-u
Albanian
Etymology
Suffixed definite article attached on nouns ending with g, k, h. From the ending Proto-Indo-European *-osyo. cognate to Messapic -aihi.[1][2][3]
Related to Albanian -i (“of the, etc.”), Albanian i (“of, the, to”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [u]
Article
-u m
- masculine singular nominative and accusative suffixed definite article: the
Related terms
- (suffixed article, suffix): -a, -e, -ë, -i, -o, -ia, -ja, -je, -jë, -at, -et, -ët, -it, -ot, -ut, -të, -ri, -ishte, -ishtja
- (article, preposition): e, i, së, të
References
Chuukese
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Suffix
-u
Esperanto
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /u/
- Rhymes: -u
- Hyphenation: u
Etymology 1
Etymology unclear. Perhaps from the Greek -ou imperative (pronounced [u]) of deponent verbs such as dekhou “receive!”, or from the Hebrew imperative -û. It may instead—or also—be connected to the vowel of the Esperanto conditional suffix -us, minus the s of the indicative inflections.
Suffix
-u
- volitive inflection of verbs, indicating that an action or state is desired, requested, ordered, or aimed for.
- Donu ĝin al mi.
- Give it to me. (expresses a request or command)
- Ni faru tion.
- Let's do that. (expresses a desire or aim)
- Mi iru dormi.
- I ought to go to sleep. (expresses desirability of the action)
- Via infano sukcesu en la vivo.
- May your child be successful in life. (wish or desire)
- Mi volas, ke vi helpu min.
- I want you to help me. (desire)
- Ŝi petas, ke mi silentu.
- She asks that I be silent. (request)
Etymology 2
Apparently connected to the u at the end of unu (“one, a certain”).
Suffix
-u
- -one. (Ending of the individual correlatives.)
Estonian
Etymology
From Proto-Uralic *-w (as applied to stems ending in -e). Cognate with Finnish -u.
Suffix
-u (genitive -u, partitive -u)
- Derives nouns from verbs or prefixes
Derived terms
Finnish
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *-u, from Proto-Uralic *-w (originally as applied to stems ending in -e or -ä). Cognate with Estonian -u.
Suffix
-u (front vowel harmony variant -y, linguistic notation -U)
- Forms nouns from verbs. Most common with e- and i-stem verbs.
- Derives a number of nouns from other nouns.
Usage notes
- Somewhat unusually, in words with few syllables, the front-vowel form -y is used only with stems that contain what is considered a front vowel under harmony, i.e. -ä-, -ö- or -y-; if it only contains neutral vowels (e, i), the back-vocalic form -u is used, even though such words or stems have front vowel harmony by default. However, polysyllabic words containing only neutral vowels (e, i) still tend to use -y.
Declension
Inflection of -u (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
nominative | -u | -ut | |
genitive | -un | -ujen | |
partitive | -ua | -uja | |
illative | -uun | -uihin | |
singular | plural | ||
nominative | -u | -ut | |
accusative | nom. | -u | -ut |
gen. | -un | ||
genitive | -un | -ujen | |
partitive | -ua | -uja | |
inessive | -ussa | -uissa | |
elative | -usta | -uista | |
illative | -uun | -uihin | |
adessive | -ulla | -uilla | |
ablative | -ulta | -uilta | |
allative | -ulle | -uille | |
essive | -una | -uina | |
translative | -uksi | -uiksi | |
abessive | -utta | -uitta | |
instructive | — | -uin | |
comitative | See the possessive forms below. |
Possessive forms of -u (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Inflection of -u (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
nominative | -u | -ut | |
genitive | -un | -ujen -uiden -uitten | |
partitive | -ua | -uja -uita | |
illative | -uun | -uihin | |
singular | plural | ||
nominative | -u | -ut | |
accusative | nom. | -u | -ut |
gen. | -un | ||
genitive | -un | -ujen -uiden -uitten | |
partitive | -ua | -uja -uita | |
inessive | -ussa | -uissa | |
elative | -usta | -uista | |
illative | -uun | -uihin | |
adessive | -ulla | -uilla | |
ablative | -ulta | -uilta | |
allative | -ulle | -uille | |
essive | -una | -uina | |
translative | -uksi | -uiksi | |
abessive | -utta | -uitta | |
instructive | — | -uin | |
comitative | See the possessive forms below. |
Possessive forms of -u (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Note that if the stem has gradation, it is (almost always) preserved.
Derived terms
See also
French
Etymology
Inherited from Latin -ūtus.[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /y/
Suffix
-u
- Forming adjectives having the sense of ‘having quality of, being provided with’ (the root word).
Derived terms
References
- ^ -u, -ue; in: Jacqueline Picoche, Jean-Claude Rolland, Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris 2009, Dictionnaires Le Robert
Gothic
Romanization
-u
- romanization of -𐌿
Greenlandic
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
Suffix
-u (n-v?, truncative?, uses -j- as interfix?)
