ma-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ma"

Basque

Etymology

Probably related to m-.

Prefix

ma-

Non-productive prefix without a specific meaning.

Usage notes

In words where this prefix can be found, it takes the place of the first syllable of the original word, usually with no change in meaning (compare udare and madari, both meaning "pear"). It is likely that originally this was an expressive prefix, and that many Basque words starting with ma- contain this prefix, with the original word having been lost.

References

R. L. Trask (2008) “ma-”, in Max W. Wheeler, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Basque, University of Sussex, page 278

Bikol Central

Prefix

ma-

Used to form adjectives indicating a quality
‎ma- + ‎linig (“to clean”) → ‎malinig (“clean”)
Object IV trigger infinitive verb prefix
‎ma- + ‎dumog (“wet”) → ‎madumog (“to become wet”)
Object trigger to have done something; to be able to do something
‎ma- + ‎tapos (“finish”) → ‎matapos (“to be able to finish something”)

Natapos kong basahon an libro kasubanggi. ― I was able to finish reading the book last night.
Object trigger to perform the action of the verb unintentionally
‎ma- + ‎pasa (“broken, break”) → ‎mapasa (“to break something unintentionally”)

Napasa ko an salming. ― I unintentionally broke the mirror. Compare it when used with the suffix -on:
pasa (“broken, break”) + -on → pasaon (“to break something on purpose”)
Pinasa ko an salming. ― I broke the mirror on purpose.
to form the future tense of the verb.

Cebuano

Prefix

ma-

Used to form adjectives indicating a quality
Used to form the future tense of a verb

Hausa

Etymology

Cognate to the set of prefixes found in Arabic: مُ (mu) for agentive participles, مَ (ma) for locatives, and مِ (mi) for instrumentals.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /má-/
- (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [mə́-]

Prefix

ma-

Used to form agentive nouns.
Used to form nouns of place (locative nouns).
Used to form instrumental nouns.

Usage notes

Each prefix forms a different template to which the noun must conform:

Agentive nouns end in -ī in the masculine singular, -ìyā in the feminine singular, and -ā in the plural, and the root has low tone in the masculine and plural, but high tone in the feminine.
Locative nouns end in -ā and are feminine, or uncommonly in -ī and are masculine, with all high tone in either case. There is rarely a plural form.
Instrumental nouns end in -ī and are masculine, with plurals in -ai. The tones of the singular form are all high, and in the plural the tones are all low except for the plural morpheme.

Derived terms

Hausa terms prefixed with ma- (agentive)

makaɗi

Hausa terms prefixed with ma- (locative)

masaya

Hausa terms prefixed with ma- (instrumental)

makaɗi

makama

Gabadi

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Prefix

ma-

marks irrealis mood, particularly in command forms. it is typically preceded by a subject marker
‎ma- + ‎paura (“work”) → ‎amapaura (“i should work (a- 1sg subject + -ma- irrealis + paura work)”)

‎ma- + ‎paura (“work”) → ‎omapaura (“you work (command) (o- 2sg subject + -ma- irrealis + paura work)”)

‎ma- + ‎paura (“work”) → ‎emapaura (“he/she should work (e- 3sg subject + -ma- irrealis + paura work)”)

Derived terms

Category Gabadi terms prefixed with ma- not found

References

Oa, Morea and Ma`oni Paul. (2014-02-24). Tentative Grammar Description for the Gabadi Language. [working paper, draft created november 2013; editor: Eileen Gasaway]. Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: SIL International. Available online: [1]. For the prefix ma-, see page 39, section "9 residue" and page 36, section "7.2 commands (imperative sentences)".

Japanese

Romanization

ma-

Rōmaji transcription of ま

Kambera

Pronoun

ma-

first person plural exclusive nominative proclitic

Kongo

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

class 6 prefix

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *ma- (“stativising prefix”). Compare Hawaiian ma-, Fijian ma-.

Prefix

ma-

fossilised prefix found on some adjectives

Usage notes

No longer productive in contemporary Maori.

