-a

See also: -à, -á, -â, -ä, -ã, -ă, -ǎ, -а, and Appendix:Variations of "a"

Languages (52)

Translingual • English

---

Albanian • Basque • Czech • Dutch • Esperanto • Faroese • Finnish • French • Gagauz • Garo • Gothic • Hungarian • Icelandic • Ido • Ingrian • Irish • Italian • Khalaj • Latin • Latvian • Lushootseed • Makasar • Maltese • Maori • Mbyá Guaraní • Murui Huitoto • Northern Sami • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old Galician-Portuguese • Old Irish • Old Norse • Old Swedish • Old Tupi • Phalura • Polish • Portuguese • Romani • Romanian • Serbo-Croatian • Slovak • Spanish • Swahili • Swedish • Tokelauan • Turkish • Volapük • Walloon • Welsh • Ye'kwana

---

Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

From Latin -a.

Suffix

-a

1. Used to create genus names from proper nouns
2. Used to take the form of certain plural Latin-derived taxonomic names

Derived terms

Translingual terms suffixed with -a

English

Etymology 1

From the homographic case endings of the nominative, accusative, and vocative forms of numerous Latin neuter second declension nouns.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ɑ/, /ə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophones: -er, -or (in non-rhotic accents)

Suffix

-a

1. plural of -um
2. plural of -on

Usage notes

• Whereas the regular pluralization in English involves adding -s or -es, English words derived from a Latin/Greek etymon where the Latin/Greek would pluralize from -on (Greek) or -um (Latin) to -a do not always do so. Usage of -a instead of -s differs between words: sometimes the two are interchangeable (e.g. memorandums/memoranda, polyhedrons/polyhedra), sometimes one is far more common than the other (e.g. neurons over neura, automata over automatons), and sometimes one is completely absent from usage (e.g. bacteria over bacteriums, dendrons over dendra)
• The word data is etymologically the plural of datum but is commonly regarded as an uncountable noun.

Derived terms

From -um

• bacteria
• cilia
• colossea
• data
• fora
• mausolea
• memoranda
• musea
• quanta
• sanatoria
• stadia
• ultimata

 

From -on

• amnia
• archaea
• automata
• cola (etymology 2)
• criteria
• Diptera
• ephemera
• -hedra
• mitochondria
• neura
• panthea
• phenomena
• taxa
• -zoa

 

Translations

Latinate plural grammatical number suffix

See also

associated suffixes

• -ae
• -ai
• -ata
• -i
• -oi

 

Etymology 2

Representing the nominative singular case ending of Latin first-declension feminine nouns.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: ə, IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a (plural -ae or -æ)

1. Marks singular nouns, with a foundation in Greek or Latin, often implying femininity, especially when contrasted with words terminating in -us.

Synonyms

• (feminine suffix): -ess, -ette, -ine, -ress, she-, -trix

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “feminine suffix”): he-

Derived terms

• incuba

Etymology 3

From Latin -a.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. Changes an element or substance into an oxide.

   ‎magnesium + ‎-a → ‎magnesia

Etymology 4

Shortened form of verb have.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. (slang) Alternative form of 've

   who'da thunk it?

   shoulda

   coulda

   woulda

Etymology 5

Equivalent to Etymology 2, representing Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish feminine nouns.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. Marks nouns, with a foundation in Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese, implying femininity.

   donna

   signora

Synonyms

• (female suffix): -ess, -ette, -ine, -ress, she-, -trix

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “female suffix”): he-

Etymology 6

Added especially for metrical reasons, or as an empty filler syllable. Also used to imitate an Italian accent.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. Added for metrical reasons to songs, poetry and verse, or as an empty filler syllable to other speech.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     A merry heart goes all the day
     Your sad tires in a mile-a

   • 1936 July 18, Leon Schlesinger (producer) / Norman Spencer (music), I Love to Singa:

     I love to sing-a / about the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a, / I love to sing-a / about a sky of blue-a, or a tea for two-a.

   • 1980s, Herb Owen (lyrics and music), “Wanna”, in Kids Sing Praise‎^[3], performed by Kids Sing Praise:

     I wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna really wanna be just like the Lord
     So every day Im gonna gonna read the Book and rest upon-a God's own holy Word
     Of good in me there's none-a none-a that's okay because I'm gonna trust upon the work that's done-a on the Cross
     and Jesus is the one-a one-a God the Father's Son-a Son-a and my sin He cures!

   • 1981, Colin Hay, Ron Strykert, performed by Men At Work, Down Under:

     Buying bread from a man in Brussels
     He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
     I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
     He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich […]

   • 2014, Don Pendleton, California Hit, Open Road Media, →ISBN:

     "I'm-a tell-a you why you better be. I named you in my will, Franco."

Alternative forms

• a, a-

Etymology 7

Shortened version of preposition of.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. (slang) Clitic form of o' (contraction of of).

   buncha, cuppa, kinda, loadsa, lotta, sorta

   • 1946, Elizabeth Metzger Howard, Before the Sun Goes Down, page 31:

     "Jesus Christ! Was my folks refined. My mam she wouldn't think-a lettin' us young'uns call a pee pot a pee pot. A chamber's what she called it... And by God! Us young'uns had ter call the pee pot a chamber or git our God damn necks wrang."

Etymology 8

Shortened version of verb to.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. (informal) to (infinitive marker)

   oughta

   wanna

   gotta

   gonna

Etymology 9

Shortened version of verb do.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ə/

Suffix

-a

1. (informal) do (infinitive marker)

   what-a

   • 1988, Living Colour (lyrics and music), “Funny Vibe”, Epic:

     Yeah, Flav, I'm tired of them dissing brothers in the P.E. out there, we got to do something about this/(What-a we do? What-a we do?)

See also

• -er (which, in various non-rhotic dialects, reduces to -a, e.g. fatha, burna), compare -z

References

• Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “-a”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 1.
• Christine A. Lindberg, editor (2002), “-a”, in The Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Spark Publishing, →ISBN, page 1.

Albanian

Etymology 1

Related to e (“of, the, to”) and -e.

Article

-a f

1. feminine singular nominative suffixed definite article. the

   Coordinate terms: (masculine) -i, -u, (plural and neuter) -të

   ‎ditë f (“day”) + ‎-a → ‎dita (“the day”)

   ‎natë f (“night”) + ‎-a → ‎nata (“the night”)

Etymology 2

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

Suffix

-a

1. forms the plural forms for many nouns. -s

   ‎burrë m (“man”) + ‎-a → ‎burra (“men”)

   ‎vetull f (“eyebrow”) + ‎-a → ‎vetulla (“eyebrows”)

Basque

Etymology 1

Suffix

-a

1. Absolutive singular suffix.

   Liburua ekarri al duzu? ― Did you bring the book?

Usage notes

• The suffix -a is usually described as an article. However, its usage is not equivalent to that of English the or a. In Basque, every nominal phrase must carry a determiner, which usually takes the final position in the phrase. Although many others exist, -a is the default determiner which introduces no additional meaning. Compare the following sentences. In the first two, the determiners (-a and hau (“this”)) apply to the noun phrase etxe handi (“big house”); while in the last two they apply separately to etxe (“house”) and handi (“big”):

  Etxe handia da. ― It is a big house.

  Etxe handi hau da. ― It is this big house.

  Etxea handia da. ― The house is big.

  Etxe hau handia da. ― This house is big.

