ma

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ma"

Languages (130)

English

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Acehnese • Achang • Afar • Afrikaans • Ajië • Akan • Akkadian • Alemannic German • Anaang • Anguthimri • 'Are'are • Aromanian • Asturian • Bambara • Bavarian • Breton • Cameroon Pidgin • Caolan • Catalan • Chamorro • Champenois • Chungli Ao • Cimbrian • Coatepec Nahuatl • Cornish • Dama (Sierra Leone) • Dorze • Dutch • Efik • Estonian • Finnish • Franco-Provençal • French • Friulian • German • Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai • Hawaiian • Hungarian • Ido • Interlingua • Isoko • Istriot • Italian • Japanese • Jarawa • Kabyle • Kavalan • Keoru-Ahia • Kikuyu • Ladino • Lala (South Africa) • Lhao Vo • Ligurian • Limassa • Linngithigh • Livonian • Lower Sorbian • Maltese • Mandarin • Maonan • Maricopa • Mbya Guarani • Mefele • Michif • Middle English • Mursi • Nauo • Neapolitan • Nefamese • Ngarla • Nigerian Pidgin • North Frisian • Northern Ndebele • Old Czech • Old English • Old French • Old Frisian • Old Irish • Omaha-Ponca • Opao • Orokolo • Palula • Pipil • Pitjantjatjara • Pohnpeian • Polish • Portuguese • Romani • Romanian • Salar • Samoan • Savi • Scots • Scottish Gaelic • Serbo-Croatian • Sharwa • Situ • Slovak • Spanish • Sumerian • Suri • Swazi • Tagalog • Tahitian • Tairuma • Tat • Tày • Teanu • Ternate • Toaripi • Tokelauan • Tsuvan • Tz'utujil • Ventureño • Veps • Vietnamese • Vilamovian • Vilela • Warao • West Makian • Wolaytta • Wolof • Wutunhua • Xhosa • Yola • Zazaki • Zhuang • Zou • Zulu

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Page categories

English

Etymology 1

Noun

ma (plural mas)

1. (astronomy, usually in the plural) Abbreviation of milli-arcsecond.

Etymology 2

The sound, which parents interpret as a reference to themselves, is very commonly made by infants. For more on the linguistic process whereby infants' monosyllables are tied to ancient word roots for parents, see mama, papa, mātēr, and patēr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑː/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː

Noun

ma (plural mas)

1. (colloquial, and in direct address) mother, mama

   Coordinate term: pa

   • 2011, Philip Reeve, Scrivener's Moon, Scholastic, →ISBN, page 48:

     Once the silky gent who ran a barge called the Knuckle Sandwich tried to persuade Borglum's ma and da to sell him their little dwarfish boy for twelve gold coins.

2. (colloquial) The landlady of a theater.
   • 1949, Shaw Desmond, The Edwardian Story, page 322:

     […] that dear little man writing in the guestbook of the "Ma" or theatrical landlady […]

Usage notes

• Often capitalized when used to refer to a specific person.

  Hey, Ma, I’d like you to meet my friend Jamie.

Synonyms

terms synonymous with "ma"

• mama
• mamma
• mater
• maw
• mom (US)
• mommy (US)
• mother
• mum (UK)
• mummy (UK)

Derived terms

• godma
• ma-in-law
• stepma

Translations

colloquial form of mother

• Finnish: äiskä (fi), äiti (fi)
• French: maman (fr) f
• Georgian: დე (de)
• German: Mamma (de) f, Mutter (de) f
• Hindi: मा (hi) f (mā)
• Italian: mamma (it) f
• Macedonian: мама f (mama)
• Persian: مامان (fa)
• Polish: mamuś (pl) f
• Portuguese: mamãe (pt) f, mamã (pt)
• Russian: ма́ма (ru) f (máma)
• Spanish: mamá (es) f
• Tamil: மா (ta) (mā)
• Ukrainian: ма́ма (uk) f (máma)

References

• (landlady of a theater): 1984, Jonathon Green, Newspeak.

See also

• pa

Etymology 3

Abbreviation.

Noun

ma

1. May.

Usage notes

• Usually capitalised as Ma.

Etymology 4

From my.

Determiner

ma

1. (dialectal, informal) Alternative spelling of my.

Etymology 5

From Cantonese 嘛 (maa³, “of course!”).

Particle

ma

1. (Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of mah.

Etymology 6

From Mandarin 嗎／吗 (ma).

Particle

ma

1. (Chinese Malaysian and Singaporean) Alternative spelling of mah.

Etymology 7

Borrowed from Japanese 間.

Noun

ma (uncountable)

1. (art) Negative space in Japanese art.

Anagrams

• A&M, A. M., am, A. & M., AM, 'am, Am., Am, a.m., a. m., A.M.

Acehnese

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

ma

1. mother

References

• 2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.

Achang

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ma (negative particle).

Pronunciation

• (Myanmar) /ma˧/
• (Lianghe) [n³¹]
• (Longchuan) [ma³¹]
• (Luxi) [m³¹]
• (Xiandao) [m³¹]

Particle

ma

1. Placed before a verb to negate it: not
   • 2010, “Psalm 115:6”, in Ngochang Common Language Bible‎^[1], Yangon: Bible Society of Myanmar:

     No dap laus eq ma xauhgyo, nho dap laus eq ma yoh nam.

     [The idols have] ears stuck [to them] but do not hear; [the idols have] noses stuck [to them] but cannot smell.

Further reading

• Inglis, Douglas; Sampu, Nasaw; Jaseng, Wilai; Jana, Thocha (2005), A preliminary Ngochang–Kachin–English Lexicon‎^[2], Payap University, page 77

Afar

Alternative forms

• máa

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *ma, *mi-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma/ [ˈmʌ]
• Hyphenation: ma

Determiner

má (bound form maa-)

1. what? what kind of?

Derived terms

• malqó

Related terms

• macá (“what?”)

References

• E. M. Parker; R. J. Hayward (1985), “ma”, in An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN

Afrikaans

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

ma (plural ma's)

1. mom, mother

Synonyms

• mamma
• moeder

Antonyms

• pa

Derived terms

• ouma

Ajië

Conjunction

ma

1. and

References

• Leenhardt, M. (1935), Vocabulaire et grammaire de la langue Houaïlou, Paris: Institut d'ethnologie. Cited in: "Houaïlou" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.
• Leenhardt, M. (1946), Langues et dialectes de l'Austro-Mèlanèsie. Cited in: "Ajiø" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.

Akan

Etymology

Possible cognates include Ga hã (“give”).

Pronunciation

• (Asante) IPA^(key): /mã̀/

Verb

ma (transitive past maa, intransitive past maeɛ, negative mma, future bɛma, progressive rema, prospective rebɛma, perfect ama) (Twi, Fante)

1. to give

   Maame no maa abofra no edziban. ― The woman gave the child food (Fante).

2. to impart, provide

   Synonym: de ma

3. to donate
4. to endow
5. (auxiliary, transitive) Used to introduce a third person imperative verb construction.
6. (auxiliary, Fante) Used to introduce the negative imperative

Usage notes

Often translated in English as the dative prepositions for and to, typically used in the consecutive form.

