ai

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ai"

Languages (84)

English

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Abau • Akei • Albanian • Amblong • Angal Enen • Apalaí • Aragonese • Araki • Australian Kriol • Catalan • Chungli Ao • Chuukese • Corsican • Dadibi • Dela-Oenale • Dubu • Dutch • Estonian • Finnish • French • Friulian • Galician • Galoli • Gilbertese • Gun • Hawaiian • Hiri Motu • Iban • Indonesian • Ingrian • Italian • Jamaican Creole • Japanese • Kalasha • Kendayan • Kiowa • Kott • Kuna • Ladin • Ladino • Latin • Latvian • Lithuanian • Lombard • Manchu • Mandarin • Māori • Mbya Guarani • Middle English • Morouas • Naga Pidgin • Narango • Norman • North Frisian • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Occitan • Pitjantjatjara • Pohnpeian • Portuguese • Pumpokol • Rapa Nui • Rohingya • Roma • Romanian • Semaq Beri • Seri • Sranan Tongo • Sumbawa • Tày • Tetum • Tok Pisin • Tokelauan • Torres Strait Creole • Venetan • Vietnamese • Volapük • Votic • Welsh • West Makian • Yami • Ye'kwana • Zou

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Page categories

English

An ai (Bradypus tridactylus)

Etymology 1

Originated 1685–95, from Brazilian Portuguese aí, from Old Tupi a'y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑ.i/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

ai (plural ais or ai)

1. A pale-throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus), endemic to forests of southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil.
   • 1920, “Sloth”, in George Edwin Rines, editor, The Encyclopedia Americana‎^[3], volume XXV:

     SLOTH, an edentate mammal of the family Bradypodidæ. (See Edentata). The best known are the unau or two-toed sloth (Cholœpus didactylus) of Brazil and the ai or three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of northern South America. This family is distinguished by the flat short head, and the elongated legs, furnished with powerful compressed and curved claws.

Synonyms

• (Bradypus tridactylus): maned sloth

See also

• unau (Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) or Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni))

References

• “ai”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
• “ai”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.

Further reading

• ai on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Bradypus tridactylus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

Etymology 2

Contraction of aight (which itself is a contraction of all right).

Alternative forms

• aii

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aɪ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ
• Homophones: ay, aye, I, eye

Contraction

ai

1. (slang, US) All right.

   Ai, let's go.

Anagrams

• -ia, IA, i.a.

Abau

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aj/

Noun

ai class II gender mf

1. fish (general term)
2. food, meat for consumption

Usage notes

Generally feminine for sense "fish", potentially masculine for sense "food".

References

• Lock, Arjen (2011), Abau Grammar (Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages)‎^[4], 1st edition, volume 57, Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: SIL-PNG Academic Publications
  • p.62 (feminine gender noted for all fish)
  • p.67, Table 21 (listed under Class 2, Feminine)
• SIL International (2020), “Abau Dictionary”, in Webonary.org‎^[5]

Akei

Noun

ai

1. (Tasiriki) water

References

• Sidney Herbert Ray, A Comparative Study of the Melanesian Island Languages (1926), page 351: Tasiriki ai 'water'
• Tryon, D. T. (1976), New Hebrides languages: An internal classification (Pacific Linguistics; C-50)‎^[6], Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University

Albanian

Alternative forms

• ay — northern Tosk, Korçë
• aĩnê — southern Gheg, Kavajë

Etymology

Continuing a Common Albanian compound *aý ~ *aí, from Proto-Albanian *ahýh ~ *aíh, from a Pre-Proto-Albanian *au̯- ("away, from") + *hýh ~ íh, continuing Proto-Indo-European *h₂au̯ (“away, from”) and Proto-Indo-European *sos (“that”). The second component, from Common Albanian *ý ~ *í, is identical to the Albanian postponed definite article -i, as well as -u, which changed due to contact with final k, g, or a vowel (e.g. djali, burri, qeni, qyteti, also bariu, ariu, barku), and which is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁e (“this, he”).

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): [aˈi], (often, unstressed in the dialects) [aj]
• (southern Gheg, Kavajë) IPA^(key): [aˈĩnɛ̃]

Pronoun

ai m (accusative atë, dative atij, ablative atij)

1. he

Declension

Forms of ai (3rd person masculine singular)

nominative	ai
ablative	atij / tij
	full form	clitic
accusative	atë	e
dative	atij	i
	possessive adjective	possessive pronoun
	i tij	i tiji

See also

Albanian personal pronouns

number	person		nominative	accusative	dative	ablative	accusative	dative
				stressed			clitic
singular
	1st		unë	mua		meje	më
	2nd		ti	ty		teje	të
	3rd	m	ai	atë	atij		e	i
		f	ajo		asaj
plural
	1st		ne		neve	nesh	na
	2nd		ju		juve	jush	ju
	3rd	m	ata		atyre		i	u
		f	ato

Pronoun

ai

1. that

Declension

Declension of ai

	singular		plural
	masculine	feminine	masculine	feminine
nominative	ai	ajo	ata	ato
accusative	atë, të		ata, ta	ato, to
dative/ablative	atij, tij	asaj, saj	atyre, tyre

Related terms

• atje

Amblong

Noun

ai

1. water

Further reading

• Tryon, D. T. (1976), New Hebrides languages: An internal classification (Pacific Linguistics; C-50)‎^[7], Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University

Angal Enen

Noun

ai

1. banana

References

• transnewguinea.org, citing Franklin KJ. 1975. Comments on Proto-Engan. In SA Wurm, Ed. New Guinea Area Languages and Language Study: Papuan languages and the New Guinea linguistic scene. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, pp. 263-275.'

Apalaí

Noun

ai

1. penis

Aragonese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈai̯/
• Rhymes: -ai̯
• Syllabification: ai

Interjection

ai

1. ah!, alas!
2. woe!
3. expresses pain, sorrow, or surprise

Araki

ai

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

ai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
2. river, lake

References

• François, Alexandre. 2008. An online lexicon of Araki (Santo, Vanuatu). Electronic files. Paris: CNRS. (Pdf version) ‒ entry ai.

Australian Kriol

Etymology 1

From English eye.

Noun

ai

1. eye
2. headlight of a car
3. seed

Etymology 2

From English I.

Pronoun

ai

1. I

Etymology 3

From English high.

Adjective

ai

1. high, tall

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈaj]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aj

Interjection

ai

1. ouch (pain), ooh (pain)

Noun

ai m (plural ais)

1. ooh (pain)

Chungli Ao

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a˧.i˧/, [a˧.i˧]

Verb

ai

1. to enter, go in

Inflection

Inflection of ai (Chungli)

		Affirmative	Negative
Past	Simple	ai	mai
	Perfect	iogo	meiogo
Present	Simple	air	mair
	Progressive	idar idagi	meidar meidagi
Future/infinitive		aitsü	maitsü
Imperative		iang	tai
Present participle		ia	meii
Conditional		ira irabang	meira meirabang

Etymology 2

From Proto-Central Naga *a-ʒa(ʔ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a˥.jiʔ˥/, [a˥.jiʔ˥]

Noun

ai

1. grass

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a˥.i˥/, [a˥.i˥]

Verb

ai

1. to sharpen
2. to row (a boat)

Inflection

Inflection of ai (Chungli)

		Affirmative	Negative
Past	Simple	ai	mai
	Perfect	iogo	meiogo
Present	Simple	air	mair
	Progressive	idar idagi	meidar meidagi
Future/infinitive		aitsü	maitsü
Imperative		iang	tai
Present participle		ia	meii
Conditional		ira irabang	meira meirabang

Further reading

• Bruhn, Daniel Wayne (2014), A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Central Naga‎^[8], Berkeley: University of California, pages 61, 181
• Gowda, K. S. Gurubasave (1985), Ao-English-Hindi Dictionary, Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages, page 9
• Clark, Mary M. (1893), Ao Naga grammar with illustrative phrases and vocabulary, Molung: Assam Secretariat Printing Office, page 116
• Clark, E. W. (1911), “AEI”, in Ao-Naga dictionary, Dimapur

Chuukese

Determiner

ai

1. First person singular general possessive; my (used with general-class objects)

Related terms

Chuukese possessive determiners

		small objects, concepts	large objects, living things	suffix
singular	first person	ai	nei	-ei
	second person	omw, om	noum	-om
	third person	an	noun	-an
plural	first person	äm (exclusive) ach (inclusive)	nöu̇m (exclusive) nöüch (inclusive)	-em (exclusive) -ach (inclusive)
	second person	ämi, ami	noumi	-emi
	third person	ar	nour	-er

Corsican

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaj/
• Hyphenation: ai

Verb

ai

1. second-person singular indicative present of avè

References

• “avè” in Aiaccinu: Cunghjugatori corsu

Dadibi

Noun

ạị

1. water

Synonyms

• wẹ

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
• Karl James Franklin, Pacific Linguistics (1973, →ISBN, page 130 (see we)

Dela-Oenale

Noun

ai

1. fire

References

• Tamelan, Thersia (2021), A grammar of Dela: an Austronesian language of Rote, eastern Indonesia (PhD thesis)‎^[9], page 471

Dubu

Noun

ai

1. water

Further reading

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1975), Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, →DOI, page 114

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑi̯/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ai

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch ai, ultimately of imitative origin.