• In Standard Basque, nouns ending in -a in their indefinite form (known in Basque as a itsatsia (literally “attached a”)) don't change when the article is added:

  ‎neska + ‎-a → ‎neska

Declension

Basque inflectional suffixes
		indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive		-∅	-a	-ak	-ok
ergative		-(e)k	-ak	-ek
dative		-(r)i	-ari	-ei	-oi
genitive		-(r)en	-aren	-en	-on
comitative		-(r)ekin	-arekin	-ekin	-okin
causative		-(r)engatik	-arengatik	-engatik	-ongatik
benefactive		-(r)entzat	-arentzat	-entzat	-ontzat
instrumental		-(e)z	-az	-ez	-oz
inessive	anim.	-(r)engan	-arengan	-engan	-ongan
	inanim.	-(e)tan	-an	-etan	-otan
locative	anim.	―	―	―	―
	inanim.	-(e)tako	-(e)ko	-etako	-otako
allative	anim.	-(r)engana	-arengana	-engana	-ongana
	inanim.	-(e)tara	-(e)ra	-etara	-otara
terminative	anim.	-(r)enganaino	-arenganaino	-enganaino	-onganaino
	inanim.	-(e)taraino	-(e)raino	-etaraino	-otaraino
directive	anim.	-(r)enganantz	-arenganantz	-enganantz	-onganantz
	inanim.	-(e)tarantz	-(e)rantz	-etarantz	-otarantz
destinative	anim.	-(r)enganako	-arenganako	-enganako	-onganako
	inanim.	-(e)tarako	-(e)rako	-etarako	-otarako
ablative	anim.	-(r)engandik	-arengandik	-engandik	-ongandik
	inanim.	-(e)tatik	-(e)tik	-etik	-otik
partitive		-(r)ik	―	―	―
prolative		-tzat	―	―	―

Further reading

• “bat zenbatzailea / -a artikulua (batzuk/-ak)”, in Euskara Batuaren Eskuliburua [Handbook of Standard Basque], Euskaltzaindia, 2023
• “a itsatsia”, in Euskara Batuaren Eskuliburua [Handbook of Standard Basque], Euskaltzaindia, 2023

Etymology 2

Particle

-a

1. (Navarro-Lapurdian) Used to form yes/no questions.

   Liburua ekarri duzuia? ― Did you bring the book?

Usage notes

• It takes different forms depending on the ending of the verb:

  ‎-a + ‎-a → ‎-ea

  ‎-e + ‎-a → ‎-ea

  ‎-o + ‎-a → ‎-oa, -oia

  ‎-u + ‎-a → ‎-uia, -ia

• Other dialects use the unrelated particle al.

Further reading

• “-a galde-partikula”, in Euskara Batuaren Eskuliburua [Handbook of Standard Basque], Euskaltzaindia, 2023

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ a]

Suffix

-a m anim (noun-forming suffix)

1. forms agent nouns referring to male people

   ‎posrat (“to shit oneself”) + ‎-a → ‎posera (“coward”)

   ‎nafouknout (“to inflate, to blow up”) + ‎-a → ‎náfuka (“bighead, conceited person”)

Suffix

-a f (noun-forming suffix)

1. forms nouns referring to results of processes

   ‎radit (“to advise”) + ‎-a → ‎rada (“advise, counsel”)

   ‎naladit (“to tune in”) + ‎-a → ‎nálada (“mood”)

Derived terms

Czech terms suffixed with -a

Further reading

• -a in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-a

1. plural of -um

   Synonym: -ums

2. feminine of -us

Esperanto

Etymology

From feminine singular adjectives (and nouns) of the Romance languages, such as French ma, Italian mia, Spanish mía, fría.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-a

1. Related to, in the manner of, of. Ending for all adjectives in Esperanto.

   ‎belo (“beauty”) + ‎-a → ‎bela (“beautiful”)

   ‎dekstro (“the right direction”) (as opposed to left) + ‎-a → ‎dekstra (“to the right”)

   ‎vero (“truth”) + ‎-a → ‎vera (“true”)

2. Belonging to, of. Ending for all possessive pronouns in Esperanto.

   ‎mi (“I; me”) + ‎-a → ‎mia (“of me, my”)

   ‎vi (“you”) + ‎-a → ‎via (“of you, your”)

   ‎ili (“they; them”) + ‎-a → ‎ilia (“of them, their”)

4. Used to form the ordinal numeral.

   ‎unu (“one”) + ‎-a → ‎unua (“first”)

   ‎du (“two”) + ‎-a → ‎dua (“second”)

   ‎dek tri (“thirteen”) + ‎-a → ‎dek-tria (“thirteenth”)

   ‎cent (“hundred”) + ‎-a → ‎centa (“hundredth”)

5. -kind of. Ending of all correlatives of kind in Esperanto.

   ‎ki- + ‎-a → ‎kia (“what kind of”)

   ‎ti- + ‎-a → ‎tia (“that kind of”)

   ‎neni- + ‎-a → ‎nenia (“no kind of”)

Derived terms

Ending for all adjectives.

• bela
• dekstra
• vera

 

Ending for all possessive pronouns in Esperanto.

• ĝia
• ilia
• lia
• mia
• nia
• onia
• sia
• ŝia
• via (archaic form: cia)

 

Ending of all ordinal numerals in Esperanto.

• centa
• deka
• dua
• kvara
• kvina
• mila
• miliona
• naŭa
• oka
• sepa
• sesa
• tria
• unua

 

Ending of all correlatives of kind in Esperanto.

• ĉia
• ia
• kia
• nenia
• tia

 

Faroese

Suffix

-a

1. Used to form verbs from nouns.

   ‎týskur (“a German”) + ‎-a → ‎týska (“Germanize”)

2. Used to form adverbs from adjectives.

   ‎illur (“bad”) + ‎-a → ‎illa (“badly”)

Finnish

Alternative forms

• -ä (in words with front vowel harmony)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Finnic *-da (variant of *-ta, whence -ta), from the Proto-Uralic ablative case *-ta.

Suffix

-a (front vowel harmony variant -ä, linguistic notation -A)

1. (case suffix) Forms the partitive case of nouns, adjectives, numbers and some pronouns.

Usage notes

• This suffix is used after a short vowel or the plural marker -j-.
• See the appendix on Finnish nominal cases for more information on how the partitive case is used.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Finnic *-dak.

Suffix

-a (front vowel harmony variant -ä, linguistic notation -A)

1. (verbal suffix) Forms the short form of the first infinitive of verbs.

Usage notes

• The first infinitive, short form, is the citation form of verbs.

See also

• -ta
• -tta

 

French

Etymology

From Latin -āt, short counterpart to -āvit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-a

1. forms the third-person singular past historic of -er verbs

Gagauz

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Suffix

-a

1. Alternative form of -ä during vowel harmony with back vowels.

Garo

Suffix

-a

1. neutral, unmarked tense-aspect marker

Usage notes

In addition to present time, it often shows habitual action, and can also past and future

Gothic

Romanization

-a

1. Romanization of -𐌰

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From the Proto-Uralic *sᴕ̈ third-person personal pronoun of the ancestor language after it was appended to the word of possession. According to some linguists this attachment happened in the Proto-Uralic era, while others think it happened much later when the Hungarian language became independent.