- be
- ilinniartitsisoq (“teacher”) -> ilinniartitsisiuuvugut (“we are teachers”) .
- Ukiuuvoq.
- It is winter.
- 1998 May 7, “Tasiilami efterskoleqalernissaa Jakob Sivertsen-ip sulissutigaa”, in Atuagagdliutit / Grønlandsposten:
- 1992, “Meeqqakka”, in Atuagagdliutit/Grønlandsposten:
- Ernerput anguteqatiminoortartunngorsimavoq (19-inik ukioqarluni paasineqarpoq), niviarsiararlu nukarleq arnaqatiminoortartunngorsimalluni. Akulleq pissusissamisoortuuvoq.
- Our son has become gay (it was discovered when he was 19 years old), and the youngest girl has become a lesbian. The middle [child] is as she should be [i.e. heterosexual].
Usage notes
May become additive after a strong q base.
References
- Bjørnum, S.: Grønlandsk Grammatik, p. 275. Atuagkat 2003.
- Vestgrønlands Grammatik, p. 81, F.A.J. Nielsen, 2014
- -u in Katersat
Hungarian
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [u]
Suffix
-u
- (diminutive suffix) Added to a noun or a proper noun to form a diminutive.
Derived terms
See also
- Appendix:Hungarian suffixes
Ido
Etymology
Common vowel found in pronouns in Romance languages: French tu, Italian tu and Spanish tú, also in French vous and as an o in Italian voi and Spanish vos, etc. (Compare tu and vu)
Suffix
-u
Usage notes
As it is used to form pronouns, you cannot use it to create nouns. Instead, to form an agent from an adjective like felica (“happy”), you just make it a noun: felico (“a happy person”).
Derived terms
Ingrian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *-u. Cognates include Finnish -u and Estonian -u.
Pronunciation
- (Ala-Laukaa) IPA(key): /-u/, [-u]
- (Soikkola) IPA(key): /-u/, [-u]
Suffix
-u (front vowel variant -y)
- Used to form nouns from verbs.
Declension
Declension of -u (type 4/koivu, no gradation) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | -u | -ut |
genitive | -un | -uin, -uloin |
partitive | -ua | -uja, -uloja |
illative | -uu | -ui, -uloihe |
inessive | -us | -uis, -ulois |
elative | -ust | -uist, -uloist |
allative | -ulle | -uille, -uloille |
adessive | -ul | -uil, -uloil |
ablative | -ult | -uilt, -uloilt |
translative | -uks | -uiks, -uloiks |
essive | -unna, -uun | -uinna, -uloinna, -uin, -uloin |
exessive1) | -unt | -uint, -uloint |
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive. |
Derived terms
Inuktitut
Alternative forms
- -ngu (used after double-vowel or long vowel)
- -iu (used after word-final /t/)
Verb
-u (Syllabics -ᐅ)
- to be (copula)
- angunasuktiujuq.
- He is a hunter.
Usage notes
When used on words ending with /k/ or /q/ the affix deletes the final consonant.
Japanese
Romanization
-u
Kongo
Suffix
-u
- used to form nouns denoting action or result of action
Latin
Suffix
-ū
- ablative/locative singular of -us for fourth-declension nouns.
Usage notes
This ending is used for all singular forms in the fourth declension except the genitive singular (which still uses -ūs). This even replaces -uī in the dative singular, something that does not occur in the other declension patterns.
Maltese
Alternative forms
- -h (after a vowel)
Etymology
Suffix
-u
Related terms
Maori
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Suffix
-u
- Used in contractions with particles of possession to mean you
See also
singular | dual | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st person | au, ahau | māua (exclusive) tāua (inclusive) |
mātou (exclusive) tātou (inclusive) | ||
2nd person | koe | kōrua | koutou | ||
3rd person | ia | rāua | rātou |
Northern Sami
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Proto-Samic *-ō. Cognate with Finnish -o.
Suffix
-u
- Forms result or action nouns from verbs.
Usage notes
- This suffix triggers the strong grade on a preceding stressed syllable.
Inflection
Even u-stem, no gradation | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -u | |||||||||||||||||||||
Genitive | -u -ọ | |||||||||||||||||||||
Singular | Plural | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nominative | -u | -ut | ||||||||||||||||||||
Accusative | -u | -ūid | ||||||||||||||||||||
Genitive | -u -ọ |
-ūid | ||||||||||||||||||||
Illative | -ui | -ūide | ||||||||||||||||||||
Locative | -us | -ūin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Comitative | -ūin | -ūiguin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Essive | -un | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Derived terms
Etymology 2
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Suffix
-u
- Form of the suffix -i used with verbs in -ut.