Alternative forms

• aai (obsolete)

Interjection

ai

1. expression of pain, grief or pity: ay

References

• van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “ai¹”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

Etymology 2

Bradypus tridactylus

Borrowed from Portuguese ai, from Old Tupi ai.

Alternative forms

• aï, aai (obsolete)

Noun

ai m (plural ais, no diminutive)

1. pale-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus)

   Synonyms: drievingerige luiaard, zonluiaard (Suriname)

Further reading

• drievingerige luiaard on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl

Estonian

Interjection

ai

1. ow, ouch

Synonyms

• aia

Finnish

Etymology

Compare Estonian ai, Ingrian ai, Karelian ai, Ludian ai, Veps ai, Votic ai, and Swedish aj, Norwegian aj, Latvian aj. Perhaps natural; tracing an origin is practically impossible.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑ̝i̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi
• Syllabification^(key): ai
• Hyphenation^(key): ai

Interjection

ai

1. ouch!
2. oh!

   Ai, se olitkin sinä!

   Oh, it was you!

3. (colloquial, interrogative particle) oh...? as in...?

   "Käytkö kaupassa?" "Ai, ruokakaupassa?"

   "Will you go to the shop?" "Oh, the food shop?"

Synonyms

• (ouch): aih, au, auts.
• (interrogative): -ko, -kö

Derived terms

• ai niin

Further reading

• “ai”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[10] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

Anagrams

• -ia, ia

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e/, /ɛ/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Brétigny-sur-Orge)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Homophones: et, aie, aies, aient, ait, es, est, hais, hait

Verb

ai

1. first-person singular present indicative of avoir

   J'ai un chien.

   I have a dog.

Anagrams

• IA

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin allium.

Noun

ai m (plural ais)

1. garlic

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese ay (attested since the 13^th century).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈaj]

Interjection

ai

1. ouch! expresses pain
2. ooh! expresses pain
3. oh! expresses concern
   • 1812, Antonio Benito Fandiño, A Casamenteira:

     Ai tontiño, porque iñoras
     o qu’he mantér casa e vida,
     que por ben que estea sortida,
     hai faltas a todas horas.
     O segundo, que teu pai
     pensa com’home de ben,
     e así por vergonza ten
     unha nora que non trai.
     Orasme, sobr’esto hai,
     que a dous parizós que teña,
     non tendes donde vos veña,
     cando ela non colla un mal.

     Oh, silly, because you don't know
     what it is to keep house and life,
     no matter how well stocked it is,
     there's lack at all hours.
     Second, your father
     thinks like a good man,
     and to his shame he has
     a daughter-in-law who doesn't bear.
     However, on this matter,
     with just two childbirths that she has,
     you'll be left resourceless,
     and that if she doesn't get sick.

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “ay”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “ai”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “ai”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “ai”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Galoli

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw.

Noun

ai

1. tree
2. wood

Gilbertese

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *api, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *api, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *apuy, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hapuy, from Proto-Austronesian *Sapuy.

Noun

ai

1. fire

References

• Bingham, Hiram; Sabatier, Father Ernest with Luomala, Goo, and Banner (1978–), “ai”, in Trussel, Stephen, Groves, Gordon W., compilers, A Combined Kiribati–English Online Dictionary‎^[11]

Gun

Alternative forms

• ayí (Benin)

Etymology

From Proto-Gbe *a-yĩ́ (“earth”). Cognates include Fon ayǐ, Saxwe Gbe nyixɔ́, Aja (West Africa) anyi. Perhaps related to Yoruba ayé

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ā.jí/

Noun

aí (plural aí lẹ́) (Nigeria)

1. ground

Derived terms

• aígbà (“land”)
• jàí (“to fall”)
• whèjàí (“evening”)

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *qai, from Proto-Central Pacific *qai, from Proto-Oceanic *qait (“to copulate”). Cognates include Māori ai and Tahitian ai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈai̯/, [ˈɐj], (rapid speech) [ˈɛj]