Suffix

-a

1. Possessive (and genitive) suffix: [from 1055]
   1. (with no possessor or with the 3rd‑person pronoun as possessor, usually construed with the definite article) his, her, its …

      ház → (a) háza, az ő háza (“his/her/its house”) élet → (az) élete, az ő élete (“his/her/its life”) barát → (a) barátja (“his/her/its friend”) kapu → (a) kapuja (“his/her/its gate”) palota → (a) palotája (“his/her/its palace”) kert → (a) kertje (“his/her/its garden”) betű → (a) betűje (“his/her/its letter”) vese → (a) veséje (“his/her/its kidney”)

   2. (with a singular possessor) …-'s, of … (third-person singular, single possession)

      Anna háza (“Anna’s house”), a felkelő nap háza (“the house of the rising sun”) Anna élete (“Anna’s life”), a város élete (“the life of the city”) a király palotája (“the king’s palace”) a ház kapuja (“the gate of the house”) Anna kertje (“Anna’s garden”), a tulipán kertje (“the garden of the tulip”)

   3. (with a plural possessor) …-s’, of …-s (third-person plural, single possession)

      a szüleim háza (“my parents’ house”), a trópusi növények háza (“[the] house of [the] tropical plants”, literally “the tropical plants’ house”) a szüleim élete (“my parents’ lives”, literally “my parents’ life”), a könyvek élete (“[the] lives of [the] books”, literally “the books’ life”) az uralkodók palotája (“the rulers’ palace”) a szüleim kertje (“my parents’ garden”), Az elágazó ösvények kertje (“The Garden of Forking Paths”)

   4. (with instantaneous time expressions) … ago (referring to a preceding point in time considered as an instant)

      Egy évszázada / két éve / egy órája / sok/hosszú ideje ment el. ― S/he left one century / two years / one hour / a long time ago.

      Synonym: -val/-vel ezelőtt (e.g. egy évszázaddal, két évvel ezelőtt)

   5. (with durative time expressions) for … (referring to some duration that precedes the point of time in question)

      Egy évszázada / két éve / egy órája / sok/hosszú ideje várunk rád. ― We have been waiting for you for a century / two years / an hour / a long time.

      Synonym: óta (less common in this sense; more commonly means “since”)

   6. (mostly with quantities, often following -ik) of …, out of … (partitive sense)

      Synonym: (only with countable quantities) közül

      jó (jav-) (“the greater/better part”) → a java még hátravan (“the best/bulk is yet to come”, literally “its best/bulk is…”)

      legnagyobbik (“the biggest one”) → a bikák legnagyobbika (“the biggest [one] of the bulls”, synonymous with a legnagyobb bika)

3. (personal suffix) [from the end of the 12th century]
   1. Third-person singular personal suffix in back-vowel verbs. Today it can be found in the third-person singular definite forms (indicative past and imperative conjugations) as part of the suffix -ja/-je, -ta/-te.

      tud (“to know”) → tudta (“he/she knew it”)

      tud → tudja (“he/she knows it (indicative mood)”)

      tud → tudja (“he/she should know it (subjunctive mood)”)

      kér (“to request, ask for sth”) → kérte (“he/she requested it”)

      kér → kérje (“he/she should request it (subjunctive mood)”)

   2. Third-person singular personal suffix in back-vowel conjugated infinitives and in the declined and postposition forms of the third-person personal pronoun ő (“he/she/it”).

      tanulni (“to study”) → tanulnia kell (“he/she must study”, literally “it is necessary for him/her to study”)

      kérni (“to request, ask for”) → kérnie kell (“he/she must request [it]”, literally “it is necessary for him/her to request”)

      -ról (“about”) → róla (“about him/her/it”)

      -től (“from”) → tőle (“from him/her/it”)

      után (“after”) → utána (“after him/her/it”)

      fölött (“above”) → fölötte (“above him/her/it”)

Usage notes

• (possessive suffix) Variants:

  -a is added to back-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -e is added to front-vowel words ending in a consonant

  -ja is added to back-vowel words ending in a consonant or a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-; final -o changes to -ó-.

  -je is added to front-vowel words ending in a consonant or a vowel. Final -e changes to -é-; final -ö changes to -ő-.

  • This suffix (in all forms) is normally used for the third-person singular possessive (single possession) but, after an explicit plural possessor, it also expresses the third-person plural possessive (single possession), e.g. “the children’s ball” (a gyerekek labdája). If the possessor is implicit (not named, only marked by a suffix), the plural possessive suffix must be used, e.g. “their ball” (a labdájuk, see -juk and its variants).
• (personal suffix) Variants:

  -a is added to back-vowel words

  -e is added to front-vowel words

Note that the corresponding (third-person singular) indicative mood of front-vowel verbs is -i, e.g. kéri (“s/he requests it”).

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	-a	—
accusative	-át	—
dative	-ának	—
instrumental	-ával	—
causal-final	-áért	—
translative	-ává	—
terminative	-áig	—
essive-formal	-aként	—
essive-modal	-ául	—
inessive	-ában	—
superessive	-án	—
adessive	-ánál	—
illative	-ába	—
sublative	-ára	—
allative	-ához	—
elative	-ából	—
delative	-áról	—
ablative	-ától	—
non-attributive possessive - singular	-áé	—
non-attributive possessive - plural	-áéi	—

See also

• Category:Hungarian noun forms
• Appendix:Hungarian possessive suffixes

Etymology 2

First attested in 1055. It can be traced back to Proto-Uralic *-i̮ which with the word-final vowel created the diphthong -ai̮/-ei̮. This had simplified to -á/-é, finally in the Old Hungarian era it had shortened to -a/-e. It was a productive suffix at that time, the back-vowel variant was used even in front-vowel words such as the Old Hungarian female given names Fehéra and Szépa, derived from fehér (“light in color”) and szép (“beautiful”), respectively.

Suffix

-a

2. (diminutive suffix) The back-vowel variant of the -a/-e diminutive suffix pair. In the past it could be found in common nouns, as well, but today it is used mostly in given names.

   cic (“the sound for calling a cat”) → cica (“kitten”)

   Zsigmond (“Siegmund”) → Zsiga (“Sig”)

Etymology 3

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

Suffix

-a

2. (personal suffix, archaic) Used to form the third-person singular indicative past indefinite, for back-vowel verbs. The front-vowel version is -e. The suffix currently used in this place is -t, -tt, or -ott. For the full paradigm, see the usage template.

Etymology 4

Along with its front-vowel counterpart -e, from the diphthongs -ai̮/-ei̮, developing to -á/-é, then shortened to this form by the end of the early Old Hungarian period. After the participle suffix became fixed as -ó/-ő, the remaining words suffixed with -a/-e underwent conversion; some became adjectives, others, nouns.

Suffix

-a

2. (obsolete participle suffix) Synonym of -ó (present-participle suffix) From a synchronic perspective, it can be viewed as a nominal-forming suffix, preserved in some adjectives and nouns (see below). No longer productive. Its front-vowel version is -e.

Derived terms

• borissza, bornemissza
• cafka
• (csala)finta (dubious)
• csóka
• csusza
• duda
• furcsa
• gyagya
• handa(banda)
• (hepe)hupá(s)
• hinta
• hulla
• huzavona
• illa (berek)
• inga
• kajla
• kába
• koca
• kósza
• kuka (“dumb”)
• kusza
• kutya (debated)
• léha
• morzsa (debated)
• pala
• pecá(zik)
• pilla
• pofa (debated)
• pongyola (debated)
• potya
• puha
• ronda (dubious)
• rozoga
• satra(fa)
• sima
• (zene)bona

Icelandic

Etymology 1

Suffix

-a

1. forms verbs from nouns

   ‎spark (“a kick”) + ‎-a → ‎sparka (“to kick”)

   ‎mjólk (“milk”) + ‎-a → ‎mjólka (“to milk”)

   ‎von (“hope”) + ‎-a → ‎vona (“to hope”)

   ‎ávarp (“an address”) + ‎-a → ‎ávarpa (“to address”)

   ‎rit (“a writ”) + ‎-a → ‎rita (“to write”)

   ‎rass (“an ass”) + ‎-a → ‎rassa (“to spank (on the ass)”)

Derived terms

Icelandic terms suffixed with -a

• afmeyja
• ansa/anza
• ávarpa
• baða
• falda
• fangelsa
• flaka
• hneppa
• launa
• líma
• mala
• mjólka
• pakka
• punkta
• putta
• rassa
• rita
• skrifa
• slefa
• sparka
• spjalla
• svara
• totta
• ulla
• vona

 

Etymology 2

Suffix

-a

1. Used to form adverbs from adjectives.

   ‎illur (“bad”) + ‎-a → ‎illa (“badly”)

See also

• -ari
• -ingi

 

Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Suffix

-a

1. suffix denoting adjective.

