ja

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ja"

Contents

EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

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

Alternative formsEdit

• ya

AdverbEdit

ja (not comparable)

1. (chiefly South Africa, informal) yes

Derived termsEdit

• ja well no fine

Etymology 2Edit

From the Revised Romanization of Korean 자 (ja)

Alternative formsEdit

• cha

NounEdit

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.

AnagramsEdit

• AJ, aj

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AfrikaansEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Dutch ja.

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

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AssanEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronounEdit

ja

1. I (first-person singular subjective)

SynonymsEdit

• aj

Related termsEdit

• ajun

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CatalanEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin iam.

PronunciationEdit

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

AdverbEdit

ja

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

Derived termsEdit

• ja que

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Central MelanauEdit

Central Melanau cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : ja

Alternative formsEdit

• je-

NumeralEdit

ja

1. (cardinal) one

SynonymsEdit

• satu

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DanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse já (“yes”).

PronunciationEdit

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

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes

AntonymsEdit

• nej

Related termsEdit

• jo

NounEdit

ja n (singular definite jaet, plural indefinite jaer)

1. yes

InflectionEdit

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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DimasaEdit

NounEdit

já

1. foot

Derived termsEdit

• jaga

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DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

   Wil je met ons meegaan? — Ja, graag!

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

SynonymsEdit

• jep

AntonymsEdit

• nee, neen

Derived termsEdit

• jawel

NounEdit

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...

SynonymsEdit

• jawoord

AntonymsEdit

• nee

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes!

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

   Yes! he screamed loudly when they scored a goal.

SynonymsEdit

• yes

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EsperantoEdit

EtymologyEdit

From German ja. Compare Danish jo, Swedish ju.

AdverbEdit

ja

1. indeed

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EstonianEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. and

SynonymsEdit

• ning

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FaroeseEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jɛaː/

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

AntonymsEdit

• nei, neiggj

Related termsEdit

• jú, júgv

NounEdit

ja n (genitive singular jas, plural ja)

1. yes

DeclensionEdit

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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FinnishEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /ˈjɑ/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ja

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. (coordinating) and

SynonymsEdit

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

ReferencesEdit

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

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GermanEdit

EtymologyEdit

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.

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jaː/

• audio

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

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

AdverbEdit

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 notesEdit

• (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.

SynonymsEdit

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

AntonymsEdit

• nein

Derived termsEdit

• bejahen
• Ja
• jein

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes

SynonymsEdit

• (yes): jawohl

AntonymsEdit

• (yes): nein

Further readingEdit

• ja in Duden online

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GothicEdit

RomanizationEdit

ja

1. Romanization of 𐌾𐌰

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Guerrero AmuzgoEdit

AdjectiveEdit

ja

1. heavy

PronounEdit

ja

1. I

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GutnishEdit

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jaː/, [jɑː]

Etymology 1Edit

From Old Norse ek. Compare Swedish jag.

Alternative formsEdit

• jag (Fårö and Lau dialects)

PronounEdit

ja

1. I (first-person singular pronoun)

InflectionEdit

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

Etymology 2Edit

From Old Norse já

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

Usage notesEdit

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

Related termsEdit

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

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes

ReferencesEdit

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

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HungarianEdit

PronunciationEdit

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

• Audio

  (file)

InterjectionEdit

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.

SynonymsEdit

• (approval): aha, ühüm, jaja

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IdoEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /ʒa/

AdverbEdit

ja

1. already

Related termsEdit

• ya

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IngrianEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. and

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JapaneseEdit

RomanizationEdit

ja

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

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LatvianEdit

PronunciationEdit

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. if
2. in case

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LithuanianEdit

PronounEdit

ja f

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

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Lower SorbianEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronounEdit

ja sg

1. I

DeclensionEdit

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 SamiEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. and

Further readingEdit

• Entry 44670 in Álgu database

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North FrisianEdit

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /ja/

PronounEdit

ja

1. (Sylt and Mooring) they

SynonymsEdit

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

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Northern SamiEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

PronunciationEdit

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈja/

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. and

Further readingEdit

• Entry 31376 in Álgu database

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Norwegian BokmålEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse já

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jɑː/

• Audio

  (file)

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

AntonymsEdit

• nei

Related termsEdit

• jo
• jaja
• jada

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes

NounEdit

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

1. yes

ReferencesEdit

• “ja” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian NynorskEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse já

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

AntonymsEdit

• nei

Related termsEdit

• jo

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes

NounEdit

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

1. yes

ReferencesEdit

• “ja” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Old FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin iam

AdverbEdit

ja

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

ReferencesEdit

• 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 GermanEdit

Alternative formsEdit

• ya

EtymologyEdit

Compare German ja, Dutch ja, Swedish ja.

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. yes, yeah

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Pite SamiEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Germanic *jahw (“and”).

ConjunctionEdit

ja

1. and

Further readingEdit

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

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PolishEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /ja/

• Audio

  (file)

PronounEdit

ja

1. I (first-person pronoun)

   Ja chcę mieć przyjaciół.

   I want to have friends.

DeclensionEdit

declension of ja

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

NotesEdit

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 alsoEdit

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

Further readingEdit

• ja in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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PortugueseEdit

AdverbEdit

ja (not comparable)

1. Obsolete spelling of já

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Serbo-CroatianEdit

Etymology 1Edit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jâː/

PronounEdit

jȃ (Cyrillic spelling ја̑)

1. I

   Ja sam učio. ― I have studied.

2. me

   Ovo sam ja. ― This is me.

DeclensionEdit

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 2Edit

Borrowed from German ja.

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /jâ/

AdverbEdit

jȁ (Cyrillic spelling ја̏)

1. (colloquial, regional) yes, yeah

Etymology 3Edit

InterjectionEdit

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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SilesianEdit

AdverbEdit

ja

1. yes

AntonymsEdit

• ńy

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SlovakEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /ˈja/

PronounEdit

ja

1. I (first person singular)

Usage notesEdit

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

DeclensionEdit

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 alsoEdit

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

ReferencesEdit

• ja in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk

AnagramsEdit

• aj

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SloveneEdit

Etymology 1Edit

Borrowed from German ja.

PronunciationEdit

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

ParticleEdit

já

1. (informal) yes

SynonymsEdit

• dà

AntonymsEdit

• nè

Etymology 2Edit

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

PronounEdit

ja

1. (dialectal) I

   Ja sem Slovenec.

   I am Slovenian.

SynonymsEdit

• jaz (Standard)
• jst (dialectal)

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SpanishEdit

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /xa/

InterjectionEdit

ja

1. representation of laughter, ha

   Also used repeatedly: jaja, jajaja

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SwahiliEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

VerbEdit

-ja (infinitive kuja)

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

ConjugationEdit

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 termsEdit

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -jia

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

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SwedishEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /jɔː/, /ja/, /jɑː/

AdverbEdit

ja (not comparable)

1. yes

SynonymsEdit

• japp

AntonymsEdit

• nej

Related termsEdit

• jo
• nja
• tja
• jaha
• jaja

NounEdit

ja n

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

DeclensionEdit

Declension of ja

	uncountable		uncountable
Neuter	indefinite	definite
nominative	ja	jaet
genitive	jas	jaets

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TswanaEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

• IPA^(key): /dʒa/

VerbEdit

go ja (past jelê)

1. to eat

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Tz'utujilEdit

Alternative formsEdit

• jar

ArticleEdit

ja

1. the

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Upper SorbianEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronounEdit

ja

1. I

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ZialoEdit

NounEdit

ja

1. water

ReferencesEdit

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