Verb

ai

1. to have sexual intercourse; to copulate

Hiri Motu

Pronoun

ai

1. 1st-person plural pronoun exclusive: we, us (but not you)

See also

Hiri Motu personal pronouns

			singular	plural
1st person			lau	ai (exclusive) ita (inclusive)
2nd person			oi	umui
3rd person			ia	idia

Iban

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aiʔ/, /aɛʔ/

Noun

ai

1. water

Further reading

• Adelaar, K. A. (1992), Proto-Malayic: The reconstruction of its phonology and parts of its lexicon and morphology‎^[12], Canberra: The Australian National University
• Asmah Haji Omar (1977), “The Iban Language”, in The Sarawak Museum Journal, volume XXV, number 46, pages 81-100
• Smith, A. (2017), The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Indonesian

Etymology

Inherited from Malay ai.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈai̯/ [ˈai̯]
• Rhymes: -ai̯
• Syllabification: ai

Particle

ai

1. (dialectal) exclamation to express surprise and so on

Further reading

• “ai”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Ingrian

Etymology

Ultimately a natural sound. Compare Finnish ai and Estonian ai.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯
• Hyphenation: ai

Interjection

ai

1. Exclamation of pain or frustration: ouch! oh!

   ai voi ― oh-oh

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 5

Italian

Alternative forms

• a' (truncation)
• hai (hypercorreted, misspelled, proscribed)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaj/
• Homophone: hai
• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: ài

Contraction

ai

1. contraction of a i; to the, at the

Anagrams

• -ia, IA

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *kewk-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *kówkos

Proto-Germanic *hauhaz

Proto-West Germanic *hauh

Old English hēah

Middle English heigh

English high

Jamaican Creole ai

Inherited from English high.

Adjective

ai (comparative aya)

1. high

Further reading

• “A Learner’s Grammar of Jamaican”, in Open Grammar Project‎^[13], 2015, Glossary‎^[14]

Japanese

Romanization

ai

1. Rōmaji transcription of あい
2. Rōmaji transcription of アイ

Kalasha

Pronoun

ai

1. alternative spelling of ábi (sense 1)

Kendayan

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *air, Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aiʔ/

Noun

ai

1. water

Further reading

• Smith, A. (2017), The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Kiowa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aj/

Letter

ai (upper case Ai)

1. A letter of the Kiowa alphabet.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ai ai, Au au, Aui aui, B̶ b̶, B b, D̶ d̶, D d, E e, G̶ g̶, G g, H h, I i, K k, Kʼ kʼ, L l, M m, N n, 𝽎, O o, Oi oi, P p, Pʼ pʼ, S s, T t, Tʼ tʼ, Ts ts, Tsʼ tsʼ, U u, Ui ui, W w, Y y, Z z, ꞉

Kott

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Yeniseian *adʸə (“I, me”). Cognate with Ket ат (ā·t), Yug ат (ā·t).

Attested by G. F. Müller as aj (18^th century).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aʝ]

Pronoun

ai (ay) (possessive aiŋ (ayiŋ))

1. I, me (first person singular pronoun)

Derived terms

• ajoŋ (ayoŋ, “we, us”)

References

• Vajda, E. J., & Werner, H. K. (2022). Comparative-Historical Yeniseian Dictionary. Volume I (a–pʰ). LINCOM GmbH. (pp. 8–9)
• Werner, H. K. (2002). Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der Jenissej-Sprachen. Band 1: A–K. Harrassowitz Verlag. (pp. 72, 73)
• Werner, H. K. (2003). M. A. Castrén und die Jenissejistik: Die Jenissej-Sprachen des 19. Jahrhunderts. Harrassowitz Verlag. (p. 135)
• Werner, H. K. (2005). Die Jenissej-Sprachen des 18. Jahrhunderts. Harrassowitz Verlag. (p. 106)

Kuna

Noun

ai

1. friend

Ladin

Etymology

a +‎ i

Contraction

ai

1. at or to the (+ plural noun)

Ladino

Adverb

ai (Hebrew spelling אאי)

1. alternative form of aí

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈa.ɪ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.i]

Verb

aï

1. second-person singular present active imperative of aiō
   • c. 270 BCE – c. 201 BCE, Gnaeus Naevius, Fragments Palliatae.125:

     An nā́ta est spṓnsa praégnās? Vél aï vél negā!

     Was the fiancée born pregnant? Answer “yes” or “no”!

Usage notes

• Not longer in common use in Classical Latin, being only attested once, in a quotation in a grammatical treatise.