   ‎arjento (“silver”, noun) + ‎-a → ‎arjenta (“silver”, adjective)

Usage notes

One may elide the final a of the adjectives, but with the condition not to produce accumulation from the consonants. One advise to use the elision mainly with the derivatived adjectives and particularly when they finish with -al-(a).

Derived terms

Ido terms suffixed with -a

Ingrian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Finnic *-da. Cognates include Finnish -a and Estonian -a.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /-ɑ/, [-ɑ]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /-ɑ/, [-ɑ]

Suffix

-a (front vowel variant -ä)

1. Used to form the partitive case: part of

Inflection

Possessive forms of -a
possessor	singular	plural
1st person	-haan	-amme
2nd person	-haas	-anne
3rd person	-haa	-asse

Etymology 2

From Proto-Finnic *-dak. Cognates include Finnish -da.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /-ɑ/, [-ɑ]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /-ɑ/, [-ɑ]

Suffix

-a (front vowel variant -ä)

1. First infinitive marker

Usage notes

• After stems ending in -n, -l, -r, -s the alternative forms -na, -la, -ra and -sa are used, respectively.

Irish

Suffix

-a

1. plural ending of certain nouns
2. plural ending of adjectives in the nominative, vocative, dative, and strong genitive cases
3. genitive singular ending of third-declension nouns

Italian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin -a, from Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ (forms action nouns).

Suffix

-a f (noun-forming suffix, plural -e)

2. used with a stem to form a feminine singular noun, usually a deverbal

   Synonym: -o

Derived terms

Italian terms suffixed with -a (deverbal)

Etymology 2

From Latin -at.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. used, with a stem, to form the third-person singular present tense of -are verbs

Etymology 3

From Latin -ā.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. used, with a stem, to form the second-person singular imperative of -are verbs

Etymology 4

From Latin -(e/i)am, -(e/i)ās, -(e/i)at.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. used, with a stem, to form the first-person singular, second-person singular and third-person singular present subjunctive of -ere verbs, and of those -ire verbs that do not insert -isc-

Etymology 5

From Latin -(e/i)at.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. used, with a stem, to form the third-person singular imperative of -ere verbs, and of those -ire verbs that do not insert -isc-

Khalaj

Suffix

preceding vowel
A / I / O / U	E / Ə / İ / Ö / Ü
-a	-ə

-a

1. Form of -ə after the vowels A / I / O / U.

Latin

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *-ā, from Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂, from Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ (suffix originally used to form collective nouns, extended in Late PIE to also be a marker of feminine gender). For the use to form masculine agent nouns from verb roots, compare Latin poeta from Ancient Greek ποιητής (poiētḗs).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /a/, [ä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /a/, [ä]

Suffix

-a

1. inflection of -us:
   1. nominative/vocative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural
2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural of -s

Suffix

-a f or m (genitive -ae); first declension

2. suffix used to form feminine first-declension nouns
   1. added to the root of a masculine noun denoting a male to form a feminine noun denoting a female counterpart.

      ‎equus m (“horse”) + ‎-a → ‎equa f (“female horse, mare”)

      ‎flāmen m (“flamen”) + ‎-a → ‎flāmina f (“wife of a flamen”)

      ‎magister m (“master, instructor”) + ‎-a → ‎magistra f (“mistress, instructress”)

   2. (Late Latin) added to the stem of a third-declension noun to adapt its inflection to that of a feminine first-declension noun

      ‎lendis, lendin- f + ‎-a → ‎lendina f

      ‎pūlex, pūlic- m + ‎-a → ‎*pūlica f

4. suffix used to form (usually masculine) agent nouns from the roots of (usually compound) verbs

   ‎adveniō + ‎-a → ‎advena

   ‎ager + ‎colō + ‎-a → ‎agricola

   ‎caedō + ‎-a → ‎-cīda

   ‎colō + ‎-a → ‎-cola

   ‎cōnferveō + ‎-a → ‎cōnferva f

   ‎cōnsolidō + ‎-a → ‎cōnsolida f

   ‎scrībō + ‎-a → ‎scrība

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	-a	-ae
genitive	-ae	-ārum
dative	-ae	-īs
accusative	-am	-ās
ablative	-ā	-īs
vocative	-a	-ae

1. Certain masculine nouns ending in -a, especially those ending in -cola and -gena, sometimes have a short genitive plural form ending in -um instead of -ārum.

2. Feminine nouns such as fīlia (“daughter”) that have a second-declension masculine counterpart sometimes take the ending -ābus instead of -īs in the dative and ablative plural to avoid ambiguity (since fīliīs could be misunderstood as the dative/ablative plural of fīlius (“son”)). Forms in -ābus are attested earliest for the nouns fīlia and dea (“goddess”), and later on for others such as līberta (“freedwoman”), equa (“mare”) and anima.

Synonyms

• (suffixed to the roots of verbs, forms masculine agent nouns): -ō¹

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -a (feminine)

Latin terms suffixed with -a (agent noun)

References

• “-a¹” on page 1/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

Etymology 2

From Old Latin -ād, first-declension ablative singular ending.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /aː/, [äː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /a/, [ä]

Suffix

-ā

1. ablative feminine singular of -us

Suffix

-ā (not comparable)

2. suffixed chiefly to the stems of adjectives terminating in -ter, forms adverbs which are frequently also used as prepositions

   citer + -ā → citrā

   exter + -ā → extrā

   in- + -ter + -ā → intrā

   ulter + -ā → ultrā

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -a (adverb)

References

• “-ā²” on page 1/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /aː/, [äː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /a/, [ä]

Suffix

-ā

1. second-person singular present active imperative of -ō (first conjugation)

Latvian

Suffix

-a

1. Used to derive feminine nouns from masculine nouns (like English -ess).

   Synonym: -e

Derived terms

Latvian terms suffixed with -a

Related terms

Feminine suffixes that include -a

• -iņa
• -iska

 

Lushootseed

Suffix

-a

1. and (attached only to čəd, čəxʷ, čəɬ & čələp)

Derived terms

Lushootseed terms suffixed with -a

• čxʷa
• čəda
• čələpa
• čɬa

 

Makasar

Article

-a

1. the (definite article for common nouns)

   Ba'dai uringa. ― The saucepan is leaking.

Maltese

Alternative forms

• -ja (used after -i, -j; also another ending of different origin)
• -wa (used after -u, -w)

Etymology

From Arabic ـَة (-a), reinforced by Sicilian and Italian -a, which are unrelated but used similarly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/
• Homophone: -ha (distinct after -h, -ħ, -għ; may also trigger different stem alternations)

Suffix

-a

1. Used to form the feminine forms of most nouns and adjectives.
2. Used to form the plurals of some nouns and adjectives.
3. Used to form singulatives from collective nouns.

Maori

Suffix

-a

1. passive ending (used mainly for verbs with one or two vowels)

Derived terms

Maori terms suffixed with -a

Mbyá Guaraní

Etymology 1

Cognate with Guaraní -va.

Suffix

-a

1. nominalizes the action of the verb

   pendeayvua

   that which you say

2. indicates the place of the verb

   ooa

   where he is going

3. indicates the time of the action of the verb

   nhama'etỹa ára

   the day in which we planted

Etymology 2

Cognate with Guaraní -ha.

