-яем

Bulgarian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *-ějemъ, present passive participle ending of ě/i- and ě-conjugation verbs. In Modern Bulgarian, the derivatives constructed with this suffix are interpreted as normal adjectives.

Suffix

-яем • (-jaem)

1. (rare) Deverbal from transitive verbs in ě-conjugation (effectively via a secondary inchoative ěva-derivative), forms adjectives expressing susceptibility or possibility: -able

   овладея (ovladeja, “to exhibit control”) → овладявам (ovladjavam, “to conquer”) → овладяем (ovladjaem, “conquerable”)

   преодолея (preodoleja, “to overcome”) → преодолявам (preodoljavam, “to surmount”) → преодоляем (preodoljaem, “surmountable”)

   проумея (proumeja, “to understand, grasp”) → проумявам (proumjavam, “to figure out”) → проумяем (proumjaem, “comprehensible”)

   повелея (poveleja, “to declare”) → повелявам (poveljavam, “to command”) → повеляем (poveljaem, “imperative”)

2. (rare) Deverbal from transitive transitive verbs in ě/i-conjugation, forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   горя (gorja, “to burn, to inflame”) → горяем (gorjaem, “inflammable”)

   летя (letja, “to fly”) → летяем (letjaem, “flyable”)

3. (rare) Deverbal from transitive verbs in ěva-conjugation, forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   спасявам (spasjavam, “to save”) → спасяем (spasjaem, “savable”)

   изживявам (izživjavam, “to experience”) → изживяем (izživjaem, “experienceable”)

Usage notes

Adjectives formed with -яем (-jaem) (< -ѣѥмъ) are semi-interchangeable with parallel adjectives in -им (-im) (e.g. отклоняем (otklonjaem, “divertable”) vs отклоним (otklonim, “divergeable”). The former usually imply a continuous/repeatable capacity, while the later - punctual capacity (something that is possible or liable to happen once).

Derived terms

• -яемост (-jaemost)

Related terms

• -ом (-om)
• -аем (-aem)
• -ваем (-vaem), -уем (-uem)
• -им (-im)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *-jajemъ, present passive participle ending of ja-conjugation verbs.

Suffix

-яем • (-jaem)

1. (semi-productive) Deverbal from transitive verbs in ja-conjugation, forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   сменям (smenjam, “to change”) → сменяем (smenjaem, “changeable”)

   добавям (dobavjam, “to add”) → добавяем (dobavjaem, “addable”)

2. (productive) Deverbal from transitive verbs inja(va)-conjugation, forms adjectives expressing capacity, susceptibility, eventuality, or condition: -able

   управлявам (upravljavam, “to govern, to rule”) → управляем (upravljaem, “governable, controllable”)

   склонявам (sklonjavam, “to conjugate”) → склоняем (sklonjaem, “conjugatable”)

   обвинявам (obvinjavam, “to judge, to accuse”) → обвиняем (obvinjaem, “defendant”) (legal term)

   вменявам (vmenjavam, “to impose, to show mental capacity”) → вменяем (vmenjaem, “sane”)

Derived terms

• -яемост (-jaemost)

Related terms

• -ом (-om)
• -аем (-aem)
• -ваем (-vaem), -уем (-uem)
• -им (-im)

References

• St. Stoyanov (1983) “Прилагателни имена от причастия”, in Граматика на съвременния български книжовен език, volume 2, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, page 150