt, meine

Etymology 2

From Old Norse já

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Usage notes

Uncertain or stalling answer; jo is used for yes-no questions

Related terms

• (used for yes-no questions) jo, jå (Lau dialect)

Interjection

ja

1. yes

References

• "ja" in Gutamålgildes Årdliste
• "ja in Gustavson, H. (red.). 1972-1986. Ordbok över Laumålet på Gotland. Uppsala: AB Lundequistska Bokhandeln.

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Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈjɒ], [ˈjaː] (the long pronunciation is used in case of great surprise)

• Audio

  (file)

Interjection

ja

1. (informal) yep (indicates agreement, approval, or understanding)

   Jössz holnap a meccsre? - Ja.

   Are you coming to the game tomorrow? - Yep.

2. oh (indicates understanding something finally after a misunderstanding or confusion)

   Este nem jár a vonat. - Ja, hát akkor menjünk busszal!

   No train is leaving in the evening. - Oh, well then let's travel by bus!

   Ezt nem is Miki küldte! - Ja, lehet, hogy én értettem félre.

   This was not sent by Miki! - Oh, then I must have misunderstood it.

Synonyms

• (approval): aha, ühüm, jaja

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Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian già, French déjà and Spanish ya, from Latin iam, replacing Esperanto jam which is cognate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒa/

Adverb

ja

1. already

Related terms

• ya

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Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”); compare Gothic 𐌾𐌰𐌷 (jah), Old High German ja, joh. Akin to Finnish ja.

Conjunction

ja

1. and

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Japanese

Romanization

ja

1. Rōmaji transcription of じゃ
2. Rōmaji transcription of ジャ

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Latvian

Pronunciation

Conjunction

ja

1. if
2. in case

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Lithuanian

Pronoun

ja f

1. (third-person singular) instrumental form of ji.

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Lower Sorbian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *(j)a, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronoun

ja sg

1. I

Declension

Declension of the first-person pronouns

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ja	mej	my
Genitive	mě (after preposition) mnjo	naju	nas
Dative	mě (after preposition) mnjo	nama	nam
Accusative	mě (after preposition) mnjo	naju	nas
Instrumental	mnu	nama	nami
Locative	mnjo	nama	nas
Possessive determiner	mój	naju	naš

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Lule Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

Conjunction

ja

1. and

Further reading

• Entry 44670 in Álgu database

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North Frisian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ja/

Pronoun

ja

1. (Sylt and Mooring) they

Synonyms

• djo (Heligolandic)
• jo (Amrum and Fering)
• jä (Halligen, Hoorning and Wiedingharde)

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Northern Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

Pronunciation

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈja/

Conjunction

ja

1. and

Further reading

• Entry 31376 in Álgu database

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse já

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɑː/

• Audio

  (file)

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Antonyms

• nei

Related terms

• jo
• jaja
• jada

Interjection

ja

1. yes

Noun

ja n (definite singular jaet, indefinite plural ja or jaer, definite plural jaa or jaene)

1. yes

References

• “ja” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse já

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Antonyms

• nei

Related terms

• jo

Interjection

ja

1. yes

Noun

ja n (definite singular jaet, indefinite plural ja, definite plural jaa)

1. yes

References

• “ja” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Old French

Etymology

From Latin iam

Adverb

ja

1. already
2. as soon as possible
3. quickly
4. (with "ne") never

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (ja)

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Pennsylvania German

Alternative forms

• ya

Etymology

Compare German ja, Dutch ja, Swedish ja.

Interjection

ja

1. yes, yeah

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Pite Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

Conjunction

ja

1. and

Further reading

• ja in Bidumsáme Báhkogirrje (“Pite Sami word list”)
• Entry 34786 in Álgu database

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Polish

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *(j)azъ, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ja/

• Audio

  (file)

Pronoun

ja

1. I (first-person pronoun)

   Ja chcę mieć przyjaciół.

   I want to have friends.

Declension

declension of ja

	singular	plural
nominative	ja	—
genitive	mnie/mię	—
dative	mnie/mi	—
accusative	mnie/mię	—
instrumental	mną	—
locative	mnie	—
vocative	—	—

Notes

Mute forms ("mię", "mi") cannot be used in accented positions in the sentence. "Mię" is considered dated in Standard Polish, but can still be heard in some dialects.

See also

• siebie ("myself")
• Appendix:Polish pronouns

Further reading

• ja in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Portuguese

Adverb

ja (not comparable)

1. Obsolete spelling of já

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *(j)a, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jâː/

Pronoun

jȃ (Cyrillic spelling ја̑)

1. I

   Ja sam učio. ― I have studied.

2. me

   Ovo sam ja. ― This is me.