Suffix

-a

1. forms ordinal numbers

   mboapya

   third

Murui Huitoto

Alternative forms

• -ja, -ya, -na

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

Suffix

-a

1. Forms nouns denoting the action of the suffixed verb; -ing, -tion

Derived terms

Murui Huitoto terms suffixed with -a

References

• Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017) A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎^[4], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 81

Northern Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Samic *-ëk. Cognate with Finnish -e.

Pronunciation

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈ-a/

Suffix

-a (with odd-syllable stems -at)

1. Forms nouns from verbs, indicating something used for performing the verb.

   ‎loavdit (“to cover the tent”) + ‎-a → ‎loavdda (“tent cloth”)

2. Forms nouns from verbs, indicating something that results from having the verb's action performed.

   ‎čállit (“to write”) + ‎-a → ‎čála (“writing”)

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the weak grade on a preceding stressed syllable in the nominative singular and essive, and the strong grade in the other forms.

Inflection

Odd, no gradation
Nominative	-at
Genitive	-aga
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-at	-agat
Accusative	-aga	-agiid
Genitive	-aga	-agiid
Illative	-agii	-agiidda
Locative	-agis	-agiin
Comitative	-agiin	-agiiguin
Essive	-agin
Possessive forms Singular Dual Plural 1st person -agan -ageamẹ -ageamẹt 2nd person -agat -ageattẹ -ageattẹt 3rd person -agis -ageaskkạ -ageasẹt

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -a

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

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

Suffix

-a

2. the, Definite marker used for

   Synonym: (only for strong nouns; nonstandard since 2012) -i

   1. the definite singular of (strong) feminine nouns.
   2. the definite plural of strong neuter nouns.
   3. (dialectal) the dative singular case of strong masculine nouns.
   4. (archaic, nonstandard) Used to form definite singular dative case of weak masculine and neuter nouns
4. -ed, Used for:
   1. the past tense of a-verbs.
   2. the supines of a-verbs and some preterite-present verbs (e.g. har bada, kasta, kunna, skulla, vilja).
   3. the past participles of a-verbs.
   4. adjectives (e.g. grepa, heilhjarta).
6. Used to form an infinitive form for most verbs. When using split infinitive, this only applies to a select group.
7. Used to form singular indefinite feminine form of some pronouns and adjectives (e.g. inga, lita, noka etc.).

   Synonym: -i (non-standard since 2012)

8. plural of -um
9. plural of -on
10. Used as an ending of weak nouns and adjectives. Used for:
    1. the singular of weak feminine nouns, indefinite (non-standard since 2012) and definite forms.
    2. the singular of weak neuter nouns, indefinite and definite forms (e.g. auga, hjarta, øyra).
    3. (dated or dialectal) adverbs ((pre-2012) alternative form of -e).
    4. (pre-1901 (Landsmål), archaic or dialectal) the singular definite feminine and neuter forms of adjectives.
11. (pre-1901 (Landsmål), archaic, nonstandard) Used to form the feminine indefinite plural of adjectives.
12. (pre-1901 (Landsmål), archaic, nonstandard) Used to form the genitive plural of nouns.

    Synonyms: -a-, -e-

Anagrams

• A, a, à, -a-, 'a

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *-ō, from Proto-Germanic *-ô. Cognate with Old High German -o.

Suffix

-a

1. nominative masculine n-stem ending

   ācweorna ― squirrel

   fola ― foal

   draca ― dragon

   grīma ― mask

   heorra ― door hinge

2. used to form the nominative singular n-stem (weak) adjective and subsequent nominalised form

   ‎eald (“old”) + ‎-a → ‎(sē) ealda (“(the/that) old; (the/that) old one/thing”)

4. used to form masculine agents, usually from verbs

   Synonyms: -end, -ere

   ‎ġiefan (“to give”) + ‎-a → ‎ġiefa (“giver”)

   ‎dēman (“to judge”) + ‎-a → ‎dēma (“a judge”)

   ‎cuman (“to come”) + ‎-a → ‎cuma (“guest”)

Declension

Weak:

	singular	plural
nominative	-a	-an
accusative	-an	-an
genitive	-an	-ena
dative	-an	-um

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -a

Old English terms suffixed with -a (agent noun)

Descendants

• Middle English: -e

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *-ō, from Proto-Germanic *-ô.

Suffix

-a

2. Ending forming adverbs

Usage notes

• Though it was common in Proto-Germanic and Proto-West Germanic, in Old English this ending is restricted to only a few adverbs, among them sōna (“immediately”) and ġeāra (“long ago”). The competing suffix -e is much more common, along with -līċe.

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -a (adverbial)

Descendants

• Middle English: -e (fossilised)

Etymology 3

Suffix

-a

1. Forms the nominative, accusative, and genitive plural of o-stem feminine nouns and u-stem masculine nouns

   ‎sunu (“son”) + ‎-a → ‎suna (“sons, sons'”)

   ‎talu (“tale”) + ‎-a → ‎tala (“tales, tales'”)

Etymology 4

Suffix

-a

1. Forms the genitive plural of a-stem nouns

   ‎word (“word”) + ‎-a → ‎worda (“words'”)

Etymology 5

Suffix

-a

1. Forms the genitive and dative singular of u-stem nouns

   ‎sunu (“son”) + ‎-a → ‎suna (“son's, son”)

Old Galician-Portuguese

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin -am.

Suffix

-a f (plural -as)

1. feminine singular of -o

Derived terms

Old Galician-Portuguese terms suffixed with -a

Descendants

• Galician: -a
• Portuguese: -a

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin -at, from Proto-Italic *-āt, from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti.

Suffix

-a

1. a suffix indicating the second-person singular present indicative of a verb in -ar

   ‎amar (“to love”) + ‎-a → ‎ama (“[he/she/it] loves”)

   ‎cantar (“to sing”) + ‎-a → ‎canta (“[he/she/it] sings”)

Descendants

• Fala: -a
• Galician: -a
• Portuguese: -a

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

Etymology 1

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

Pronoun

-a

1. combines with prepositions to form a relative pronoun

   ‎ar (“for the sake of”) + ‎-a → ‎ara (“for the sake of whom/which”)

Derived terms

Old Irish terms suffixed with -a (relative)

Etymology 2

An allomorph of -iu. It derives from Proto-Celtic *-is, the neuter of *-yūs. -is was extended to -ais thanks to a rebracketing of Proto-Celtic *mais (“more”) from *ma-is to *m-ais (neuter of *māyūs from which Old Irish mó).

Suffix

-a

1. forms the comparative degree of some adjectives

   Synonym: -iu

   ‎lethan (“broad”) + ‎-a → ‎letha (“broader”)

Usage notes

Used with a relatively small number of adjectives to form an irregular comparative. The regular, productive comparative suffix is -iu.

Derived terms

Old Irish terms suffixed with -a (comparative)

Further reading

• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, §§ 372-73, pages 235; reprinted 2017

Old Norse

Etymology 1

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

Alternative forms

• -at, -t

Suffix

-a

1. indicates negation; does not (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-ōną.

Suffix

-a

1. Creates denominative verbs from nouns
2. Creates factitive verbs from adjectives

Conjugation

Conjugation of -a — active (weak class 2)

infinitive	-a
present participle	-andi
past participle	-aðr
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	-a	-aða
2nd-person singular	-ar	-aðir
3rd-person singular	-ar	-aði
1st-person plural	-um	-uðum
2nd-person plural	-ið	-uðuð
3rd-person plural	-a	-uðu
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	-a	-aða
2nd-person singular	-ir	-aðir
3rd-person singular	-i	-aði
1st-person plural	-im	-aðim
2nd-person plural	-ið	-aðið
3rd-person plural	-i	-aði
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	-a
1st-person plural	-um
2nd-person plural	-ið

Derived terms

Old Norse class 2 weak verbs

Descendants

• Danish: -e
• Icelandic: -a
• Faroese: -a
• Norwegian:

  Norwegian Nynorsk: -e, -a

• Old Swedish: -a
  • Swedish: -a

Etymology 3

From Proto-Germanic *-ê and *-ô.