Derived terms

Maori terms prefixed with ma-
mahana

Northern Sotho

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

Old Javanese

Etymology

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

Prefix

ma-

active verb

Synonyms

Derived terms

Old Javanese terms prefixed with ma-

Pitjantjatjara

Prefix

ma-

away (prefixed to verbs)

Usage notes

The hyphen is normally kept, for example, ma-pitjanyi.
Although ma- is spelt with a short a, the vowel is actually long (maa-). The misleading spelling exists for historical reasons.

Shona

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

Sotho

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

Swahili

Alternative forms

me- (before i and e)

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Pronunciation

Audio (Kenya): (file)

Prefix

ma-

ma class_(VI) noun prefix and adjective agreement prefix, denoting mass nouns and plurals of a variety of classes
maji machafu ― dirty water
1. forms plurals of ji class_(V) nouns
  ‎jicho (“eye”) → ‎macho (“eyes”)
  
  ‎jambo (“thing”) → ‎mambo (“things”)
  
  ‎chungwa (“orange”) → ‎machungwa (“oranges”)
  
  ‎jitu (“giant”) → ‎majitu (“giants”)
2. forms plurals of some u class_(XI) nouns
  ‎ugomvi (“quarrel”) → ‎magomvi (“quarrels”)
3. forms collectives of n class_(IX) nouns
  ‎ma- + ‎rafiki (“friend”) → ‎marafiki (“group of friends”)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ma-, from Proto-Austronesian *ma- (stative prefix). Compare may (existential marker).

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ma/ [mɐ]
Syllabification: ma-

Prefix

ma- (Baybayin spelling ᜋ)

used to form adjectives indicating a quality
‎ma- + ‎linis (“cleanliness”) → ‎malinis (“clean”)
(actor III trigger prefix): infinitive form
‎ma- + ‎ligo (“bath”) → ‎maligo (“to take a bath; to bathe”)
(object IV trigger prefix): infinitive form
‎ma- + ‎basa (“wet”) → ‎mabasa (“to become wet”)
1. to have done something; to be able to do something
  ‎ma- + ‎tapos (“finish”) → ‎matapos (“to be able to finish something”)
  
  Natapos kong basahin ang libro kagabi. ― I was able to finish reading the book last night.
2. to perform the action of the verb unintentionally
  Coordinate term: -in
  
  ‎ma- + ‎basag (“break, crack”) → ‎mabasag (“to break something unintentionally”)
  
  Nabasag ko ang salamin. ― I broke the mirror (unintentionally)

Usage notes

Using ma- implies that the action performed is unintentional, while -in is used when the action was done on purpose:
basag (“break, crack”) + -in → basagin (“to break something on purpose”)

Binasag ko ang salamin. ― I broke the mirror (on purpose)

Derived terms

Tagalog terms prefixed with ma-

Etymology 2

From Proto-Austronesian *ma- (future prefix).

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈma/ [ˈmaː]
Syllabification: ma-

Prefix

má- (Baybayin spelling ᜋ) (dialectal)

used to form contemplative aspects of verbs prefixed with um- or infixed with -um-

Anagrams

am

Tausug

Pronunciation

(Sinūgan Parianun) IPA^(key): /ma/ [ma]
Syllabification: ma-

Prefix

ma- (Sulat Sūg spelling مَ)

Used to form adjectives and adverbs; characterized by; abundant in

Derived terms

Ternate

Etymology 1

Pronoun

ma- (Jawi م-)

(non-human) third-person singular and plural possessive prefix, its, their
indicates definiteness
haka ngori maobo ― give me the bone (literally, “give me its bone”)

mangofa hotu ― the child sleeps (literally, “its child sleeps”)

Etymology 2

Prefix

ma- (Jawi م-)

marks certain verbal aspects
1. indicates prolonged duration
2. indicates repeated action
  ‎ma- + ‎kokehe (“to cough”) → ‎makokehe (“to cough repeatedly”)
3. indicates habitual action
4. indicates an action undertaken by multiple subjects

Etymology 3

Prefix

ma- (Jawi م-)

reflexive
‎ma- + ‎doto (“to teach”) → ‎madoto (“to learn”)

‎ma- + ‎hodo (“to pour”) → ‎mahodo (“to bathe”)

‎ma- + ‎ngadi (“to clothe (another)”) → ‎mangadi (“to put on clothes, to don”)

References

Frederik Sigismund Alexander de Clercq (1890) Bijdragen tot de kennis der Residentie Ternate, E.J. Brill
Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tsonga

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

Tswana

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

Venda

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 noun prefix.