Declension

Declension of ja

	singular	plural
nominative	jȃ	mȋ
genitive	mȅne, me	nȃs, nas
dative	mȅni, mi	nȁma, nam
accusative	mȅne, me	nȃs, nas
vocative	—	mȋ
locative	mȅni	nȁma
instrumental	mnȏm, mnóme	nȁma

Etymology 2

Borrowed from German ja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jâ/

Adverb

jȁ (Cyrillic spelling ја̏)

1. (colloquial, regional) yes, yeah

Etymology 3

Interjection

ja

1. (archaic) Alternative form of jao.
   • 1891, Srpske narodne pjesme:

Ja Ivane, mio pobratime!

O woe, Ivan, dear blood-brother!

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Silesian

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Antonyms

• ńy

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Slovak

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *(j)a, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈja/

Pronoun

ja

1. I (first person singular)

Usage notes

Following prepositions, ma and mi are replaced by mňa and mne respectively.

Declension

Declension of ja

	singular	plural
nominative	ja	my
genitive	mňa, ma	nás
dative	mne, mi	nám
accusative	mňa, ma	nás
locative	mne	nás
instrumental	mnou	nami

See also

• ty
• on, ona, ono
• my
• vy
• oni, ony

References

• ja in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk

Anagrams

• aj

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Slovene

Etymology 1

Borrowed from German ja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈjàː/, /ˈjáː/
• Tonal orthography: já, jȃ

Particle

já

1. (informal) yes

Synonyms

• dà

Antonyms

• nè

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *(j)azъ, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂

Pronoun

ja

1. (dialectal) I

   Ja sem Slovenec.

   I am Slovenian.

Synonyms

• jaz (Standard)
• jst (dialectal)

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa/

Interjection

ja

1. representation of laughter, ha

   Also used repeatedly: jaja, jajaja

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Swahili

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jìja. Compare Zulu -za.

Verb

-ja (infinitive kuja)

1. to come
2. going to (followed by an infinitive, future, or subjunctive verb)