Suffix

-a

1. Used to make adverbs from adjectives

   ‎gjarn + ‎-a → ‎gjarna

Descendants

• Icelandic: -a

Etymology 4

From Proto-Germanic *-ǭ or *-ô.

Suffix

-a f or n

1. Occurs in the nominative singular of feminine on-stem nouns
2. Occurs in the singular of neuter an-stem nouns

Declension

  Declension of -a (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	-a	-an	-ur	-urnar
accusative	-u	-una	-ur	-urnar
dative	-u	-unni	-um	-unum
genitive	-u	-unnar	-na	-nanna

  Declension of -a (weak an-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	-a	-at	-u	-un
accusative	-a	-at	-u	-un
dative	-a	-anu	-um	-unum
genitive	-a	-ans	-na	-nanna

Etymology 5

Different noun forms.

Suffix

-a

1. indefinite genitive plural (of nouns)
2. inflection of -i (masculine an-stem nouns):
   1. indefinite oblique singular
   2. indefinite accusative plural
3. indefinite accusative plural of -r (masculine a-stem nouns)

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse -a.

Suffix

-a

1. Creates denominative verbs from nouns
2. Creates factitive verbs from adjectives

   sighia

   to say

   hælgha

   to celebrate

Conjugation

Conjugation of -a (weak)

	present			past
infinitive	-a			—
participle	-andi, -e			-aþer
active voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	-ar	-i, -e	—	-aþi, -e	-aþi, -e
þū	-ar	-i, -e	-a	-aþi, -e	-aþi, -e
han	-ar	-i, -e	—	-aþi, -e	-aþi, -e
vīr	-um, -om	-um, -om	-um, -om	-aþum, -om	-aþum, -om
īr	-in	-in	-in	-aþin	-aþin
þēr	-a	-in	—	-aþu, -o	-aþin
mediopassive voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	-as	-is, -es	—	-aþis, -es	-aþis, -es
þū	-as	-is, -es	—	-aþis, -es	-aþis, -es
han	-as	-is, -es	—	-aþis, -es	-aþis, -es
vīr	-ums, -oms	-ums, -oms	—	-aþums, -oms	-aþums, -oms
īr	-ins	-ins	—	-aþins	-aþins
þēr	-as	-ins	—	-aþus, -os	-aþins

Descendants

• Swedish: -a

Old Tupi

Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *-aβ, making it a doublet of -sab.

Cognate with Guajajára, Kamayurá, Mbyá Guaraní, and Tapirapé -a.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (attonic) /a/

Suffix

-a

1. forms nouns from a word's stem

   ‎porang (“beautiful”, adjective) + ‎-a → ‎poranga (“beauty”, noun)

   ‎nhe'eng (“to speak”, verb) + ‎-a → ‎nhe'enga (“language”, noun)

2. forms the gerund of verbs ending in a consonant

   ‎mim (“to hide”) + ‎-a → ‎mima (“hiding”)

Derived terms

Old Tupi terms suffixed with -a

References

• Eduardo de Almeida Navarro (2013) “-a”, in Dicionário de tupi antigo: a língua indígena clássica do Brasil [Dictionary of Old Tupi: The Classical Indigenous Language of Brazil] (overall work in Portuguese), São Paulo: Global, →ISBN, page 3, column 1

Phalura

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-a/

Suffix

-a

1. Third person singular suffix

Alternative forms

• -íi (With e-ending verb stems)
• -óo (With a-ending verb stems)
• -e (Biori)
• -úu (With a-ending verb stems in Biori)

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-a”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[5], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 2

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-a/

Suffix

-a

1. Plural suffix (with a-declension nouns)

Alternative forms

• -á (With accent-shifting nouns)
• -ée (Alternation with ái-a for ai-ending nouns)

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-a”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[6], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 3

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-a/

Suffix

-a

1. Oblique case suffix (with a-declension nouns)

Alternative forms

• -á (With accent shifting nouns)
• -ée (Alternation with ái-a for ai-ending nouns)

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-a”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[7], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 4

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-a/

Suffix

-a

1. Masculine plural agreement suffix

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-a”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[8], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 5

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-a/

Suffix

-a

1. Masculine non-nominative and non-singular agreement suffix

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-a”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[9], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
• Homophones: a, a-

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-a.

Suffix

-a f

1. forms nominative feminine nouns
2. forms feminine names from masculine names

   ‎Zdzisław + ‎-a → ‎Zdzisława

3. (obsolete) forms feminine nominative and vocative forms of short forms of adjectives

   ‎rad + ‎-a → ‎rada.

Declension

Declension of -a

	singular	plural
nominative	-a	-y
genitive	-y	—
dative	-ie	-om
accusative	-ę	-y
instrumental	-ą	-ami
locative	-ie	-ach
vocative	-o	-y

Suffix

-a m pers (feminine -yni)

1. forms masculine personal agent nouns

Declension

Declension of -a

	singular	plural
nominative	-a	-owie/-y (deprecative)
genitive	-y	-ów
dative	-ie	-om
accusative	-ę	-ów
instrumental	-ą	-ami
locative	-ie	-ach
vocative	-o	-y

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Polish -á, from Proto-Slavic *-aja.

Suffix

-a f

1. forms feminine nominative and vocative forms of adjectives

   ‎główny + ‎-a → ‎główna

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьja. Doublet of -ia.

Suffix

-a f (neuter -e)

1. forms collective nouns, causes palatalization

Suffix

-a

1. forms some plural forms, causes palatalization

   ‎brat + ‎-a → ‎bracia

Etymology 4

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-a, from Proto-Indo-European *-éad, the thematic ablative suffix.

Suffix

-a

1. used to create the masculine genitive singular, usually of animate nouns, but also of some inanimate nouns

   ‎Zdzisław + ‎-a → ‎Zdzisława

   ‎but + ‎-a → ‎buta

2. forms genitive singular of neuter nouns

   ‎zdanie + ‎-a → ‎zdania

3. used in some adverbial constructions

   od dawna

   zgoła

Etymology 5

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-a.

Suffix

-a

1. forms the nominative plural of neuter nouns

   ‎zdanie + ‎-a → ‎zdania

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -a

Further reading

• -a in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese -a, from Latin -am, from Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂, from *-h₂.

Suffix

-a f (plural -as)

1. feminine singular of -o

   ‎uruguaio (“Uruguayan (masculine)”) + ‎-a → ‎uruguaia (“Uruguayan (feminine)”)

Suffix

-a f (noun-forming suffix, plural -as)

1. forms feminine nouns from adjectives, indicating people having the quality of the source adjective

   ‎Uruguai (“Uruguay”) + ‎-o → ‎uruguaio (“Uruguayan”) + ‎-a → ‎uruguaia (“Uruguayan woman or girl”)

Derived terms

Portuguese terms suffixed with -a

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese -a, from Latin -at.

Suffix

-a

1. a suffix indicating the third-person singular present indicative of a verb in -ar

   ‎amar (“to love”) + ‎-a → ‎ama (“[he/she/it] loves”)

   ‎cantar (“to sing”) + ‎-a → ‎canta (“[he/she/it] sings”)

See also

• -e

Etymology 3

From Old Galician-Portuguese -a, from Latin -ā.

Suffix

-a

1. forms the second-person singular affirmative imperative of verbs ending in -ar

   João, conta-nos o teu apelido. ― John, tell us your last name.

Etymology 4

From Old Galician-Portuguese -a, from Latin -am, -eam.