Derived terms

• ma aduro
• ma afotuo
• ma ahodwiri (“to flabbergast”)
• ma ahokeka (“to titillate”)
• ma ahosɛpɛ
• ma akwaaba (“to welcome”)
• ma akwankyerɛ (“to lead”)
• ma anikum (“to induce sleep, act as a soporific”)
• ma di fɔ (“to incriminate”)
• ma kwan (“to allow”)
• ma nna mu ahosɛpɛ
• ma sika (“to fund”)
• ma ɛsa
• ma ɛsi (“to prompt”)
• ma ɛso te
• ma ɛyɛ akɔnnɔ
• ma ɛyɛ ketewa

References

• LearnAkan (2018–present), “give”, in LearnAkanDictionary.com (overall work in English)
• LearnAkan (2018–present), “impart”, in LearnAkanDictionary.com (overall work in English)

Akkadian

Etymology

Unknown. Compare Ge'ez -መ (-mma) (emphatic enclitic).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Particle

ma

1. (enclitic) and, but
2. (enclitic) used to stress single words, especially the predicate of nominal clauses

   𒌓𒈠𒈠 [ūmamma] ― u₄-ma-ma ― this very day

Alternative forms

• me, mu

Cuneiform spellings

Phonetic
𒈠 (ma)

References

• Black, Jeremy; George, Andrew; Postgate, Nicholas (2000), “-ma”, in A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian, 2nd corrected edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, via the electronic Babylonian Library

Alemannic German

Alternative forms

• mà, Maa, Mann, Mànn, mo

Etymology

From Middle High German man, from Old High German man, from Proto-Germanic *mann-.

Noun

ma m (Gressoney, Issime)

1. man
2. husband

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Anaang

Verb

má

1. to love

Further reading

• Cristiane Benjamin Santos, Aspectos morfossintáticos dos pronomes pessoais em Anaan (2007)
• Bruce Connell, Lower Cross Wordlist

Anguthimri

Noun

ma

1. (Mpakwithi) man

Verb

ma

1. (transitive, Mpakwithi) to hear
2. (transitive, Mpakwithi) to listen

References

• Terry Crowley, The Mpakwithi dialect of Anguthimri (1981), page 187

'Are'are

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/
• Hyphenation: ma

Conjunction

ma

1. and

References

• Naitoro, Kateřina (2013) A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (Thesis)‎^[3], Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury, archived from the original on 2017-11-28

Aromanian

Etymology 1

From Latin magis. Compare Romanian mai.

Adverb

ma

1. more

Etymology 2

From Italian ma.

Conjunction

ma

1. but, yet
2. if

Asturian

Alternative forms

• mama, mamá

Etymology

See madre

Noun

ma f (plural mas)

1. mother

   Synonym: madre

Bambara

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [màꜜà]

Noun

ma

1. sea cow

Etymology 2

Verb

ma (auxiliary)

1. (verbal auxiliary) marks an action which is not accomplished

   A ma na fɔlɔ

   He has not come yet

   Sirajɛ ma taa dɔgɔ la

   Siraje did not go to the market

References

• 2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.

Bavarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɐ/

Etymology 1

Unstressed form of mia

Pronoun

ma

1. me (dative)
2. we

   Wenn ma an Fisch gern essadn, kaffad ma'n. ― If we like to eat the fish, we would buy it.

See also

Bavarian personal pronouns

		nominative		accusative		dative
		stressed	unstressed	stressed	unstressed	stressed	unstressed
1st person singular		i	—	mi	—	mia (mir)	ma
2nd person singular	informal	du	—	di	—	dia (dir)	da
	formal	Sie	—	Eahna	—	Eahna	—
3rd person singular	m	er	a	eahm	'n	eahm	'n
	n	es, des	's	des	's
	f	se, de	's	se	's	ihr	—
1st person plural		mia (mir)	ma	uns	—	uns	—
2nd person plural		eß, ihr	—	enk, eich	—	enk, eich	—
3rd person plural		se	's	eahna	—	eahna	—

Etymology 2

From Middle High German man, from Old High German man, from Proto-West Germanic *mann, from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“person”). Compare German man and Dutch men.

Pronoun

ma

1. one, you (indefinite pronoun; construed as a third-person singular)

   Ma waß nia, wås an erwoat. ― You never know what to expect.

2. they, people (people in general)

   Des sågt ma hoid a so. ― That's just the way people say it.

3. they (some unspecified group of people)

Breton

Etymology 1

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

Pronoun

ma

1. my

Etymology 2

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

Interjection

ma

1. good!

Etymology 3

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

Conjunction

ma

1. that
2. if

Synonyms

• mar

Cameroon Pidgin

Determiner

ma

1. alternative spelling of my (“1st person singular possessive determiner”)

Caolan

Noun

ma

1. horse

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [mə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [ma]
• Homophone: mà

Etymology 1

From Vulgar Latin *mam, reduced form of Latin meam.

Determiner

ma

1. feminine singular of mon

Etymology 2

From Arabic مَاء (māʔ, “water”), via Andalusian Arabic.

Noun

ma f (plural mes)

1. water (Valencia, childish)

   Synonym: aigua

Further reading

• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “ma”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Chamorro

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mæ/

Pronoun

ma

1. they

Usage notes

• ma is used solely as a subject of a transitive verb, while siha is used either as a subject of an intransitive verb or an object of a transitive verb.

See also

Chamorro personal pronouns

	singular	plural inclusive	plural exclusive
hu-type pronouns
1st person	hu	ta	in
2nd person	un	en
3rd person	ha	ma
yoʼ-type pronouns
1st person	yo'	hit	ham
2nd person	hao	hamyo
3rd person	gue'	siha
emphatic pronouns
1st person	guahu	hita	hami
2nd person	hagu	hamyo
3rd person	guiya	siha

References

• Donald M. Topping (1973), Chamorro Reference Grammar‎^[4], Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press

Champenois

Alternative forms

• (Langrois) mo

Etymology

Inherited from Old French mes, Latin magis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Conjunction

ma

1. (Troyen, Langrois) but

References

• Daunay, Jean (1998), Parlers de Champagne : Pour un classement thématique du vocabulaire des anciens parlers de Champagne (Aube - Marne - Haute-Marne)‎^[5] (in French), Rumilly-lés-Vaudes
• Baudoin, Alphonse (1885), Glossaire de la forêt de Clairvaux‎^[6] (in French), Troyes

Chungli Ao

Etymology

From Proto-Central Naga *maʔ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ma (negative particle). Doublet of the negative prefix me-.

Interjection

ma

1. (Chungli, Mongsen) Used to express refusal to accept a command or invitation: no!

Further reading

• A. R. Coupe (2007), A grammar of Mongsen Ao, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, →ISBN, pages 405-406
• Bruhn, Daniel Wayne (2014), A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Central Naga‎^[7], Berkeley: University of California, pages 78, 178

Cimbrian

Etymology 1

From Middle High German māne, from Old High German māno, from Proto-West Germanic *mānō, from Proto-Germanic *mēnô (“moon”).

Noun

ma m

1. (Tredici Comuni) moon

Alternative forms

• maano, må

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Etymology 2

An unstressed pronunciation of månn (“man”).

Pronoun

ma

1. (Luserna) one, you (indefinite pronoun)

References

• “ma” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.

Coatepec Nahuatl

Noun

ma

1. hand.

Cornish

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *mɨn, *mow, from Proto-Celtic *mene, genitive form of *mī. Cognate with Breton ma, Irish and Scottish Gaelic mo, Manx my, and Welsh fy.

Pronoun

ma

1. my
2. Reduced form of my

See also

Cornish personal pronouns

number	person		independent (subject)	suffixed			infixed	possessive (dependent)
				enclitic	emphatic	reduced
singular	first		my	vy	evy	ma, a	'm	owA
	second		ty	jy, sy1	tejy	ta, a	'thM	dhaS
	third2	m	ev	ev	eev	va, a	'n	yS
		f	hi	hi	hyhi	—	's	hyA
plural	first		ni	ni	nyni		'gan, 'n	agan, 'gan
	second3		hwi	hwi	hwyhwi		'gas, 's	agas, 'gas
	third		i	i	ynsi		's	agaA, 'gaA

¹ Uncommon.
² hun and ins have been suggested as non-binary 3rd person singular pronouns, though these have not yet officially adopted.
³ Infrequently used as a formal alternative to the singular.