Usage notes
- This suffix triggers the strongest grade on a preceding stressed syllable.
Inflection
Even u-stem, no gradation | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -u | |||||||||||||||||||||
Genitive | -u -ọ | |||||||||||||||||||||
Singular | Plural | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nominative | -u | -ut | ||||||||||||||||||||
Accusative | -u | -ūid | ||||||||||||||||||||
Genitive | -u -ọ |
-ūid | ||||||||||||||||||||
Illative | -ui | -ūide | ||||||||||||||||||||
Locative | -us | -ūin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Comitative | -ūin | -ūiguin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Essive | -un | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Derived terms
Old English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /u/
Etymology 1
From suppletive fusion of ō-stem feminine singular nominative ending -u and Proto-Germanic *-į̄ (“feminine abstract ending”). Akin to Gothic feminine abstracts in -𐌴𐌹 (-ei) (compare 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌴𐌹 (mikilei, “greatness”); 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐌴𐌹 (diupei, “depth”)).
Suffix
-u f
- ending used to form abstract nouns from adjectives (compare Modern English -ness), normally causing i-mutation, and remaining even when preceded by a long syllable
- eald (“old”) + -u → ieldu (“age”)
- hāliġ (“holy, sacred; pious”) + -u → hāliġu (“holiness”)
- hāl (“sound, healthy, intact”) + -u → hǣlu (“wholeness, health”)
- hāt (“hot”) + -u → hǣtu (“heat, warmth”)
- mennisċ (“human, natural, humane”) + -u → mennisċu (“humanity”)
- miċel (“big, large; great”) + -u → miċelu (“greatness, size”)
Usage notes
According to Ringe and Taylor[1], this suffix began as indeclinable *-i in the singular and nominative/accusative plural, before the ō-stem feminine nominative singular was borrowed. In Anglian, the new ending was then extended to the rest of these forms. This same extension was not complete in Early West Saxon, but eventually won out in Late West Saxon. Spellings of these forms with -o, and rarely -a, reflect the merger of unstressed back vowels in later Old English
Declension
Strong īn-stem:
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō. Apocope should have caused the loss of this ending after heavy stems, but the Anglian dialects generally retained it by analogy with short stems, or for its morphological significance. In West Saxon, this apocope led to replacement with the subjunctive singular -e, which was then extended to short stem verbs as well.
Suffix
-u (Anglian)
- Used to form the first person singular present indicative of strong verbs and class I weak verbs
Etymology 3
From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō
Suffix
-u f
Etymology 4
From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-uz
Suffix
-u
- Used to form the nominative and accusative singular of short u-stem nouns
Etymology 5
From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō
Suffix
-u n
- Used to form the nominative and accusative plural of short a-stem and all ija-stem neuter nouns
Etymology 6
Suffix
-u
- Forms the strong nominative feminine singular and strong nominative/accusative neuter plural of adjectives
- unārīmedlīċ + -u → unārīmedlīċu
Old French
Etymology
Suffix
-u
- suffixed used to form adjectives (oblique masculine singular) from nouns
Derived terms
Descendants
Old Irish
Suffix
-u
- alternative form of -iu (when the preceding consonant (cluster) isn't palatalised)
Phalura
Etymology 1
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /-u, -o/
Suffix
-u
- Masculine singular agreement suffix
References
- Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-u”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)[2], 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): /-u, -o/
Suffix
-u
- Masculine nominative/singular agreement suffix
References
- Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-u”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)[3], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN
Polish
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /u/
- Rhymes: -u
- Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
- Homophones: ó, u, u-, -u-
Suffix
-u
- (sometimes archaic) forms the masculine dative singular, now used to create adverbs, always used in conjunction with po
- forms the inanimate masculine genitive singular after soft or historically soft stems
- (rare) forms the masculine dative singular in certain words
- forms the masculine locative singular
- forms the masculine vocative singular
- forms the feminine vocative singular after -ś and -ź
- forms the neuter dative singular in soft and velar stems
- forms the neuter locative singular in soft and velar stems
Derived terms
Further reading
- -u in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Turkish
Etymology 1
Accusative suffix.
Suffix
-u
Etymology 2
Possessive suffix.
Suffix
-u
Etymology 3
Derivative suffix.
Suffix
-u
- Form of -i after the vowels O / U.
Welsh
Etymology
From Middle Welsh -u, from Proto-Brythonic *-oβ̃.
Pronunciation
- (North Wales) IPA(key): /ɨ̞/
- (South Wales) IPA(key): /i/
Suffix
-u
Usage notes
This suffix is mostly used where the vowel in the last syllable is a, ae, e, or y.[1]
Derived terms
References
- ^ Morris Jones, John (1913) A Welsh Grammar, Historical and Comparative, Oxford: Clarendon Press, § 202 iii