Suffix

-a

1. forms the first-person singular present subjunctive of verbs ending in -er and -ir

   É importante que eu coma carne. ― It is important that I eat meat.

Etymology 5

From Old Galician-Portuguese -a, from Latin -at, -eat.

Suffix

-a

1. forms the third-person singular present subjunctive of verbs ending in -er and -ir

   É importante que ele coma carne. ― It is important that he eat meat.

2. forms the third-person singular affirmative imperative of verbs ending in -er and -ir

   Ei você aí, coma carne. ― Hey you there, eat meat.

3. forms the third-person singular negative imperative of verbs ending in -er and -ir

   Ei você aí, não coma carne. ― Hey you there, don’t eat meat.

Usage notes

• The third-person imperative is not used with third person pronouns but rather with você, which is a second-person pronoun but always takes third-person conjugation.

Etymology 6

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

Suffix

-a m or f (noun-forming suffix, plural -as)

1. (Brazil, slang) used in the end of shortenings

   ‎vestibular + ‎-a → ‎vestiba (“university admittance test”)

   ‎vagabundo + ‎-a → ‎vagaba (“loafer”)

Romani

Suffix

-a

1. Forms the nominative plural of consonantal oikoclitic nouns

   ‎phral (“brother”) + ‎-a → ‎phrala (“brothers”)

   ‎ćhaj (“daughter”) + ‎-a → ‎ćhaja (“daughters”)

2. Forms the accusative singular of unjotated oikoclitic animate feminine nouns

   ‎daj (“mother”) + ‎-a → ‎daja

3. Forms the feminine singular oblique of consonantal oikoclitic nouns. Displaced by -e in most dialects

   ‎phuro (“old (animate)”) + ‎-a → ‎phura

Derived terms

• -a-

References

• Yaron Matras, Anton Tenser, editors (2020 August), The Palgrave Handbook of Romani Language and Linguistics, Palgrave Macmillan, →ISBN, pages 30, 166

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin illa, nominative feminine singular of ille.

Alternative forms

• -ua — used for feminine nouns ending in a stressed vowel or diphthong

Suffix

-a f

1. (definite article) the (feminine singular, nominative and accusative)

Usage notes

This form of the definite article is used for feminine nouns in the nominative and accusative cases which end in -ă or in an unstressed vowel:

• ‎mamă + ‎-a → ‎mama
• ‎națiune + ‎-a → ‎națiunea
• ‎floare + ‎-a → ‎floarea

The suffix is also used with feminine adjectives in the nominative and accusative cases to make the articulated definite form, often for emphasis, and it is used before the noun it modifies:

• ‎fata bună + ‎-a → ‎buna fată (both meaning "the good girl")
• ‎câmpia întinsă + ‎-a → ‎întinsa câmpie (both meaning "the wide/extensive plain")

Related terms

• -ei (feminine singular genitive and dative)
• -i (masculine/neuter plural nominative and accusative)
• -l (masculine/neuter singular nominative and accusative)
• -le (feminine plural nominative and accusative)
• -lor (plural genitive and dative)
• -lui (masculine/neuter singular genitive and dative)

 

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin -āre, the ending of the present active infinitive form of first conjugation verbs. Cognate with Spanish -ar, French -er, Italian -are, etc.

Suffix

-a

1. A suffix forming infinitives of many verbs.

Conjugation

    conjugation of -a (first conjugation, no infix)

infinitive			a -a
gerund			-ând
past participle			-at
number		singular			plural
person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	-	-i	-ă	-ăm	-ați	-ă
	imperfect	-am	-ai	-a	-am	-ați	-au
	simple perfect	-ai	-ași	-ă	-arăm	-arăți	-ară
	pluperfect	-asem	-aseși	-ase	-aserăm	-aserăți	-aseră
subjunctive		eu	tu	el/ea	noi	voi	ei/ele
	present	să -	să -i	să -e	să -ăm	să -ați	să -e
imperative		—	tu	—	—	voi	—
	affirmative		-ă			-ați
	negative		nu -a			nu -ați

Related terms

• -e
• -ea
• -i
• -î

 

See also

• -re

Derived terms

Romanian terms suffixed with -a

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

Suffix

-a (Cyrillic spelling -а)

1. Suffix appended to words (usually verbal stems) to create a feminine noun, usually denoting a relation or to form a proper noun.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-a, from Proto-Indo-European *-ōd, the thematic ablative ending.

Suffix

-a (Cyrillic spelling -а)

1. Forms the genitive singular of masculine and neuter nouns and indefinite adjectives.

Slovak

Alternative forms

• -ä

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ę.

Suffix

-a n

1. forms nouns for young animals and other diminutives

Usage notes

• After labio-dental and bilabial consonants -ä is used instead.

Declension

Declension of -a

	singular	plural
nominative	-a	-atá, -ence
genitive	-aťa	-(i)at, -eniec
dative	-aťu	-aťom, -encom
accusative	-a	-atá, -ence
locative	-ati	-aťoch, -encoch
instrumental	-aťom	-atami, -encami

Spanish

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin -a.

Suffix

-a f (noun-forming suffix, plural -as)

1. -ess forms feminine singular nouns

   ‎señor (“gentleman”) + ‎-a → ‎señora (“lady”)

   ‎camarero (“waiter”) + ‎-a → ‎camarera (“waitress”)

Suffix

-a f (non-lemma form of adjective-forming suffix)

1. forms feminine singular adjectives

   ‎frío (“cold”) + ‎-a → ‎fría (“cold”)

Derived terms

Spanish terms suffixed with -a

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin -at, the third-person singular present active indicative ending of first conjugation verbs.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. forms the third-person singular (also used with usted) present indicative mood of regular -ar verbs

   ‎hablar (“to talk”) + ‎-a → ‎habla (“talks”)

Etymology 3

Inherited from Latin -eam, Latin -am, and Latin -iam the first-person singular present active subjunctive endings of second, third, and fourth conjugation verbs, respectively; and from Latin -eat, Latin -at, and Latin -iat, the third-person singular present active subjunctive ending of second, third, and fourth conjugation verbs, respectively.

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. forms the first- and third-person singular (also used with usted) singular present subjunctive mood of '-er and -ir verbs, also used for the imperative mood of usted

   ‎comer (“to eat”) + ‎-a → ‎aunque yo coma (“even if I ate”)

   ‎salir (“to leave”) + ‎-a → ‎por favor, salga Ud. (“please leave”) (formal)

Etymology 4

Inherited from Latin -ā (second-person singular present active imperative ending of first conjugation verbs).

Suffix

-a (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. forms the second-person singular imperative mood of -ar verbs

   ‎hablar (“to talk”) + ‎-a → ‎¡Habla! (“Talk!”)

Swahili

Suffix

-a

1. positive indicative ending for verbs of Bantu origin

Usage notes

Several tenses (such as the ones which historically derive from auxiliary + main verb) keep their ending -a even in the negative.

See also

Swahili TAM markers
Initial
Positive infinitive	ku-/kw-1
Negative infinitive	kuto-
Habitual	hu-1
Telegrammic	ka-1
Final
General (positive indicative)	-a
Positive subjunctive	-e
Negative present	-i
Second person plural	-ni
Infix position positive subject concord
Positive past	-li-
Positive present	-na-
Positive future	-ta-
Negative subjunctive	-si-1
Positive present conditional	-nge-
Negative present conditional	-singe-
Positive past conditional	-ngali-
Negative past conditional	-singali-
Gnomic	-a-1
Perfect	-me-
"Already" past	-lisha-
"Already" present	-mesha-/-sha-
"If/When"	-ki-1
"If not"	-sipo-
Consecutive	-ka-1
Infix position negative subject concord
Negative past	-ku-1
Negative future	-ta-
"Not yet"	-ja-1
Negative present conditional	-nge-
Negative past conditional	-ngali-
Relative
Past	-li-
Present	-na-
Future	-taka-
Negative	-si-
1 Can take stress and therefore does not require -ku-/-kw- in monosyllabic verbs.