^S Triggers soft mutation ^A Triggers aspirate mutation ^M Triggers mixed mutation

Mutation

Mutation of ma

radical	soft	aspirate	hard	mixed
ma	va	unchanged	unchanged	fa, va*

* after 'th
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Cornish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Dama (Sierra Leone)

Etymology

Related to widespread words for "mother" and related respectful terms for women across West Africa.

Noun

ma

1. mother-in-law

References

• Dalby, T. D. P. (1963), “The extinct language of Dama”, in Sierra Leone Language Review, volume 2, Freetown: Fourah Bay College, pages 50–54

Dorze

Noun

ma

1. bee (insect)

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ma
• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

ma f (plural ma's, diminutive maatje n)

1. (informal) mother

Synonyms

• mama
• moeder

Descendants

• Negerhollands: maa

See also

• oma
• pa

Efik

Verb

má

1. love, like

Further reading

• Bruce Connell, Lower Cross Wordlist

Estonian

Etymology

Abbreviation of mina, from Proto-Finnic *minä, from Proto-Uralic *minä.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑ/

Pronoun

ma (genitive mu, partitive mind, long form mina)

1. I (1st person singular personal pronoun)

Usage notes

• Used unstressed in a sentence; when the pronoun is stressed, mina is used.

Declension

Declension of the Estonian personal pronouns

	singular						plural
	1st person		2nd person		3rd person		1st person		2nd person		3rd person
	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short
nominative	mina	ma	sina	sa	tema	ta	meie	me	teie	te	nemad	nad
genitive1	minu	mu	sinu	su	tema	ta	meie	me	teie	te	nende
partitive	mind		sind		teda		meid		teid		neid
illative	minusse	musse	sinusse	susse	temasse	tasse	–	meisse	–	teisse	nendesse	neisse
inessive	minus	mus	sinus	sus	temas	tas	–	meis	–	teis	nendes	neis
elative	minust	must	sinust	sust	temast	tast	–	meist	–	teist	nendest	neist
allative	minule	mulle	sinule	sulle	temale	talle	–	meile	–	teile	nendele	neile
adessive	minul	mul	sinul	sul	temal	tal	–	meil	–	teil	nendel	neil
ablative	minult	mult	sinult	sult	temalt	talt	–	meilt	–	teilt	nendelt	neilt
translative	minuks	–	sinuks	–	temaks	–	meieks	meiks	teieks	teiks	nendeks	neiks
terminative	minuni	–	sinuni	–	temani	–	meieni	–	teieni	–	nendeni	–
essive	minuna	–	sinuna	–	temana	–	meiena	–	teiena	–	nendena	–
abessive	minuta	–	sinuta	–	temata	–	meieta	–	teieta	–	nendeta	–
comitative	minuga	muga	sinuga	suga	temaga	taga	meiega	–	teiega	–	nendega	–

1) Also used possessively.
Forms in italics are nonstandard.

Further reading

• “ma”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009
• “ma”, in [ÕS] Eesti õigekeelsussõnaraamat ÕS 2018 [Estonian Spelling Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2018, →ISBN
• ma in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑ/, [ˈmɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑ
• Syllabification^(key): ma
• Hyphenation^(key): ma

Etymology 1

Noun

ma

1. abbreviation of maanantai (“Monday”)

Further reading

• “ma”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[8] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

Etymology 2

See minä; developed through contraction. Compare Estonian ma.

Pronoun

ma (poetic, archaic)

1. (personal) I

Declension

Other forms than the nominative generally align with mä.

Synonyms

• minä (standard Finnish; see it for full list)

Franco-Provençal

Determiner

ma

1. feminine singular of mon

French

Etymology

From Old French ma, from Latin meam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

• Audio (France):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Determiner

ma f

1. feminine singular of mon

   Ma mère est venue me voir.

   My mother came to see me.

Usage notes

• The form ma can only be used before feminine singular nouns and adjectives that begin with either a consonant or an aspirated H. The masculine form mon is used before feminine singular nouns and adjectives that begin with either a vowel or a mute H.

Derived terms

• matante

Related terms

French possessive determiners

			possessee
			singular		plural
			m	f
possessor	singular	1st	mon1	ma	mes
		2nd	ton1	ta	tes
		3rd	son1	sa	ses
	plural	1st	notre		nos
		2nd	votre2		vos2
		3rd	leur		leurs

¹ Also used before feminine adjectives and nouns beginning with a vowel or mute h.
² Also used as the polite singular form.
For the singular persons there are gender-neutral neologisms man, tan, san. These are extremely rare.

Descendants

• Louisiana Creole: mâ

Further reading

• “ma”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin magis.

Conjunction

ma

1. but

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/, [mä], [mɐ]

Adverb

ma

1. (colloquial) pronunciation spelling of mal

Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai

Pronoun

ma

1. 2nd-person singular pronoun: you
2. 2nd-person plural pronoun: you
3. 2nd-person singular possessive pronoun: your
4. 2nd-person plural possessive pronoun: your

See also

Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person		nya	nya, nyáji
2nd person		ma	ma, máji
3rd person		nyihá, nyithá	nyihá, nyiháji

Hawaiian

Alternative forms

• ma-

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/, [mə]

Preposition

ma

1. in, at

Hungarian

Etymology

Probably related to más.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -mɒ

Adverb

ma

1. today

   Synonym: (folksy) máma

   Coordinate terms: holnap, tegnap

   • 1975, Imre Kertész, translated by Tim Wilkinson, Sorstalanság, Budapest: Magvető Könyvkiadó (2016), →ISBN, page 5:

     Ma nem mentem iskolába. Azaz mentem, de csak, hogy hazakéredzkedjem az osztályfőnökömtől.

     I didn’t go to school today. Or rather, I did go, but only to ask my class teacher’s permission to take the day off.

2. (attributively, before any time of day) this …… (morning etc.), to-…… (as in “tonight”)

   ma reggel/délelőtt ― this morning

   ma délután ― this afternoon

   ma este ― this evening

   ma éjjel/éjszaka ― tonight

   ma hajnalban, délben, éjfélkor ― at dawn, noon, midnight today

Noun

ma (usually uncountable, plural mák)

2. (usually preceded by the definite article “a”) today (the present time period; nowadays)

Declension

The suffixed singular forms máig, mára, mához, máról, and mától are common, while mát, mának, mával, máért, mában, mánál, mába, and mából occur mostly in a figurative sense, referring to the present time. The phrase a mai nap is commonly used in its literal sense, adding suffixes to nap instead of this term. Its plural forms are virtually non-existent.

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	ma	—
accusative	mát	—
dative	mának	—
instrumental	mával	—
causal-final	máért	—
translative	mává	—
terminative	máig	—
essive-formal	maként	—
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	mában	—
superessive	mán	—
adessive	mánál	—
illative	mába	—
sublative	mára	—
allative	mához	—
elative	mából	—
delative	máról	—
ablative	mától	—
non-attributive possessive – singular	máé	—
non-attributive possessive – plural	máéi	—

Its (single- and multiple-possession) possessive forms are hardly if ever used.

Possessive forms of ma

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	mám	—
2nd person sing.	mád	—
3rd person sing.	mája	—
1st person plural	mánk	—
2nd person plural	mátok	—
3rd person plural	májuk	—

Derived terms

• mai
• most

Expressions

• ártatlan, mint a ma született bárány
• jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok

Related terms

• más

Further reading

• ma in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• ma in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN.  (See also its 2nd edition.)