Further reading

• “ai”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ai”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[15], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • do you think so? are you in earnest: ain tu?
    

Latvian

Interjection

ai

1. ouch!
2. oh!

Lithuanian

Etymology

Compare Russian ой (oj, “ow!”).

Pronunciation

ái: IPA^(key): /a͡ɪ/

aĩ: IPA^(key): /ɐ͡ɪ/

Interjection

ái! or ai̇̃!

1. ow!, ah!, (expresses pain, fear or surprise)
2. oi!, hey! (used to attract someone's attention)

Synonyms

• oi!, ui!
• oi!, a!

Derived terms

words derived from "ai"

• aičioti
• aikčioti
• aiksėti
• aiktelėti
• aiman
• aimana
• aimanuoti
• ajai
• ajajai
• aje

Lombard

Noun

ai

1. alternative form of aj (“garlic”)

Manchu

Romanization

ai

1. romanization of ᠠᡳ

Mandarin

Romanization

ai

1. nonstandard spelling of āi
2. nonstandard spelling of ái
3. nonstandard spelling of ǎi
4. nonstandard spelling of ài

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Māori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *qai, from Proto-Central Pacific *qai, from Proto-Oceanic *qait (“to copulate”). Cognates include Hawaiian ai and Tahitian ai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈai/ [ˈɐi]

Particle

ai

1. Marks an event as habitual

   Haere ai au ki te whare karakia i ia Rātapu.

   I go to church every Sunday.

Interjection

ai

1. yikes, gosh

Verb

ai (passive aitia)

1. to copulate

   Synonyms: mahimahi, onioni

Derived terms

• ainga (“sex”)
• aitanga (“progeny”)

Further reading

• John C. Moorfield (2011), “ai”, in Te Aka: Māori–English, English–Māori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, →ISBN
• Ross Clark and Simon J. Greenhill, editors (2011), “QAI.2”, in “POLLEX-Online: The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online”, in Oceanic Linguistics, volume 50, number 2, pages 551–9

Mbya Guarani

Adjective

ai

1. (to be) bitter

Conjugation

Possessed forms of ai

singular			plural
1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person inclusive	1st person exclusive	2nd person	3rd person
xerai	nderai	hai	nhanderai	orerai	penderai	hai

Noun

ai

1. wound, injury

Middle English

Pronoun

ai

1. alternative form of þei (“they”)

Determiner

ai

1. alternative form of ei (“any”)

Morouas

Noun

ai

1. water

References

• Tryon, D. T. (1976), New Hebrides languages: An internal classification (Pacific Linguistics; C-50)‎^[16], Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University

Naga Pidgin

Etymology

Inherited from Assamese আই (ai).

Noun

ai

1. mother, mom

Narango

Noun

ai

1. (Narango) water

   Synonym: (Nambel) a

References

• Tryon, D. T. (1976), New Hebrides languages: An internal classification (Pacific Linguistics; C-50)‎^[17], Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University

Norman

Verb

ai

1. (Guernsey) first-person singular present indicative of aver

North Frisian

Etymology 1

From Old Norse eigi.

Alternative forms

• ei (Föhr-Amrum)
• ek (Sylt)

Adverb

ai

1. (Mooring) not

Etymology 2

From Old Frisian *ai, *ei, from Proto-West Germanic *aij, from Proto-Germanic *ajją (“egg”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ōwyóm (“egg”).

Noun

ai

1. (Föhr-Amrum) egg

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Probably of onomatopoeic origin.

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk ai, Danish aj, Swedish aj (“ouch, oh”), German ei (“whoa, hey”), French aïe (“ouch”) and Latin ei (“alas, ah”). The exact historical relationships between these similar interjections are uncertain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ai̯/, [ai̯]
• Rhymes: -ai̯
• Hyphenation: ai

Interjection

ai

1. oh, wow, ah; an exclamation, often repeated, expressing surprise, alarm, admiration, delight, satisfaction or a similar feeling

   Ai, ai, nå går det galt! ― Oh, oh, this is going wrong!

   Ai, ai, ai, for en god vin! ― Wow, what a good wine!

