já

Inherited from Old Czech jáz, from Proto-Slavic *azъ.

• IPA^(key): [ˈjaː]

• Audio:

  (file)

já (first person)

1. I

já n (indeclinable)

1. (psychoanalysis) ego

   Synonym: ego

• nadjá n
• ono n

• “já”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “já”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “já”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

From Old Norse já (“yes”), Proto-Germanic *ja (“yes”).

• IPA^(key): /jauː/
• Rhymes: -auː

já

1. yes

   Synonyms: (informal) jamm; (informal, joyful) jahá

já

1. (informal) yes (as an exclamation of joy or excitement)

   Synonyms: (informal) jess; (informal) jei; (informal) jahá

From Proto-Germanic *jahw.

já

1. and

• Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎^[1], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

From Portuguese já (“already; now”), from Old Galician-Portuguese ja, from Latin iam (“already”).

já

1. used in conjunction with the past tense
   • 1883, Hugo Schuchardt, Kreolische Studien, volume 3:

     Já fallou par su pai aquêl mais piquin, […]

     The youngest one told his father, […]

• IPA^(key): /tʃɑ⁵⁵/

• Audio:

  (file)

já

1. (Patsho) connect, attach, link

   Kheunyoh nüko meikü ja-i kü noi naih, alumtshouko asheu nü epje.

   Through proper connection with people brings positive results.

• jâ

From Indo-Portuguese já, from Portuguese já (“already; now”), from Old Galician-Portuguese ja, from Latin iam (“already”). Semantically, compare Chavacano ya.

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒa/

já

1. past tense marker; marks that an event has reached completion

   Iou já falâ ― I spoke

   Vôs já uví? ― Have you heard?

   Atútu já vêm di América ― Artur returned from America

   Já têm-ia! ― I've got it!

• Placing já before a verb in the past tense is optional.
• Past tense (or any other tense) may not necessarily be marked using já; verb tense is present by default but may have to be inferred through context, a feature possibly influenced by Cantonese grammar.

já … já

1. sometimes … sometimes

   Já churâ, já rí ― Sometimes laughing, sometimes crying

• https://www.macaneselibrary.org/pub/english/uipatua.htm

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

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈjaː/

já

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

• Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎^[2], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

From Proto-Germanic *ja (“yes”).

já

1. yes

já

1. (informal) yes (as an exclamation of joy or excitement)

• Icelandic: já
• Faroese: ja
• Norwegian Nynorsk: ja
• Norwegian Bokmål: ja
• Old Swedish: iā
  • Swedish: ja
  • → Finnish: jaa
• Danish: ja, jo

• ja (obsolete)
• jah (Internet slang)

From Old Galician-Portuguese ja, from Latin iam (“already”).

• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: já

já (not comparable)

2. (usually preceding verbs in the past tense) already (indicating that something has happened before)

   Já li esse livro.

   I have already read this book.

4. (usually following verbs in the present tense) now (at this instant)

   Synonym: agora

   Consigo fazer isso já.

   I can do this right now.

   Compre já!

   Buy now!

6. (in negative sentences, preceding the adverb não ) any more; any longer

   Synonym: mais

   Eu já não leio mais muitos livros.

   I don’t read many books any more.

8. (usually preceding verbs in the present tense) in a minute; soon

   Synonyms: logo; já, já

   Não me apresse, eu já faço isso.

   Don’t rush me, I will do this in a minute.

10. (preceding noun phrases) on the other hand, however

    Synonyms: por outro lado, no entanto

    Gosto de ler, já a minha mãe não lê nem as notícias.

    I enjoy reading, my mother, on the other hand, doesn’t even read the news.

11. (preceding a verb in the passive participle) ever

    O melhor bolo já feito

    The best cake ever made

In Portuguese, já is said more frequently than the English equivalents. It is sometimes left untranslated altogether.

For quotations using this term, see Citations:já.

• Angolar: dha
• Annobonese: za
• Guinea-Bissau Creole: dja
• Indo-Portuguese: já
• Kabuverdianu: dja
• Korlai Creole Portuguese: ja, ya
• Macanese: já
• Kristang: jah
• Principense: za
• Sãotomense: za