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from French mais, Italian ma, Portuguese and Spanish mas, all from Latin magis, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Conjunction

ma

1. but

Synonyms

• sed (archaic)

Interlingua

Etymology

From Italian ma.

Conjunction

ma

1. but

Isoko

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Edoid *mhanhɪ.

Pronoun

ma

1. First person plural pronoun, we.

Istriot

Etymology

From Latin magis.

Conjunction

ma

1. but
   • 1877, Antonio Ive, Canti popolari istriani: raccolti a Rovigno, volume 5, Ermanno Loescher, page 68:

     Ma sulo i tuoi bai uoci, anema meîa,

     But only your beautiful eyes, oh soul of mine

Italian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin magis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma/^°, /ˈma/^*
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: mà

Conjunction

ma

1. but, however

   Synonym: però

2. but, on the contrary

   Synonyms: anzi, bensì

3. (informal, emphatic) indicates emotion or emphasis

   Ma che carino! ― Oh how cute!

   Ma che volete da me?! ― What in the heck do you want from me?!

4. (informal) used to direct attention to something else (in question sentences)

   Ma... tu sei di Roma? ― So uhh... you are from Rome?

   Ma ti sei divertito oppure no? ― [That said though] did you have fun or not?

Derived terms

• macché
• mah
• massì

Noun

ma m (invariable)

1. but

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma/^°
• Homophone: mah
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: mà

Interjection

ma

1. alternative spelling of mah

Further reading

• “ma¹”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026
• “ma”, in Sinonimi e Contrari (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2003

Japanese

Romanization

ma

1. The hiragana syllable ま (ma) or the katakana syllable マ (ma) in Hepburn romanization.

Jarawa

Etymology

Cognate to Önge mi (“I; me”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma

1. me; us (singular and plural first-person pronoun in the accusative case)

Usage notes

The pronoun mi can also be used in the accusative case, but it is less common than ma. When used in possessive constructions, the choice of pronoun is largely determined by vowel harmony.

See also

Jarawa pronouns

Person	Default form	Accusative form	Prefixed form
1st	mi	ma	m-
2nd	ŋi	ŋa	ŋ-
	ni	na	n-
	ən		ən-
3rd	hi, əhi	hiwa	h-, hi-, ih-, he-, əh-
	ən (for generic third-person)

References

• Kumar, Pramod (2012) Descriptive and Typological Study of Jarawa^[9] (PhD). Jawaharlal Nehru University. Page 76—85.

Kabyle

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Berber.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Conjunction

ma

1. if

   Ma yehwa-yak xas ad teɣreḍ. ― If you like, you can read it.

Usage notes

When ma is followed by a verb in the past tense, it indicates a conditional in the present or future.

Particle

ma m or f

1. Used to introduce a yes-or-no question.

   Ma d kečč i t-yebbʷin? ― Was it you that took it?

References

• Association Culturelle Numidya (2025), “Amawal, dictionnaire kabyle-français en ligne”, in Amawal‎^[10], retrieved 2025
• Dallet, Jean-Marie (1982), Dictionnaire kabyle-français: parler des At Mangellat, Algérie (in French), Paris, France

Kavalan

Adverb

ma

1. only

Noun

ma

1. daddy; father (term of address)

Keoru-Ahia

Noun

ma

1. water

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67

Kikuyu

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mǎꜜ/

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 3 with a monosyllabic stem, together with rũkũ, and so on.

• (Kiambu)
  • (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including baba, guka, gũtũ, mũguĩ, mũtwe, nyamũ, ruo, rũhĩ (pl. hĩ), rũkũ (pl. ngũ), taata (“my aunt”), ũta (pl. mota), ũthiũ (pl. mothiũ), and so on.

Noun

ma

1. truth

Adverb

ma

1. truly

Etymology 2

Particle

ma

1. (for class 6) of

   maguta ma mbarĩki

   castor oil

   (literally, “oil of castor bean(s)”)

Ladino

Etymology

Inherited from Old Spanish mas, from Latin magis (“more”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Spain):

  (file)

Conjunction

ma (Hebrew spelling מה)

1. but

   Synonyms: ama, pero

   • 1979 July, Moshe Shaul, “Istoria i Dezvelopamiento del Djudeo-Espaniol”, in Aki Yerushalayim‎^[11], archived from the original on 3 December 2020, page 11:

     La primera de eyas es ke el djudeo-espaniol kontiene un grande numero de arkaizmos o sea, palavras ke eran empleadas en Espania asta el siglo XV ma ke dezparesieron dezde entonses de su vokabulario, mientres ke en el djudeo-espaniol kontinuan a existir asta oy.

     The first of them is that Judeo-Spanish contains a large number of archaisms, or rather, words that were used in Spain until the 15th century but which disappeared after then from its vocabulary, while in Judeo-Spanish they continue to be used to this day.

   • 2020 January 29, Metin Delevi, “El 27 de Enero es el dia de memoria de las viktimas del Nazismo, del Olokosto…”, in Şalom‎^[12], archived from the original on 18 January 2022:

     Devemos de saver ke el antisemitizmo es una de las formas ekstremas del rasizmo ma ay otras formas de rasizmo i devemos de luchar kon todo modo forma del rasizmo.

     We must know that antisemitism is one of the extreme forms of racism, but there are other forms of racism and we must fight every form of racism.

2. why

Lala (South Africa)

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jɪ́ma.

Verb

-má

1. to stand

Lhao Vo

Etymology

Cognate with Burmese အမွေ (a.mwe).

Noun

ma

1. inheritance
2. heirloom

References

• Dr. Ola Hanson, A Dictionary of the Kachin Language (1906).

Ligurian

Conjunction

ma

1. but

Limassa

Pronoun

ma

1. I (first person singular subject pronoun)

References

• Benedikt Winkhart, The Expression of Deixis in Limassa: Dissertation Project: A Documentation of the remnant Baka-Gundi Language Limassa (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Linguistic Colloquium, 6. February 2024)

Linngithigh

Etymology

From Proto-Paman *pama.

Noun

ma (ergative mal, dative maw)

1. man, person

Livonian

Alternative forms

• minā

Etymology

Shorter form of minā.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑ/, [ˈmɑ]

Pronoun

ma

1. I; first-person singular pronoun, referring to the speaker

Declension

Declension of ma (6)

	singular (ikšlu’g)	plural (pǟgiņlu’g)
nominative (nominatīv)	minā ma	mēg
genitive (genitīv)	mi’n	mä’d
partitive (partitīv)	mīnda	mēḑi
dative (datīv)	mi’nnõn mi’n	mä’ddõn mä’n
instrumental (instrumentāl)	mi’nkõks	mä’dkõks
illative (illatīv)	mi’nnõ mi’nnõz	mē’ži
inessive (inesīv)	mi’nsõ	mēši
elative (elatīv)	mi’nstõ	mēšti

See also

Livonian personal pronouns

	first	second	third
singular	minā / ma	sinā / sa	tämā / ta
plural	mēg	tēg	ne / nämād

References

• Renāte Blumberga, Tapio Mäkeläinen, Karl Pajusalu (2013), Lībieši: vēsture, valoda un kultūra (in Livonian), Riga: Līvõ Kultūr sidām, →ISBN
• Tiit-Rein Viitso; Valts Ernštreits (2012–2013), “ma”, in Līvõkīel-ēstikīel-lețkīel sõnārōntõz [Livonian-Estonian-Latvian Dictionary]‎^[13] (in Estonian and Latvian), Tartu, Rīga: Tartu Ülikool, Latviešu valodas aģentūra

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ma]

Verb

ma

1. third-person singular present of měś

Maltese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maː/
• Usually unstressed and then automatically shortened to /ma/.
• Homophone: ma’
• Rhymes: -aː

Etymology 1

Inherited from Arabic مَا (mā, “not”).