   • 1900, Vilhelm Krag, Isaac Seehuusen, page 6:

     da han naaede frem –! Aj! han greb knægten i nakken og løftede ham

     when he reached him —! Oh! he grabbed the boy by the neck and lifted him

   • 1908, Knut Hamsun, Rosa, page 179:

     der kommer en kvindeskikkelse … og Munken Vendt roper to gange i træk Aj! til hende

     a female figure appears … and Munken Vendt cries “Oh!” twice in succession to her

   • 2012, Eivind Buene, Allsang:

     ai, for en glede det skal bli å høre deg som den hellige Magdalena!

     oh, what a joy it will be to hear you as Saint Mary Magdalene!

   ai ai — oh, wow; an emphatic repeated form of the interjection

   • 1867, Henrik Ibsen, Peer Gynt, Act IV:

     Aj-aj! Kan du høre, jeg sproget kender?

     Oh-oh! Can you hear that I know the language?

   • 1941, Arthur Omre, Det hender iblandt –, page 23:

     det [var] en pike ved pianoet dernede. Ai, ai

     there [was] a girl at the piano down there. Oh, oh.

Usage notes

• Older literary sources also use the spelling aj, as seen in quotations from Krag and Ibsen, but current Bokmålsordboka lists only ai as the standard spelling.

See also

• ei (“oh, ah; expression of surprise”)

References

• “ai” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “ai” in Norwegian Academy Dictionary (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Interjection

ai

1. used to express surprise

References

• “ai” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Occitan

Verb

ai

1. first-person singular present indicative of aver

Pitjantjatjara

Interjection

ai

1. huh
2. geez
3. what
4. hey

References

• "ai" in Cliff Goddard (1992), Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara to English Dictionary, 2nd edition
• Ninti Ngapartji

Pohnpeian

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɐj/
• Rhymes: -ɐj

Interjection

ai

1. no way! (clarification of this definition is needed (Does this express rejection? Astonishment? Disbelief?))

References

• “ai”, in New Pohnpeian-English Online Dictionary‎^[18], Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi

Portuguese

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈaj/ [ˈaɪ̯]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈaj/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: ai

Interjection

ai

1. ouch (expression of physical pain)

   Ai! Pisei um prego! ― Ouch! I stepped on a nail!

2. oh (expression of concern)

   Ai, se eu te pego! ― Oh, if I catch you!

Derived terms

• ai ai
• ai de mim
• ai de você
• ai meu deus
• ai, meu canário

Further reading

• “ai”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “ai”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Pumpokol

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Yeniseian *ej (“tongue”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aj/

Noun

ai (plural unknown)

1. tongue

Further reading

• Портфель Миллера in Russian state archives, foilo 199.
• Werner, Heinrich K. (2005), Die Jenissej-Sprachen des 18. Jahrhunderts (in German), Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz KG, →ISBN, page 179

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *hai. Cognates include Tongan hai and Māori wai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.i/
• Hyphenation: a‧i

Pronoun

ai

1. who?

References

• Paulus Kieviet (2017), A grammar of Rapa Nui‎^[19], Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, page 404

Rohingya

Verb

ai

1. come

Roma

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈai/

Noun

ai

1. tree
2. fire

References

• Mark Taber, Toward a Better Understanding of the Indigenous Languages of Southwestern Maluku, in Oceanic Linguistics, vol. 32, no. 2 (Winter, 1993)

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aj/
• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: ai

Etymology 1

Article

ai (masculine plural possessive)

1. of

   Niște prieteni ai lui sunt interesanți.

   Some friends of his are interesting.

See also

• al (masculine/neuter singular)
• a (feminine singular)
• ale (feminine/neuter plural)

Etymology 2

From Latin allium / alium.

Noun

ai m (uncountable)

1. (regional) garlic

   Synonym: usturoi

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	ai	aiul
genitive-dative	ai	aiului
vocative	aiule

Derived terms

• aior
• mujdei

See also

• ceapă

Etymology 3

Inflected form of avea (“to have”).

Verb

ai

1. second-person singular present indicative of avea

   (you) have

   Ai vreun prieten în România?

   Do you have any friends in Romania?

2. inflection of avea:
   1. second-person singular present subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

Etymology 4

From an old or proto-Romanian form ae, from Latin habēs.

Verb

ai

1. (tu) ai (modal auxiliary, second-person singular form of avea, used with past participles to form perfect compus tenses)

   (you) have...

Related terms

• am
• a
• ați
• au

Etymology 5

Probably from a Vulgar Latin *eas, from Latin habēbās.

Verb

(tu) ai (modal auxiliary, second-person singular form of avea, used with infinitives to form conditional tenses)

1. (you) would

   Ai fi murit dacă ți-aș fi spus.

   You would have died if I'd told you.