Conjugation

Conjugation of -ja
Non-finite forms
Form					Positive							Negative
Infinitive					kuja							kutokuja
Simple finite forms
Positive form					Singular							Plural
Imperative					njoo							njooni njoni
Habitual					huja
Complex finite forms
Polarity	Persons				Persons / Classes		Classes
	1st		2nd		3rd / M-wa		M-mi		Ma		Ki-vi		N		U	Ku	Pa	Mu
	Sg.	Pl.	Sg.	Pl.	Sg. / 1	Pl. / 2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11 / 14	15 / 17	16	18
Past Positive nilikuja nalikuja tulikuja twalikuja ulikuja walikuja mlikuja mwalikuja alikuja walikuja ulikuja ilikuja lilikuja yalikuja kilikuja vilikuja ilikuja zilikuja ulikuja kulikuja palikuja mulikuja Relative niliokuja naliokuja tuliokuja twaliokuja uliokuja waliokuja mliokuja mwaliokuja aliokuja waliokuja uliokuja iliokuja liliokuja yaliokuja kiliokuja viliokuja iliokuja ziliokuja uliokuja kuliokuja paliokuja muliokuja Negative sikuja hatukuja hukuja hamkuja hakuja hawakuja haukuja haikuja halikuja hayakuja hakikuja havikuja haikuja hazikuja haukuja hakukuja hapakuja hamukuja
Present Positive ninakuja nakuja tunakuja unakuja mnakuja anakuja wanakuja unakuja inakuja linakuja yanakuja kinakuja vinakuja inakuja zinakuja unakuja kunakuja panakuja munakuja Relative ninaokuja naokuja tunaokuja unaokuja mnaokuja anaokuja wanaokuja unaokuja inaokuja linaokuja yanaokuja kinaokuja vinaokuja inaokuja zinaokuja unaokuja kunaokuja panaokuja munaokuja Negative sikuji hatukuji hukuji hamkuji hakuji hawakuji haukuji haikuji halikuji hayakuji hakikuji havikuji haikuji hazikuji haukuji hakukuji hapakuji hamukuji
Future Positive nitakuja tutakuja utakuja mtakuja atakuja watakuja utakuja itakuja litakuja yatakuja kitakuja vitakuja itakuja zitakuja utakuja kutakuja patakuja mutakuja Relative nitakaokuja tutakaokuja utakaokuja mtakaokuja atakaokuja watakaokuja utakaokuja itakaokuja litakaokuja yatakaokuja kitakaokuja vitakaokuja itakaokuja zitakaokuja utakaokuja kutakaokuja patakaokuja mutakaokuja Negative sitakuja hatutakuja hutakuja hamtakuja hatakuja hawatakuja hautakuja haitakuja halitakuja hayatakuja hakitakuja havitakuja haitakuja hazitakuja hautakuja hakutakuja hapatakuja hamutakuja
Subjunctive Positive nije tuje uje mje aje waje uje ije lije yaje kije vije ije zije uje kuje paje muje Negative nisije tusije usije msije asije wasije usije isije lisije yasije kisije visije isije zisije usije kusije pasije musije
Present Conditional Positive ningekuja tungekuja ungekuja mngekuja angekuja wangekuja ungekuja ingekuja lingekuja yangekuja kingekuja vingekuja ingekuja zingekuja ungekuja kungekuja pangekuja mungekuja Negative nisingekuja singekuja tusingekuja hatungekuja usingekuja hungekuja msingekuja hamngekuja asingekuja hangekuja wasingekuja hawangekuja usingekuja haungekuja isingekuja haingekuja lisingekuja halingekuja yasingekuja hayangekuja kisingekuja hakingekuja visingekuja havingekuja isingekuja haingekuja zisingekuja hazingekuja usingekuja haungekuja kusingekuja hakungekuja pasingekuja hapangekuja musingekuja hamungekuja
Past Conditional Positive ningalikuja tungalikuja ungalikuja mngalikuja angalikuja wangalikuja ungalikuja ingalikuja lingalikuja yangalikuja kingalikuja vingalikuja ingalikuja zingalikuja ungalikuja kungalikuja pangalikuja mungalikuja Negative nisingalikuja singalikuja tusingalikuja hatungalikuja usingalikuja hungalikuja msingalikuja hamngalikuja asingalikuja hangalikuja wasingalikuja hawangalikuja usingalikuja haungalikuja isingalikuja haingalikuja lisingalikuja halingalikuja yasingalikuja hayangalikuja kisingalikuja hakingalikuja visingalikuja havingalikuja isingalikuja haingalikuja zisingalikuja hazingalikuja usingalikuja haungalikuja kusingalikuja hakungalikuja pasingalikuja hapangalikuja musingalikuja hamungalikuja
Conditional Contrary to Fact Positive ningelikuja tungelikuja ungelikuja mngelikuja angelikuja wangelikuja ungelikuja ingelikuja lingelikuja yangelikuja kingelikuja vingelikuja ingelikuja zingelikuja ungelikuja kungelikuja pangelikuja mungelikuja
General Relative Positive nijao tujao ujao mjao ajao wajao ujao ijao lijao yajao kijao vijao ijao zijao ujao kujao pajao mujao Negative nisiokuja tusiokuja usiokuja msiokuja asiokuja wasiokuja usiokuja isiokuja lisiokuja yasiokuja kisiokuja visiokuja isiokuja zisiokuja usiokuja kusiokuja pasiokuja musiokuja
Gnomic Positive naja twaja waja mwaja aja waja waja yaja laja yaja chaja vyaja yaja zaja waja kwaja paja mwaja
Perfect Positive nimekuja tumekuja umekuja mmekuja amekuja wamekuja umekuja imekuja limekuja yamekuja kimekuja vimekuja imekuja zimekuja umekuja kumekuja pamekuja mumekuja
"Already" Positive nimeshakuja tumeshakuja umeshakuja mmeshakuja ameshakuja wameshakuja umeshakuja imeshakuja limeshakuja yameshakuja kimeshakuja vimeshakuja imeshakuja zimeshakuja umeshakuja kumeshakuja pameshakuja mumeshakuja
"Not yet" Negative sijaja hatujaja hujaja hamjaja hajaja hawajaja haujaja haijaja halijaja hayajaja hakijaja havijaja haijaja hazijaja haujaja hakujaja hapajaja hamujaja
"If/When" Positive nikija tukija ukija mkija akija wakija ukija ikija likija yakija kikija vikija ikija zikija ukija kukija pakija mukija
"If not" Negative nisipokuja tusipokuja usipokuja msipokuja asipokuja wasipokuja usipokuja isipokuja lisipokuja yasipokuja kisipokuja visipokuja isipokuja zisipokuja usipokuja kusipokuja pasipokuja musipokuja
Consecutive Positive nikaja tukaja ukaja mkaja akaja wakaja ukaja ikaja likaja yakaja kikaja vikaja ikaja zikaja ukaja kukaja pakaja mukaja
Not all possible forms are listed in the table. Transitive verbs can take object concords, relative concords can agree with all noun classes, and many other forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -jia

• Nominal derivations:
  • mja (“comer, visitor; male servant”)
  • ujaji (“arrival”)

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Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse já, from Proto-Germanic *ja.

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /jɔː/, /ja/, /jɑː/

Adverb

ja (not comparable)

1. yes

Synonyms

• japp

Antonyms

• nej

Related terms

• jo
• nja
• tja
• jaha
• jaja

Noun

ja n

1. a yes, an aye; a positive answer or vote

Declension

Declension of ja
	Uncountable
	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	ja	jaet	—	—
Genitive	jas	jaets	—	—

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Tswana

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu [Term?]. Cognate with Swahili kula, Zulu dla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dʒa/

Verb

go ja (past jelê)

1. to eat

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Tz'utujil

Alternative forms

• jar

Article

ja

1. the

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Upper Sorbian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *(j)a, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronoun

ja

1. I

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West Frisian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈja/, /ˈjaː/

Adverb

ja

1. yes

Interjection

ja

1. yes

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Zialo

Noun

ja

1. water

References

• Kirill Vladimirovich Babaev, Zialo: the newly-discovered Mande language of Guinea (2010), page 213