Adverb

ma

1. not; used to negate verbs and pronominal adverbs

   Illum ma nixrobx. ― I do not drink today.

   Qatt ma nixrob. ― I never drink. / I do not ever drink.

   • 2008, Trevor Żahra, Il-Ġenn li Jżommni f’Sikti, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

     Kulħadd jibża’ u ħadd ma jabbuża jmissu!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• Generally used together with the negative ending -x attached to the verb or pronominal adverb. This ending is absent, however, when another negative word is used, such as qatt (“never”), ebda (“no, none”), ħadd (“nobody”), xejn (“nothing”).

Etymology 2

Inherited from Arabic مَا (mā, “what”).

Pronoun

ma

1. (relative) alternative form of li (“who, which, that”), used in some fossiled expressions

   L-ewwel ma tiekol, l-għajn.

   You eat with your eyes first.

   (literally, “The first that eats is the eye.”)

2. (obsolete, with comparative adjective) how (as in “how beautiful is...”)

   Synonym: kemm

   • ca. 1760, G.P.F. Agius de Soldanis, Discorso tra due contadini sopra le nuove correnti:

     Rait e Sultana, u makbar u mesbahh ma hi, ma t challi hhasra, ghaliesc i enghat li t-arga mnein giet.

     Rajt is-Sultana. U ma akbar u ma isbaħ ma hi! Imma tħalli ħasra, għaliex jingħad li terġa’ mnejn ġiet.

     I saw the Sultana [a captured Turkish ship]. And how big and how beautiful she is! But is a pity, because they say she will go back to where she came from.

Derived terms

• bħalma
• kulma

Mandarin

Romanization

ma (ma⁵ / ma⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄇㄚ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 么
2. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 嗎 / 吗
3. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 嘛
4. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 㕰

ma

1. nonstandard spelling of mā
2. nonstandard spelling of má
3. nonstandard spelling of mǎ
4. nonstandard spelling of mà

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.

Maonan

Noun

ma

1. dog

Maricopa

Noun

ma

1. milk

Mbya Guarani

Adverb

ma

1. already

Particle

ma

1. separates the topic from the rest of the sentence.

   Oja ma haku.

   As for the pan, it is hot.

Mefele

Noun

ma

1. mouth

References

• Karyn Crawford, Lexicostatistics and intelligibility testing survey with simplified SLOPE of the Mefele language (2005)

Michif

Etymology

From Canadian French ma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈma]
• Hyphenation: ma

Determiner

ma f (masculine moñ, plural mii)

1. my

References

• Nicole Rosen, editor (2026), “ma”, in Michif Dictionary‎^[14], Algonquian Dictionary Project, →ISBN

Middle English

Pronoun

ma

1. alternative form of man (“one, you”)

Mursi

Etymology

Cognate with Suri ma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mà/, [mà]
• Hyphenation: ma

Noun

ma (Ethiopic script ማ)

1. water
2. river

References

• David Turton; Moges Yigezu; Olisarali Olibui (2008), “ma”, in Mursi-English-Amharic dictionary, →ISBN, page 117
• Firew Girma Worku (2020), A grammar of Mursi, page 123

Nauo

Noun

ma

1. vegetable food

References

“Nauo Wordlist”, in Mobile Language Team, (Can we date this quote?)

Neapolitan

Etymology

From Latin magis. Compare Italian ma, French mais.

Conjunction

ma

1. but

Nefamese

Etymology

From Assamese মা (ma), Early Assamese মাৱ (mawo), from Prakrit 𑀫𑀸𑀬𑀸 (māyā), from Sanskrit माता (mātā).

Noun

ma

1. mother, mom

Ngarla

Verb

ma

1. A verbaliser, creating multi-word verbs from nouns and adjectives

Declension

Inflection of ma

function	form
present	marayan
past	marnu
future/imperative	man
purposive/hortative	malu
immediate past	manmayinyu
remote past	marnta
undoubtedly	marnamarta
general aspect	mantangu
nominaliser	marnanguru

References

• Westerlund, T. (2007). A grammatical sketch of Ngarla: A language of Western Australia. Uppsala University.

Nigerian Pidgin

Etymology

From English my.

Determiner

ma (with tonal diacritic: má)

1. my

North Frisian

Preposition

ma

1. (Mooring) with

Northern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jɪ́ma.

Verb

-má

1. to stand

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Old Czech

Etymology

Derived from the 1st person dual suffix -ma, which itself is a neologism, found in 15th century texts, derived from the 1st person dual suffix -va under the influence of the 1st person plural suffices -m/-me/-my. There aren't many attestations of this pronoun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈma/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈma/

Pronoun

ma

1. (rare) we two (first person dual)

   Synonyms: vě, va

Declension

Old Czech personal pronouns

Singular	1st person	2nd person	3rd person			Reflexive
			m	f	n
Nominative	já(z)	ty	on	ona	ono	—
Genitive	mne, mě	tebe, tě	j(e)ho, ň(e)ho	jie, nie	j(e)ho, ň(e)ho	sebe, sě
Dative	mně, mi	tobě, ti	j(e)mu, ňemu	jí, ní, jiej, niej	j(e)mu, ňemu	sobě, si
Accusative	mě, mne	tě, tebe	jej, jen, ji, j(e)ho, -ň, ňej, ňen, ni, ň(e)ho	ju, ňu	je, ňe	sě, sebe
Locative	mně	tobě	ňem	ní, niej	ňem	sobě
Instrumental	mnú	tobú, tebú	jím, ním	jú, ňú	jím, ním	sobú, sebú
Possessive	mój	tvój	jeho	(je)jie	jeho	svój
Dual	1st person	2nd person	3rd person			Reflexive
			m	f	n
Nominative	vě, va (ma)	vy	ona	oně		—
Genitive	najú	vajú	jú, ňú			sebe, sě
Dative	náma	váma	jima, nima			sobě, si
Accusative	ny, najú	vy, vajú	jě, ně	ji, ni		sě, sebe
Locative	najú	vajú	ňú			sobě
Instrumental	náma	váma	jima, nima			sobú, sebú
Possessive	náš, najú	váš, vajú	(je)jú			svój
Plural	1st person	2nd person	3rd person			Reflexive
			m	f	n
Nominative	my	vy	oni	ony	ona	—
Genitive	nás	vás	jich, nich			sebe, sě
Dative	nám, nem	vám, vem	jim, nim			sobě, si
Accusative	ny, nás	vy, vás	jě, ně			sě, sebe
Locative	nás	vás	nich			sobě
Instrumental	námi	vámi	jimi, nimi			sobú, sebú
Possessive	náš	váš	(je)jich			svój

References

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “ma”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maiz. Cognate with Old Frisian mā, Old Saxon mēr, Old Dutch mēr, Old High German mēr, Old Norse meir, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌹𐍃 (mais).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑː/
• Rhymes: -ɑː

Adverb

mā

1. more
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' Metres of Boethius, lines 85-89

     Mid þȳ is ġetācnod þæt his trēowa sceal, and his mōdġeþonc, mā up þonne niþer habban tō heofonum.

     By that is betokened, that his trust shall, and his mind, more upwards than downwards aspire to the heavens.

