কই

Bengali

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (Rarh) IPA(key): /koi̯/, [ˈkoi̯]
    Audio:(file)
  • (Dhaka) IPA(key): /koi̯/, [ˈkoi̯]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle Bengali কহি (kohi), from Sanskrit *क्वधि (*kvadhi), derived from क्व (kvà, where?), from Proto-Indo-European *kúwo. Compare Early Assamese কহিত (kohito),

Adverb

কই • (koi)

  1. where
    Synonym: কোথায় (kōthaẏ)
    তুমি কই?
    tumi koi?
    Where are you?

References

  • Sen, Sukumar (1971) An Etymological Dictionary of Bengali: c. 1000-1800 A.D.[1], Calcutta: Eastern Publishers, page 125.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Sanskrit कवयी (kavayī), a compound of (ka, water) +‎ वय् (vay, to go) +‎ -ई (, nominal suffix), literally meaning "the one who goes through water";[1] the second element is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- (to chase).

Noun

কই • (koi)

  1. Gangetic koi, Anabas cobojius
Inflection
Animate
indefinite forms
nominative কই (kôi)
objective কইকে (kôike)
genitive কইর (kôir)
definite forms
singular plural
nominative কইটা, কইটি (kôiṭa (colloquial), kôiṭi (formal)) কইরা (kôira)
objective কইটাকে, কইটিকে (kôiṭake (colloquial), kôiṭike (formal)) কইদের(কে) (kôider(ke))
genitive কইটার, কইটির (kôiṭar (colloquial), kôiṭir (formal)) কইদের (kôider)
Objective Note: In some dialects, -রে (-re) marks this case instead of -কে (-ke).
Inanimate
indefinite forms
nominative কই (kôi)
objective কই / কইকে (kôi (semantically general or indefinite) / kôike (semantically definite))
genitive কইর (kôir)
locative কইতে (kôite)
definite forms
singular plural
nominative কইটা , কইটি (kôiṭa (colloquial), kôiṭi (formal)) কইগুলা, কইগুলো (kôigula (colloquial), kôigulo (formal))
objective কইটা, কইটি (kôiṭa (colloquial), kôiṭi (formal)) কইগুলা, কইগুলো (kôigula (colloquial), kôigulo (formal))
genitive কইটার, কইটির (kôiṭar (colloquial), kôiṭir (formal)) কইগুলার, কইগুলোর (kôigular (colloquial), kôigulor (formal))
locative কইটাতে / কইটায়, কইটিতে (kôiṭate / kôiṭay (colloquial), kôiṭite (formal)) কইগুলাতে / কইগুলায়, কইগুলোতে (kôigulate / kôigulay (colloquial), kôigulote (formal))
Objective Note: In some dialects, -রে (-re) marks this case instead of -কে (-ke).

References

  1. ^ দাস, জ্ঞানেন্দ্রমোহন (1937) “কবয়ী”, in Dictionary of the Bengali Language (Self-pronouncing, Etymological & Explanatory) with Appendices (in Bengali), 2nd edition, কলিকাতা: দি ইণ্ডিয়ান্ পাব্‌লিশিং হাউস, page 439