-ся

See also: ся, сѧ, са, and -са

Belarusian

Etymology

From Old Belarusian сѧ (sja), from Old East Slavic сѧ (sę), from Proto-Slavic *sę, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen, from Proto-Indo-European *swé.

Suffix

-ся • (-sja)

1. Reflexive suffix appended to finite verbs and infinitives to make a reflexive, reciprocal, intransitive or passive verb.

Usage notes

• The suffix is typically assimilated with the ending -ць (infinitive or personal endings), e.g. смяя́цца (smjajácca, “to laugh”), смяе́цца (smjajécca, “(he, she, it) laughs”), смяю́цца (smjajúcca, “(they) laugh”)

Derived terms

Belarusian terms suffixed with -ся

Russian

Alternative forms

• -сь (-sʹ) (after vowels)

Etymology

From Old East Slavic сѧ (sę), from Proto-Slavic *sę, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen, from Proto-Indo-European *swé. It is considered the shortened form of себя́ (sebjá). Compare Belarusian and Ukrainian -ся (-sja), or Italian -si.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʲə]
• IPA^(key): [sə] (after т or ть, see usage notes)

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-ся • (-sja)

1. Reflexive suffix appended to finite verbs and infinitives to make a reflexive, reciprocal, intransitive or passive verb.

Usage notes

• After a vowel, -ся is usually contracted to -сь, except when attached to an adjectival participle:
  • мы́ться (mýtʹsja, “to wash oneself”), мо́ется (mójetsja, “[he] washes himself”)
  • мо́юсь (mójusʹ, “[I] wash myself”)
  • мы́вшаяся (mývšajasja, “having been washing herself”).
• When affixed to an infinitive -ть (-tʹ) or the 3rd-person singular or plural -т (-t), it merges with the /tʲ/ or /t/ into the affricate /ts/ and palatalization is lost: [tsə].

Derived terms

Russian terms suffixed with -ся

Ukrainian

Alternative forms

• -сь (-sʹ)

Etymology

From Old East Slavic сѧ (sę), from Proto-Slavic *sę, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen, from Proto-Indo-European *swé.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-ся • (-sja)

1. Reflexive suffix appended to finite verbs and infinitives to make a reflexive, reciprocal, intransitive or passive verb.

Usage notes

-ся can be optionally contracted to -сь when used after a vowel.

Derived terms

Ukrainian terms suffixed with -ся