   • The Life of Saint Margaret

     Sēo hāliġe fǣmne him andswarode and cwæþ, "Nis mē ālīefed þæt iċ þē tō seċġe, for þon þū neart nā wierðe mīne stefne tō ġehīerenne. Godes bebodu iċ wille ġehīeran and ġecȳðan. And þū, dēofol, ādumba nū, for þon þe iċ nylle nān word mā of þīnum mūðe ġehīeran."

     The holy virgin answered him and said, "I’m not allowed to tell you, because you don't deserve to hear my voice. God's commandments are what I want to hear and impart. And you, demon, be quiet now, because I don't want to hear one more word out of your mouth."

2. further
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Nū ðū þæt swā openlīce onġiten hæfst, ne þearfe ic nū nauht swīþe ymbe þ swincan þæt ic þē mā be gode recce.

     Since thou hast so clearly understood this, I need not now greatly labour in order that I may instruct thee further concerning good;...

3. instead, rather

Descendants

• Middle English: mo, ma, moe
  • English: mo

Adjective

mā (indeclinable)

1. more [(often) with genitive]
   • 996–997, Ælfric of Eynsham, “Saint Maur, Abbot”, in Rev. Walter W. Skeat, M.A., ed. and transl., Aelfric's Lives of Saints (Early English Text Society original series 76), volume I, London: N. Trübner & Co., published 1881, page 162:

     Þā ġecwæð sē abbod and ealle þā ġebrōðra þæt þēr ne mihte nā mā muneca wunian...

     Then said the abbot and all the brothers, that no more monks could dwell there...

Usage notes

The expected comparative and superlative forms of mā, māra and mǣst, occur, but are traditionally considered to be suppletive forms of miċel instead.

Old French

Etymology

From Latin meam.

Determiner

ma f (masculine mon, plural mes)

1. my (first-person singular possessive)

Descendants

• French: ma

Old Frisian

Pronoun

ma

1. one

Old Irish

Conjunction

ma

1. alternative spelling of má

Omaha-Ponca

Noun

ma

1. snow

References

• Omaha Ponca digital dictionary

Opao

Noun

ma

1. water

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67

Orokolo

Noun

ma

1. water

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67

Palula

Etymology

From Sanskrit म (ma, “1sg (base of oblique cases)”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma (personal, Perso-Arabic spelling مہ)

1. I (1sg nom, subject), me (1sg direct object)

Alternative forms

• máa- (Forming one phonological word with following postposition or clitic, e.g. máathe 'me, to me' with the 'to'.)

References

• Henrik Liljegren; Naseem Haider (2011), “ma”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[15], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “ma”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

Pipil

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maː/

Particle

mā

1. Subjunctive marker

   Nechilwijket ma nikinkwepili musta

   They told me to return it to them tomorrow

   Tikajkawat ma seseya pal tikwat

   We leave it to cool down so we can eat it

2. clipping of maka (Negative imperative marker)

   Ma shina kiuni!

   Don't say that!

Usage notes

• The particle ma helps disambiguating many of the subjunctive forms from the present indicative or imperative forms.

Verb

-má

1. clipping of -maka

Pitjantjatjara

Adverb

ma

1. away

Pohnpeian

Conjunction

ma

1. if

References

• “ma”, in New Pohnpeian-English Online Dictionary‎^[16], Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ma

Etymology 1

Verb

ma

1. third-person singular present indicative of mieć

   Andrzej ma 18 lat. ― Andrzej is 18 years old.

Etymology 2

Pronoun

ma

1. (literary) alternative form of moja

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronoun

ma

1. nominative/vocative feminine singular of mój

Further reading

• “ma”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[17] (in Polish)

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• m'a (pre-standardization spelling)

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): (unstressed, proclitic) /ma/, (unstressed, enclitic) /mɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): (unstressed) /mɐ/

• Hyphenation: ma

Contraction

ma f sg

1. contraction of me +‎ a: feminine singular of mo

Romani

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀫𑀸 (mā), from Ashokan Prakrit 𑀫𑀸 (mā), from Sanskrit मा (mā).

Particle

ma

1. don't (prohibitive particle)

References

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “māˊ”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 574
• Boretzky, Norbert; Igla, Birgit (1994), “ma¹”, in Wörterbuch Romani-Deutsch-Englisch für den südosteuropäischen Raum : mit einer Grammatik der Dialektvarianten [Romani-German-English dictionary for the Southern European region] (in German), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISBN, page 172a
• Marcel Courthiade (2009), “ma (and-e rokhimàta)”, in Melinda Rézműves, editor, Morri angluni rromane ćhibǎqi evroputni lavustik = Első rromani nyelvű európai szótáram : cigány, magyar, angol, francia, spanyol, német, ukrán, román, horvát, szlovák, görög [My First European-Romani Dictionary: Romani, Hungarian, English, French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Greek] (overall work in Hungarian and English), Budapest: Fővárosi Onkormányzat Cigány Ház--Romano Kher, →ISBN, page 231a

Romanian

Adverb

ma

1. obsolete form of mai

References

• ma in Academia Română, Micul dicționar academic, ediția a II-a, Bucharest: Univers Enciclopedic, 2010. →ISBN

Salar

Conjunction

ma

1. and

Samoan

Etymology

Cognate with Māori me and Hawaiian me.

Conjunction

ma

1. and
2. because

Preposition

ma

1. with

References

• Milner, G.B. (1993), Samoan Dictionary, Auckland: Polynesian Press, →ISBN, page 116

Savi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-Iranian *máyaH

Sanskrit मया (mayā)

Savi ma

Inherited from Sanskrit मया (mayā), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *máyaH.

Pronoun

ma

1. I; first-person singular personal pronoun

References

• Knobloch, Nina (2020), A grammar sketch of Sauji: An Indo-Aryan language of Afghanistan‎^[18], Stockholm: Stockholm University

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/, /mə/

Determiner

ma

1. alternative form of my

References

• “my, poss. adj.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 23 May 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish má, from Proto-Celtic *mā, *ma (compare Cornish and Breton mar), see there for more.

Conjunction

ma

1. if

   Ma tha thu ’g iarrraidh sin… ― If you want that…

   Ma bhios tu…/Ma bhitheas tu… ― If you will be…/If you are… (habitual)

Usage notes

• Where followed by the ‘future’ tense, the corresponding relative verb-form is used.

  Dèan e, ma thogras tu.

  Do it, if you want.

• In the conditional tense, instead of ma, nan/nam is used in positive sentences and mura/mur/mana in negative ones.

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Italian ma, reinforced by Ancient Greek μά (má).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mâ/
• Hyphenation: m‧a

Interjection

mȁ (Cyrillic spelling ма̏)

1. bah, whatever
2. Placed at the beginning of a sentence to add intensity and surprise

   Ma kako?! ― How?!

   Ma gdje? ― Where in the world...?

   Ma da? ― Really?

   Ma to je on! ― That's definitely him!

3. Placed at the beginning of a sentence to express dismissal and indignation

   Ma ne. ― No way.

   Ma daj. ― Oh come on.

   Ma kakvi. ― Impossible.

4. Used to emphasize sarcasm

   Ma da!/Ma svakako!/Ma naravno! ― Yeah, sure.

   Ma nemoj. ― Oh you don't say?

   Ma nikad niste vi krivi. ― Of course it can never be your fault.

Sharwa

Noun

má

1. mouth

References

• Edward Brye et al., Jimjimen, Gude, Tsuvan, and Sharwa wordlists, SIL Journal of Language Survey Reports (2009)
• Richard Gravina, Central Chadic Reconstructions (2014)

Situ

Etymology

Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ma.