West Makian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Prefix

ma-

a prefix of unclear meaning
‎ma- + ‎gei (“to be dead”) → ‎magei (“to die”)

‎ma- + ‎dadi (“to become”) → ‎madadi (“to be, exist”)

Usage notes

The prefix ma- is subject to West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative forms

me-, mi-, mo-

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma-

first-person plural inclusive clitic, we
moco ― we see

Usage notes

The prefix ma- follows West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative forms

me-, mi-, mo-

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma-

(animate) third-person singular clitic for stative verbs, it
madadi sangaji ― he became a chief

di oma ma makaku i ― their child is still small

Usage notes

This clitic is only for stative verbs and does not undergo vowel harmony.

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma-

(animate) third-person singular possessive prefix, his, hers, that person's, that being's

Usage notes

The possessive prefix ma- is subject to West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative forms

me-, mi-, mo-

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ma/

Prefix

ma-

forms adverbial numerals
‎ma- + ‎minye (“one”) → ‎maminye (“once”)

‎ma- + ‎unge (“three”) → ‎maunge (“thrice”)

References

Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[2], Pacific linguistics

Xhosa

Etymology

From a clipping of makhe (“hortative marker”).

Prefix

ma-

let, may; gives a verb a hortative force.
Masihambe!
Let's go!

Usage notes

The prefix is attached to the subjunctive form of the verb, before the subject concord.

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

Prefix

ma-

Class 6 simple noun prefix.

Etymology 2

From a clipping of make (“hortative marker”).

Prefix

ma-

let, may; gives a verb a hortative force.
Masihambe!
Let's go!

Usage notes

The prefix is attached to the subjunctive form of the verb, before the subject concord.

Alternative forms

a-

References

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

			nominative	genitive	accusative	dative
singular	first person		ku-	-nggu	-ka	-ngga
	second person		mu- (u-)	-mu	-kau	-nggau
	third person		na-	-na	-ya	-nya
plural	first person	inclusive	ta-	-nda	-ta	-nda
	first person	exclusive	ma-	-ma	-kama	-nggama
	second person		mi- (i-)	-mi	-kami (-kai)	-nggami (-nggai)
	third person		da-	-da	-ha	-nja

		independent		subject proclitic	possessive
		informal	formal	subject proclitic	possessive
singular	1st person	ngori	fangare^m, fajaru^f	to	ri
	2nd person	ngana	ngoni, jou ngoni	no	ni
	3rd person	una^m, mina^f		o^m, mo^f, i^nh	i^m, mi^f, ma^nh
plural	1st person inclusive	ngone		fo	na, nga
	1st person exclusive	ngomi	fangare ngomi^m, fajaru ngomi^f, fara ngomi¹	mi	mi, mia
	2nd person	ngoni		ni	na, nia
	3rd person	ana^h, ena^nh		i^{h, nh}, yo^{h, †}, ya^{nh, †}	na^h, nga^h, ma^nh

		independent	possessive prefix
1st person singular		de	ti
2nd person singular		ni	ni
3rd person singular		me	mV^an., dV^inan.
1st person plural	inclusive	ene	nV
1st person plural	exclusive	imi	mi
2nd person plural		ini	fi
3rd person plural		eme	di

ma-

Basque

Etymology

Prefix

Usage notes

References

Bikol Central

Prefix

Cebuano

Prefix

Hausa

Etymology

Pronunciation

Prefix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Gabadi

Pronunciation

Prefix

Derived terms

References

Japanese

Romanization

Kambera

Pronoun

See also

Kongo

Etymology

Prefix

Maori

Etymology

Prefix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Northern Sotho

Etymology

Prefix

Old Javanese

Etymology

Prefix

Synonyms

Derived terms

Pitjantjatjara

Prefix

Usage notes

Shona

Etymology

Prefix

Sotho

Etymology

Prefix

Swahili

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Prefix

See also

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Prefix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Prefix

See also

Further reading

Anagrams

Tausug

Pronunciation

Prefix

Derived terms

Ternate

Etymology 1

Pronoun

See also

Etymology 2

Prefix

Etymology 3