Related terms

• am
• ați
• ar
• aș

Semaq Beri

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔay/

Noun

ai

1. meat

References

• Lim Chan-Ing, The Sociocultural Significance of Semaq Beri Food Classification (2010), page 85
• Nicole Kruspe, Asifa Majid, The linguistics of odour in Semaq Beri and Semelai, two Austroasiatic languages of the Malay Peninsula, in Studies in Language (International Journal sponsored by the Foundation “Foundations of Language”), volume 47, issue 3, July 2023, p. 599 - 642

Seri

Etymology 1

Noun

ai (plural aaita)

1. his father

Declension

Declension of ai

	singular	plural
absolutive	hapee	—
1st person	hii	—
2nd person	—	—
3rd person	ai	aaita

Derived terms

• queaa (“to have as father”)

Etymology 2

Adverb

ai

1. (rare) still (used with nominalized third person verbs)

References

• Moser, Mary B.; Marlett, Stephen A. (2010), Comcaac quih yaza quih hant ihiip hac: cmiique iitom - cocsar iitom - maricaana iitom [Seri-Spanish-English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Hermosillo: Plaza y Valdés Editores, →ISBN, page 43.

Sranan Tongo

Picture dictionary

ai

dede-ede

edetonton

ai

noso

mofo

kakumbe

yesi

neki

mofobuba

Click on labels in the image

---

skin

Alternative forms

• ay (unofficial)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ai̯/, [a̠i̯], [ɑ̟i̯]

Etymology 1

From English eye.

Noun

ai

1. eye

Etymology 2

From English aye, ay.

Interjection

ai

1. yes

References

• Wilner, John, editor (2003-2007), “ai”, in Languages of Suriname, 5th edition, SIL International, Sranan-English Dictionary

Sumbawa

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (“fresh water; steam, river”).

Noun

ai

1. water

References

• ABVD
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*wahiR”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Tày

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA^(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
• (Trùng Khánh) IPA^(key): [ʔaːj˦˥]

Etymology 1

Noun

ai

1. synonym of cò niêng

Derived terms

• có ai

Etymology 2

Verb

ai (Nôm form 埃)

1. to lean on

Etymology 3

Noun

ai

1. blow (of wind); steam;
2. breath

   lẹo ai ― out of breath

3. smell; odor

   đâm ai ― to smell

   ai nắc ― strong smell

   ai hom ― pleasant smell

   ai mên ― rancid smell

   lẹo ai ― odorless

References

• Lương Bèn (2011), Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎^[20][21] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
• Dương Nhật Thanh; Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003), Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎^[22] (in Tày and Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học xã hội [Social Sciences Publishing House]
• Léopold Michel Cadière (1910), Dictionnaire Tày-Annamite-Français [Tày-Vietnamese-French Dictionary]‎^[23] (in French), Hanoi: Impressions d'Extrême-Orient

Tetum

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, compare Tagalog kahoy.

Noun

ai

1. tree
2. wood

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English eye. Cognate with Bislama and Pijin ae.

Noun

ai

1. (anatomy) eye
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:5:

     Sapos yutupela i kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai, bai ai bilong yutupela i op na yutupela i kisim save long wanem samting i gutpela, na wanem samting i nogut, na bai yutupela i kamap wankain olsem God. God i save long dispela, olsem na em i tambuim yutupela long kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai.”

     →New International Version translation

2. hole, opening, lid
3. tip

Derived terms

• ai i pas

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, pages 1-2

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈa.i]
• Hyphenation: a‧i

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *hai. Cognates include Hawaiian ai and Samoan ai.

Pronoun

ai

1. who?

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *ai. Cognates include Hawaiian ai and Samoan ai.

Particle

ai

1. Anaphoric particle used to refer to an adverbial clause; there, then

Derived terms

• aiheā

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[24], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 1

Torres Strait Creole

Etymology 1

From English I.

Pronoun

ai

1. I (see also mi)

Etymology 2

From English eye.

Noun

ai

1. eye

Venetan

Noun

ai

1. plural of aio

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʔaːj˧˧]

• Audio (Saigon):

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Vietic *ʔeː (“who”). Cognate with Tho [Cuối Chăm] ʔeː¹.

Pronoun

ai • (埃)

1. who

   Ai hỏi?

   Who asked?

   Ai (mà) biết.

   Who knows? / How should I know?

2. whoever, anyone

   Ai cũng được. ― Anyone is fine.

3. someone, someone else
4. one, a person
   • 2005, Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, “Cuối mùa nhan sắc”, in Cánh đồng bất tận, NXB Trẻ:

     Người ở chùa, người bán vé số, người ngủ công viên, người hát rong, ít ai có nhà để về.