Particle

ma

1. not, no; negative particle

Further reading

• M. Prins, A Grammar of rGyalrong, Jiǎomùzú (Kyom-kyo) Dialects: A Web of Relations (2016) (and earlier A Web of Relations: A Grammar of rGyalrong, Jiǎomùzú (Kyom-kyo) Dialects, 2011)

Slovak

Alternative forms

• mňa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mę.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/, [ma]
• Rhymes: -a

Pronoun

ma

1. genitive/accusative of ja

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma/ [ˈma]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ma

Noun

ma f (plural mas)

1. (Canary Islands, Latin America) mum; mom

Further reading

• “ma”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025
• “ma”, in Diccionario Básico de Canarismos [Basic Dictionary of Canarianisms] (in Spanish), Canarian Academy of the Language [Spanish: Academia Canaria de La Lengua], 2010
• “ma”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010

Sumerian

Romanization

ma

1. romanization of 𒈠 (ma)

Suri

Noun

mà

1. water

References

• 1999, Michael Bryant, Aspects of Tirmaga Grammar (in notes, as ma)
• Michael Bryant, A Brief Grammar of the Suri Language (2011) (as mà)

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jɪ́ma.

Verb

-́ma

1. to stand
2. to stop, to wait

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tagalog

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ma/ [mɐ]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ma

Etymology 1

Influenced by Baybayin character ᜋ (ma).

Noun

ma (Baybayin spelling ᜋ)

1. the name of the Latin script letter M/m, in the Abakada alphabet

   Synonyms: (in the Filipino alphabet) em, (in the Abecedario) eme

See also

• mama

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Spanish mamábor.

Hokkien 媽媽 / 妈妈 (mâ-mâ)bor.

English mamabor.

Tagalog mamaclip.

Tagalog ma

Clipping of mama.

Noun

ma (Baybayin spelling ᜋ) (informal, familiar, childish)

1. term of address for one's mother: mom; mum; mommy; mummy; momma; maw

   Synonyms: nay, inay, mama, ina, inang, nanay

   Coordinate term: pa

Etymology 3

Noun

ma (Baybayin spelling ᜋ)

1. (zoology) mollusk with a shell that looks like a coat of mail

Further reading

• “ma”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Anagrams

• am

Tahitian

Conjunction

ma

1. and

Preposition

ma

1. with

Tairuma

Noun

ma

1. alternative form of ma'a

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67

Tat

Etymology

Cognate with Persian ماه (mâh).

Noun

ma

1. moon

Tày

Pronunciation

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

Etymology 1

From Proto-Tai *ʰmaːᴬ (“dog”). Cognate with Thai หมา (mǎa), Northern Thai ᩉ᩠ᨾᩣ, Lao ໝາ (mā), Tai Dam ꪢꪱ, Lü ᦖᦱ (ṁaa), Shan မႃ (mǎa), Tai Nüa ᥛᥣᥴ (máa), Aiton မ︀ႃ (mā), Ahom 𑜉𑜠 (ma), Zhuang ma, Saek หม่า.

Noun

ma (Nôm form 𬍄)

1. (zoology) dog

Synonyms

• cẩu

Derived terms

• ma eo
• ma han
• ma khuyển
• ma nhat
• ma nuầy
• ma sleng
• ma sluông
• ma thầu

References

• Lương Bèn (2011), Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎^[19][20] (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]‎^[21] (in Tày and Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học xã hội [Social Sciences Publishing House]

Etymology 2

From Vietnamese ma.

Noun

ma (Nôm form 魔)

1. ghost

Teanu

Etymology

From Proto-Vanikoro *ma, from Proto-Oceanic *lima, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *lima, from Proto-Austronesian *lima.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Noun

ma

1. arm
2. hand

References

• François, Alexandre (2021), Teanu dictionary (Solomon Islands)‎^[22], Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, →DOI, ma
• François, Alexandre (2021), Online Teanu–English dictionary, with equivalents in Lovono and Tanema‎^[23] (electronic files), Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, ma
• Lackey, William James; Boerger, Brenda H. (December 2021), “Reexamining the Phonological History of Oceanic's Temotu subgroup”, in Oceanic Linguistics‎^[24], volume 60, number 2, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →JSTOR, pages 367–411

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Conjunction

ma

1. relative clause introducer; which, that

   Synonym: yang

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Toaripi

Noun

ma

1. (Toaripi, Kaipi, Sepoe) water

References

• Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
• H. A. Brown, A dictionary of Toaripi with English-Toaripi index (1968. Oceanic Linguistic Monographs 11), which records the same minimal pair
• ASJP citing Brown (1973), The Eleman language family, in K. Franklin (ed.), The Linguistic Situation in the Gulf District and Adjacent Areas, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Linguistics Series C, no. 26

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ma]
• Hyphenation: ma

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *ma. Cognates include Māori mā and Samoan ma.

Conjunction

ma

1. Joins noun clauses; and, with
   • 1948, Tūlāfono fakavae a Tokelau [Constitution of Tokelau]‎^[25], page 1:

     Ko te fakavae tenei e matea i nā nuku ma kafai ona tagata e faifaimea fakatahi, ma nonofo fakatahi i te filemu ma te fiafia.

     This foundation is recognised in the villages and if its people repeatedly do things together, and [if] they live together in peace and happiness.

2. Joins verb clauses; and, also, too
   • 1948, Tūlāfono fakavae a Tokelau [Constitution of Tokelau]‎^[26], page 1:

     Ko te fakavae tenei e matea i nā nuku ma kafai ona tagata e faifaimea fakatahi, ma nonofo fakatahi i te filemu ma te fiafia.

     This foundation is recognised in the villages and if its people repeatedly do things together, and [if] they live together in peace and happiness.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *ma.

Preposition

ma

1. from, away from

Etymology 3

Preposition

ma

1. Marks a prospective role of the subject; as, for

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[27], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 198

Tsuvan

Noun

má

1. mouth

References

• Edward Brye et al., Jimjimen, Gude, Tsuvan, and Sharwa wordlists, SIL Journal of Language Survey Reports (2009)
• Richard Gravina, Central Chadic Reconstructions (2014)

Tz'utujil

Adverb

ma

1. not

Ventureño

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Chumash *maʼ. Compare Barbareño maʼ and Purisimeño maʼḁ.

Noun

ma

1. jackrabbit

References

• Timothy Henry-Rodriguez (2026), “ma”, in A mitsqanaqan̓ (Ventureño Chumash) Dictionary‎^[28], California State University Channel Islands

Veps

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *maa, from Proto-Uralic *mëxe.

Noun

ma

1. earth
2. ground
3. soil
4. land, country, region
5. state

Inflection

Inflection of ma (inflection type 13/ma)
nominative sing.	ma
genitive sing.	man
partitive sing.	mad
partitive plur.	maid
	singular	plural
nominative	ma	mad
accusative	man	mad
genitive	man	maiden
partitive	mad	maid
essive-instructive	man	main
translative	maks	maikš
inessive	mas	maiš
elative	maspäi	maišpäi
illative	maha	maihe
adessive	mal	mail
ablative	malpäi	mailpäi
allative	male	maile
abessive	mata	maita
comitative	manke	maidenke
prolative	madme	maidme
approximative I	manno	maidenno
approximative II	mannoks	maidennoks
egressive	mannopäi	maidennopäi
terminative I	mahasai	maihesai
terminative II	malesai	mailesai
terminative III	massai	—
additive I	mahapäi	maihepäi
additive II	malepäi	mailepäi

Derived terms

• kodima
• kosmosma
• kuivma
• linma
• mailʹm
• makar
• makondi
• makovandez
• maleveduzʹpird
• manaluine
• manedustai
• mankaivai
• manmäričii
• manparemboituz
• manpidäi
• manradai
• manrehkaiduz
• mansüvüded
• mantedo
• manvägituz
• mapiduzʹpird
• mapolišk
• mapähkim
• maröunanvarjoičii
• maujui
• mavezieläi
• mavoi
• pämante
• sinižma
• tagama
• veraz ma

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “грунт, держава, земля, почва, свет, страна”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[29], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 魔.

