zu
Translingual edit
Symbol edit
zu
Angami edit
Alternative forms edit
Noun edit
zu
References edit
- Visier Sanyu, A history of Nagas and Nagaland (1996, →ISBN, page 51 (zu, rice beer)
- Robert Gordon Latham, Elements of Comparative Philology, page 31 (Angami wordlist) (zu, water)
- The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia (James Richardson Logan), volume 10 (1970) (Angami zu, water; mentions dzu)
Basque edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Basque *zu, originally a second-person plural pronoun. Over time, it came to be used as a polite second-person singular pronoun; while hi went from being a general second-person singular pronoun to a strictly informal one. In all the written record it appears as a singular pronoun, but it might have survived as a plural pronoun up to the nineteenth century in parts of Biscay.[1]
Pronunciation edit
Audio (file)
Pronoun edit
zu
- Second-person singular personal pronoun; you
Declension edit
Related terms edit
References edit
- ^ “zu” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk
Further reading edit
German edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From a spelling merger of two interrelated adpreps: 1.) Middle High German ze, from Old High German za, zi, from Proto-Germanic *ta; and 2.) Middle High German zuo, from Old High German zuo, from Proto-Germanic *tō. A distinction between both words has widely been retained in dialects, and also to some degree in modern spoken German (see pronunciation section below). Cognate with Silesian East Central German zu (contractions with the definite article: zum m or n, zur f); Dutch te, toe; Old Saxon tō; English to, too.
Pronunciation edit
- IPA(key): /t͡suː/ (standard)
audio (file) audio (file) - IPA(key): /t͡sə/ (variant in colloquial speech; chiefly with infinitives (particle) and adjectives (meaning “too”))
- Rhymes: -uː
Preposition edit
zu (+ dative)
- to, towards (indicates directionality)
- zum Bahnhof ― to the train station
- with respect to; regarding
- Zu Punkt 1 möchte ich bemerken, dass...
- With respect to item 1, let me remark that...
- along with; with (accompanying (the main thing in question))
- Wasser zum Essen trinken ― to drink water with one’s meal
- at, on (indicates location)
- zu Hause ― at home
- at (indicates time)
- zur richtigen Zeit ― at the right time
- zu Beginn ― at the beginning
- by, in, on, at (indicates mode (of transportation, speech, etc.))
- zu Pferd ― on horseback
- (with a verb) for; (with a noun) as, by way of (for the purpose of)
- for (in honor of, or directed towards the celebration or event of)
- into (indicates transition into another form or substance)
- as, for, to be (to take on the role of)
- to (used to indicate ratios)
- at (denotes a price or rate)
Derived terms edit
Particle edit
zu
- (with infinitives of verbs) to
- etwas zu essen ― something to eat
Adverb edit
zu
- (with adjectives and adverbs) too (excessively)
- zu schnell ― too fast
- (by extension, slang) An intensifier.
- Dieses Essen ist zu lecker! ― This food tastes so good!
- towards; at
- (somewhat informal) shut; closed; locked
- Synonym: geschlossen
- Antonyms: auf, offen, geöffnet
- ahead, on (along, forwards (continuing an action))
- (colloquial) As a separated part of dazu or wozu
- "Wann willst du denn los?"
"Um 10? Nur wenn du da Lust zu hast."- "When did you wanna go?"
"At 10? Only if you're up for it."
- "When did you wanna go?"
Usage notes edit
(intensifier): Always stressed. Compare English so (“very much”).
Derived terms edit
Adjective edit
zu (indeclinable, predicative only)
- (somewhat informal) shut, closed (made inaccessible or impassable; not open)
- Synonym: geschlossen
- Das Geschäft war zu.
- The shop was closed.
- Die Tür muss aus Brandschutzgründen immer zu sein.
- This door must be shut at all times for reasons of fire safety.
- Die Tür ist zu, ich komm nicht rein.
- The door is locked, I can’t get in there.
- closed (not operating or conducting trade)
- done up (fastened)
- (slang) hammered; very drunk
Declension edit
Indeclinable, predicative-only.
Related terms edit
- heutzutage
- zuerst
- zu haben
- zumindest
- zunächst
- zurecht-
- zurück
- zusammen
- zuvörderst
- Zugang
- Zustand
- Zuwachs
Further reading edit
- “zu” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- Friedrich Kluge (1883) “zu”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
Japanese edit
Romanization edit
zu
Korak edit
Noun edit
zu
Further reading edit
- J. A. Z'Graggen, 1980, A comparative word list of the Northern Adelbert Range Languages, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, p.80, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics
Luxembourgish edit
Etymology edit
Reduced form of zou, from Middle High German zuo, from Old High German zuo, from Proto-Germanic *tō.
Pronunciation edit
Preposition edit
zu (+ dative)
- at, in
- Ech wunnen zu Réiden. ― I live in Redange.
- with respect to, regarding
- for (the purpose of)
- Dat Blietchen ass nëmmen zu denger Informatioun. ― The leaflet is just for your information.
- (rare) to, towards
Usage notes edit
- The adverbial form of zu, used e.g. in compound verbs, is zou.
- With the singular forms of the definite article, zu may contract to zum (zu dem) and zur (zu der).
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Adverb edit
zu
- (when stressed) Alternative form of ze (“too”)
- Dat ass net nëmme vill, dat ass zu vill.
- It’s not just much, it’s too much.
Mandarin edit
Romanization edit
zu
- Nonstandard spelling of zū.
- Nonstandard spelling of zú.
- Nonstandard spelling of zǔ.
- Nonstandard spelling of zù.
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.
Pennsylvania German edit
Etymology edit
Compare German zu, Dutch te, English to.
Preposition edit
zu
Sicilian edit
Etimology 1 edit
Alternative forms edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
zu
- Alternative form of ziu
- Ou, cucì, ti saluta u zu Ninu. ― Hey, bro, “uncle” Ninu greets you.
Etimology 2 edit
Uncertain.
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
zu
- (South-east of Sicily) Used to express astonishment, awe, amazement; exclamation at a sudden discovery.
- Zu! ― Wow!
- (South-east of Sicily, invocational) Prefixed as an exclamation in immediate and laconic vocative.
- Zu, lu porcu! ― No way, you're [like] a pig!
- Zu, lu jencu! ― No way, you're [like] a bullock!
- Zu, lu crastu! ― No way, you're [like] a ram!
- Zu, lu bestia! ― No way, you're rough!
Translation notes edit
- This kind of interjection is colloquial, local and barely translatable. It can be vaguely approximated to English “Hey, you behave like an <animal>”, in a context of speakers who know the stereotyped characteristics of that given animal.
Usage notes edit
- It can express a wide range of feelings and meanings, depending on the context.
- Generally perceived as vulgar by Sicilians who do not speak this south-eastern dialect variant.
Related terms edit
Sumerian edit
Romanization edit
zu
- Romanization of 𒍪 (zu)
Volapük edit
Conjunction edit
zu