-я

Mongolian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈja/
• Syllabification: я (1 syllable)

Suffix

-я • (-ja)

1. Alternative form of -ъя (-ʺja) following vowel and diphthong stems.

Inflection

Vowel harmonic forms of -я 

	back vowel	front vowel
unrounded	-я -ja	-е -e
rounded	-ё -jo

Russian

Alternative forms

• -а (-a) — used after a hard consonant

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ę.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʲə]

Suffix

-я • (-ja)

1. Noun-forming diminutive suffix used after a soft (palatalized) consonant.

Derived terms

Russian terms suffixed with -я

Ukrainian

Alternative forms

• -а (-a) — used after a hard consonant

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ę.

Suffix

-я́ • (-já) (diminutive -я́тко)

1. Forms nouns for young animals and other diminutives.

   Synonym: -еня́ (-enjá)

   ‎звір (zvir, “animal”) + ‎-я́ (-já) → ‎звіря́ (zvirjá, “baby animal”)

   ‎смере́ка (smeréka, “spruce”) + ‎-я́ (-já) → ‎смереча́ (smerečá, “young spruce tree”)

   ‎со́кіл (sókil, “falcon”) + ‎-я́ (-já) → ‎соколя́ (sokoljá, “falconet”)

   ‎птах (ptax, “bird”) + ‎-я́ (-já) → ‎пташа́ (ptašá, “fledgling”)

   ‎соба́ка (sobáka, “dog”) + ‎-я́ (-já) → ‎собача́ (sobačá, “puppy”)

Usage notes

Being derived from a front nasal vowel, this suffix has the following properties:

• When added onto a stem ending in a velar consonant, the Slavic first palatalization applies.
• When added onto a stem ending with /r/, it is palatalized to /rʲ/.
• The stress usually falls on the suffix.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьje.

Suffix

-я • (-ja) (diminutive -ячко)

1. Denominal, forming collective nouns

   ‎звір (zvir, “animal”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎звір'я́ (zvirʺjá, “animals”)

   ‎смере́ка (smeréka, “spruce”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎смері́ччя (smeríččja, “spruces”) or

   ‎смере́ка (smeréka, “spruce”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎смере́ччя (smeréččja, “spruces”)

   ‎паву́к (pavúk, “spider”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎паву́ччя (pavúččja, “spiders”)

   ‎гора́ (horá, “mountain”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎гі́р'я (hírʺja, “mountains”)

   ‎ка́мінь (káminʹ, “stone”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎камі́ння (kamínnja, “rocks”)

2. Deverbal (from past participle), forming action nouns

   сра́ти (sráty, “to shit”) → сра́тий (srátyj) / сра́ний (srányj) ("shitty") → сраття́ (srattjá) / срання́ (srannjá) ("shitting")

3. Denominal, forming nouns denoting various concepts

   ‎уста́ (ustá, “mouth, lips”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎у́стя (ústja, “mouth, estuary”)

4. Deadjectival, forming nouns denoting a property, state or condition

   ‎здоро́вий (zdoróvyj, “healthy”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎здоро́в'я (zdoróvʺja, “health”)

   ‎весе́лий (vesélyj, “happy”) + ‎-я (-ja) → ‎весі́лля (vesíllja, “*happiness → wedding”)

5. Denominal, forming nouns denoting location or time

   по (po) +‎ ріка́ (riká, “river”) +‎ -я (-ja) → порі́ччя (poríččja, “region near, along a river”)

   над (nad) +‎ ве́чір (véčir, “eve”) +‎ -я (-ja) → надвечі́р'я (nadvečírʺja, “time before dawn”)

Usage notes

Being derived from an ьjV cluster, this suffix has the following properties:

• When added onto a stem ending in a velar consonant, the Slavic first palatalization applies.
• When added onto a stem ending with /r/, it is not palatalized.
• When added onto a stem ending in a single palatalizable consonant, that consonant is geminated.
• /o/→/i/ and /e/→/i/ shifts in the stem may or may not occur.

Derived terms

Ukrainian terms suffixed with -я