     Some live at the temple, some sell lottery tickets, some sleep in parks, some play music in the streets; few have a home to go back to.

5. (rhetorical) nobody

Usage notes

• The interrogative pronoun ai is used for a person. When ai functions as the subject of the question, it is placed at the beginning of the question.

Ai có ô tô? ― Who has a car?

• When functioning as the predicate, it can either follow or predate the linking verb là.

Hải là ai? ― Who is Hải?

Ai là Hải? ― Who is Hải?

• When functioning as the object, it is placed after the verb.

Nga vẽ ai? ― Whom is Nga drawing?

Derived terms

• ai ai
• ai biểu
• ai dè
• ai đó
• ai đời
• ai nấy

Etymology 2

Romanization

ai

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 哀

Derived terms

• Ai Lao
• ai oán
• bi ai

Etymology 3

Romanization

ai

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 埃

Derived terms

• trần ai

Volapük

Adverb

ai

1. always
2. at all times
3. constantly (habitually)
4. ever (always)
5. habitually

Antonyms

• neai

Derived terms

• ai laidio (forever)

Votic

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Compare Finnish ai and Russian ай (aj).

Pronunciation

• (Luutsa, Liivčülä) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• (Jõgõperä) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• (Central Votic) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• (Eastern Votic) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯/, [ˈɑi̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯
• Hyphenation: ai

Interjection

ai

1. oh
2. ouch, ow

References

• Hallap, V.; Adler, E.; Grünberg, S.; Leppik, M. (2012), “ai”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language]‎^[25], 2nd edition, Tallinn

Welsh

Etymology

May derive from a (interrogative particle) +‎ yw (“is, are”) or from or via the synonymous ae.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ai̯/
• Rhymes: -ai̯
• Homophones: a'i, â'i, a'u, â'u

Particle

ai (literary)

1. interrogative particle (used when a non-verbal element is fronted for emphasis)

   Synonym: ife

   Ai ef yw dy dad?

   Is he your father?

2. whether, if (used when the subordinate clause has a non-verbal element fronted for emphasis)

   Ni wn ai ef yw dy dad.

   I do not know whether he is your father.

Usage notes

• Used before a non-verbal element fronted for emphasis. Unemphatic initial verbs, on the other hand, employ the interrogative particle a.
• This word is found in formal language. As an initial interrogative particle, it is often dropped altogether in colloquial language or replaced with ife in some southern dialects.
• Likewise, with the meaning "whether", this may be dropped colloquially. An alternative construction influenced by English is to replaced the ai with os (“if”) followed by the appropriate dialect-specific indicating an emphatic subordinate clause, namely taw in south Wales and mai or na in the north.

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “ai”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.i/

Verb

ai

1. (intransitive) to come back, return
2. (intransitive) to depart

   naai sito? ― where did you depart from?

Conjugation

Conjugation of ai (action verb)

		singular	plural
			inclusive	exclusive
1st person		taai	maai	aai
2nd person		naai	faai
3rd person	inanimate	iai	daai
	animate
imperative		naai, ai	faai, ai

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[26], Pacific linguistics (as ay)

Yami

Noun

ai

1. (anatomy) foot

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	ai
Brazilian standard	ai
New Tribes	ai

Etymology

From Proto-Cariban [Term?]. Compare Apalaí ae, Hixkaryana yaye, Macushi yapai, and Waiwai yay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aj]

Postposition

ai

1. through, by; indicates motion by way of a non-aquatic object of class 1

Usage notes

A possessed noun that is the object of this postposition does not take the possessed suffix -dü. The postposition can thus combine with nouns referring to body parts and parts of objects to form more complex postpositions/relational nouns.

See also

Ye'kwana primitive postpositions

	generic location	specific location or goal	pathway
object class 1	awö	aka	ai
object class 2	tawö	taka	tai
aquatic object	kwawö	kwaka	kwai

References

• Cáceres, Natalia (2011), Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana‎^[27], Lyon, pages 267–272

Zou

Ai khat.

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔaay. Cognate with Mizo ǎi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʔʌ́i̯]
• Hyphenation: ai

Noun

ái

1. crab

References

• Philip Thangliènmâng (2010), Minimal dictionary and Self-tutor Functional Grammar in Zo-English-Hindi, New Delhi: Zoculsin, →ISBN, page 35
• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013), A Descriptive Grammar of Zou (PhD thesis), Canchipur: Manipur University, page 40