Swedish

Etymology 1

From Old Swedish -a, from Old Norse -a, from Proto-Germanic *-ōną.

Suffix

-a

1. A verb-building suffix that can be added to nouns or adjectives.

   ‎disk (“dishes”) + ‎-a → ‎diska (“to do the dishes”)

   ‎mjölk (“milk”) + ‎-a → ‎mjölka (“to milk”)

   ‎öl (“beer”) + ‎-a → ‎öla (“to drink beer”)

Conjugation

• For weak verbs with a voiceless ending stem:

Conjugation of - (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	-		-s
Supine	-t		-ts
Imperative	-		—
Imper. plural1	-en		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	-er	-te	-s, -es	-tes
Ind. plural1	-	-te	-s	-tes
Subjunctive2	-e	-te	-es	-tes
	Participles
Present participle	-nde
Past participle	-t
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

• For weak verbs with a voiced ending stem:

Conjugation of - (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	-		-s
Supine	-t		-ts
Imperative	-		—
Imper. plural1	-en		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	-er	-de	-s, -es	-des
Ind. plural1	-	-de	-s	-des
Subjunctive2	-e	-de	-es	-des
	Participles
Present participle	-nde
Past participle	-d
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Derived terms

Swedish terms suffixed with -a

Etymology 2

The language noun sense originally comes from the definite adjective + tunga (“tongue; language”). Thus svenska (“Swedish”) was originally svenska tungan (the Swedish tongue)

Suffix

-a

1. (on a positive adjective) Weak (definite) singular suffix, historically feminine
2. Transform an adjective describing a people speaking a language into the noun for that language.

   ‎engelsk (“English”) + ‎-a → ‎engelska (“the English language”)

Usage notes

• On adjectives: Traditionally, if the noun is in the definite singular form it should not refer to a male human if it uses the suffix -a. If it refers to such a person, the suffix should instead be -e, but one should note that this rule is not universally adhered to – in particular dialects of northern Sweden do not recognize the -e suffix at all, but use -a in all instances.

Etymology 3

Suffix

-a

1. Definite plural suffix for neuter nouns of the fourth declension with regular plurals in -n, e.g. ‎äpplen (“apples”) + ‎-a → ‎äpplena (“the apples”); see also -na.

Usage notes

• In informal/dialectal usage, -a may be used instead of -en to form the definite plural of the irregular fourth-declension nouns öron (“ears”), ögon (“eyes”).

Etymology 4

Suffix

-a

1. Create a noun from a numeral.

   ‎tre (“three”) + ‎-a → ‎trea (“a bronze medalist; a three-room apartment”, literally “a three”)

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [-a]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *-a. Cognates include Tuvaluan -a and Samoan -a.

Suffix

-a

1. Creates a verb denoting an abundancy of the suffixed noun; -ful

   aiha (“ice”) → aihā (“to be icy”)

   manava (“belly”) → manavā (“to be big-bellied”)

Derived terms

Tokelauan terms suffixed with -a

Etymology 2

Suffix

-a

1. Added to transitive verbs when preceded by the subject pronoun.

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[10], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 1

Turkish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Etymology 1

	preceding vowel
	A / I / O / U	E / İ / Ö / Ü
postconsonantal	-a	-e
postvocalic	-ya	-ye

From Proto-Turkic *-ka (“dative case”).

Suffix

-a (in words with back vowel harmony)

1. Used to form the dative case

   ‎İstanbul + ‎-a → ‎İstanbul’a (“to Istanbul”)

   ‎Ankara + ‎-a → ‎Ankara’ya (“to Ankara”)

   ‎İzmir + ‎-a → ‎İzmir’e (“to Izmir”)

   ‎babası + ‎-a → ‎babasına (“to his father”)

   suyu içtikten sonra suyu geri buzdolabına koydum

   i put the water back in the fridge after drinking it

Etymology 2

	preceding vowel
	A / I / O / U	E / İ / Ö / Ü
postconsonantal	-a	-e
postvocalic	-ya	-ye

From Proto-Turkic *-ü (“gerundive suffix”).

Suffix

-a (in words with back vowel harmony)

1. Used to form gerunds

   Synonyms: -erek, -ip

   ‎yürümek + ‎-a → ‎yürüye (“by walking”)

Etymology 3

	preceding vowel
	A / I / O / U	E / İ / Ö / Ü
postconsonantal	-a	-e
postvocalic	-ya	-ye

From Proto-Turkic *-gey (“optative-predictive future case”).

Suffix

-a (in words with back vowel harmony)

1. Used to form the optative mood of verbs

   ‎olmak (“to happen”) + ‎-a → ‎ola (“may it happen”)

References

• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007) “-a¹, -a², -a³”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), volume 1, Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 73

Volapük

Suffix

-a

1. A morpheme used to mark the genitive singular of a word (such as a noun, adjective or pronoun). It is also the most common morpheme used in creating innumerable compound words, some of which can be very long

   pledadinaselidöp ― toy store, toy shop

   tanoganilamedin ― antibiotic

   taglumaladälamedin ― anti-depressant

   natrinakarbatazüd telik ― bicarbonate of soda

   Elaf Tyrannosaurus rex älifon in taledadil, kel nu binon dil Nolüda-Meropa.

   Tyrannosaurus rex lived in an area of the earth, which is now a part of North America.

   Buks binons stumem lärnazilana (/ lärnazilanastumem / stumem lärnazilanik).

   Books are a scholar's tools.

Walloon

Etymology

Inherited from Latin -āculum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Suffix

-a

1. Forming masculine nouns from verbs and nouns, having the sense of 'tool, object for a specific purpose'.

Derived terms

Walloon terms suffixed with -a

Welsh

Alternative forms

• -af (superlative; colloquial first-person singular future)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Etymology 1

From -ha.

Suffix

-a

2. Forms verbnouns from verb stems. Usually denotes an action that is often repeated, e.g. frequenting a certain place or gathering a certain item.

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -a (verbnoun)

Etymology 2

From -ha.

Suffix

-a

1. (literary) verb suffix for the third-person singular present indicative/future

Etymology 3

From -ha.

Suffix

-a

1. (literary) verb suffix for the second-person singular present imperative
2. (colloquial) verb suffix for the second-person singular present imperative

Etymology 4

From -af.

Suffix

-a

2. (colloquial) used to form the superlative of an adjective of one or two syllables.

Usage notes

Like the more formal -af, this triggers causes final b, d and g to mutate to p, t and c, respectively. For example, the superlative of teg (“fair”) is teca.

Etymology 5

From -af.

Suffix

-a

1. (colloquial) verb suffix for the first-person singular future

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	-a
Brazilian standard	-a
New Tribes	-a

Alternative forms

• -ka, -ya (allomorphs)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [-a]

Suffix

-a

1. Forms the nonpast tense.
2. Marks imperfective aspect in both the recent and distant past tenses.

Usage notes

This suffix can cause syllable reduction. The suffix takes the form -ka when the preceding syllable is reducible and has an onset of k, -ya when the preceding syllable ends in i, and -a in other contexts.

When marking the past imperfective, this suffix never occurs alone but is always accompanied by other suffixes bearing tense/aspect or at least number information. Conversely, when marking the nonpast tense, it occurs alone without other tense/aspect markers, though it can form a plural -aato.

Derived terms

• -aato
• -akene
• -akento
• -akö
• -anö
• -anto
• -ato
• -a'kene
• -a'to

 

References

• Cáceres, Natalia (2011) Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana‎^[11], Lyon, pages 213–224