The modern Vietnamese usage of ma (“ghost”) and quỷ (“demon; ogre”) is contrary to that of Mandarin 魔 (mó, “demon”) and 鬼 (guǐ, “ghost”). This can be exemplified in the pair ma đói vs. 餓鬼 / 饿鬼 (ngạ quỷ, “preta”).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

ma (classifier con)

1. ghost (spirit appearing after death)
2. (archaic) a demon

   Synonym: quỷ

3. (chiefly in the negative, colloquial, slightly vulgar) anyone

   Có thấy ma nào đâu!

   (I) don't see anyone!

Derived terms

• đám ma
• đi đời nhà ma
• đưa ma
• hồn ma
• lắm thầy nhiều ma
• ma cây
• ma chay
• ma cỏ
• ma cũ bắt nạt ma mới
• ma da
• ma lai
• ma mãnh
• ma men
• ma trơi
• ma xó
• phim ma
• tang ma
• tha ma
• thây ma

Romanization

ma

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 魔

Derived terms

• ác ma
• ma đạo
• ma đế
• ma giáo
• ma giới
• ma lực
• ma nhân
• ma nữ
• ma pháp
• ma quái
• ma quỷ
• ma thuật
• ma trận
• ma vương
• tà ma ngoại đạo

Anagrams

• am

Vilamovian

Pronoun

ma

1. (indefinite) one, they (indefinite third-person singular pronoun)

Vilela

Noun

ma

1. water

References

• Bernard Comrie, Lucía Golluscio, Language Contact and Documentation (2015), →ISBN
• Bartolomé Tavera-Acosta, En el sur: (Dialectos indígenas de Venezuela) (1907)

Warao

Alternative forms

• m-

Pronoun

ma

1. my

   Ma rahe hakaya.

   My brother runs.

   Natu ma tatutuma iji minajara?

   Granny, have you not seen my wives?

2. me, accusative of iné

   Ma hube abuae.

   A snake bit me.

   Ihi ma isiko naonahara?

   Don't you come with me?

References

• Focus, chapter 8: Warao and Urarina
• Languages with Wilf, Comparison: Warao vs. Warray

West Makian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Pronoun

ma

1. (animate) third-person possessive pronoun, its

   mene me mo oma ― this is his child (literally, “this (is) he his child”)

   da kabi mo gou ― the goat's leg

Usage notes

The possessive pronoun ma follows West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me, mi, or mo.

Alternative forms

• me, mi, mo

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Determiner

ma

1. (distal) that, those

   Synonym: mema

   Antonym: ne

   pala ma ilamo ― that house is large

   oma ma ― those children

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma/

Conjunction

ma

1. then

   toi ipongi, ma tasagal yo ― if it rains, then I won't go

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[30], Pacific linguistics

Wolaytta

Verb

ma

1. (intransitive) to eat (to consume a meal)

Derived terms

• muussaa, the act of eating
• miyagaa, eater
• miza, let's make to eat
• miyageeta, eaters
• maaana, we'll eat
• miite, eat (for plural)
• miidosona, they ate
• maasu, she ate
• miis, he ate
• miidosona, they ate
• maana, we'll eat
• moos, let's eat
• miida we ate

Wolof

Pronoun

ma

1. me (first-person singular object pronoun)

See also

Wolof personal pronouns

	singular		plural
	subject	object	subject	object
1st person	man	ma	nun	nu
2nd person	yow	la	yeen	leen
3rd person	moom	ko	ñoom	leen

Wutunhua

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mɑ]

Etymology 1

Probably related to Mandarin 麼／么 (me).

Pronoun

ma

1. what (interrogative)

Related terms

• mashema (“why”)

Etymology 2

From Mandarin 馬 / 马 (mǎ).

Noun

ma

1. horse

References

• Juha Janhunen, Marja Peltomaa, Erika Sandman, Xiawu Dongzhou (2008), Wutun (LINCOM's Descriptive Grammar Series), volume 466, LINCOM Europa, →ISBN
• Erika Sandman (2016), A Grammar of Wutun‎^[31], University of Helsinki (PhD), →ISBN

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jɪ́ma.

Verb

-̂ma

1. (intransitive) to halt
2. (intransitive) to stop

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• ummi

Yola

Verb

ma

1. alternative form of mye (“may”)
   • 1927, “THE FORTH MAN'S GRACE AFTER A SCANTY DINNER”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 137, line 2:

     When ye Lord plaase, He ma mend this,

     [When the Lord please, He may mend this,]

References

• Kathleen A. Browne (1927), “THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD.”, in Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of lreland (Sixth Series)‎^[32], volume 17, number 2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, page 137

Zazaki

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ma

Pronoun

ma

1. we; us (first-person plural personal pronoun)

Zhuang

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /ma˨˦/
• Tone numbers: ma¹
• Hyphenation: ma

Etymology 1

From Proto-Tai *ʰmaːᴬ (“dog”). Cognate with Thai หมา (mǎa), Northern Thai ᩉ᩠ᨾᩣ, Lao ໝາ (mā), Lü ᦖᦱ (ṁaa), Tai Dam ꪢꪱ, Shan မႃ (mǎa), Tai Nüa ᥛᥣᥴ (máa), Aiton မ︀ႃ (mā), Ahom 𑜉𑜠 (ma), Saek หม่า.

Noun

ma (classifier duz, Sawndip forms 𬌫 or 獁 or 𬍄 or 𰡪 or 䭾 or 庅 or 犸 or 𭸱, 1957–1982 spelling ma)

1. dog

   Duzma neix naemj gwn ngaiz dem.

   This dog still wants to eat.

Derived terms

• mabag
• ma'byaeuq
• madwknyaen
• madwkroeg
• mafan
• magaet
• magaeuj
• mageq
• ma'gyaep
• manaez
• maningq
• ma'ngauz
• ma'nyoengq
• ma'nyungz
• masauq
• masae
• mavangh
• maamq
• maoep

Etymology 2

From Proto-Tai *ʰmaːᴬ (“to come”). Cognate with Thai มา (maa), Northern Thai ᨾᩣ (ma), Lao ມາ (mā), Lü ᦙᦱ (maa), Tai Nüa ᥛᥣᥰ (mäa), Shan မႃး (máa), Aiton မ︀ႃ (mā), Ahom 𑜉𑜠 (ma) or 𑜉𑜡 (mā) or 𑜉𑜡𑜠 (māa).

Verb

ma (Sawndip forms 庲 or ⿸广末 or 么 or 麻 or ⿸广处 or 𮜃 or ⿰么馬 or ⿰㐅馬 or 𫹞 or 駡, 1957–1982 spelling ma)

1. to come back; to return

See also

• maz

Zou

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *maʔ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mʌ̀]
• Hyphenation: ma

Pronoun

mà

1. himself, herself

Derived terms

• amà

References

• Philip Thangliènmâng (2010), Minimal dictionary and Self-tutor Functional Grammar in Zo-English-Hindi, New Delhi: Zoculsin, →ISBN, page 136
• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013), A Descriptive Grammar of Zou (PhD thesis), Canchipur: Manipur University, page 73

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jɪ́ma.

Verb

-má(intransitive)

1. to stand, to be standing
2. to stand still, to not move
3. to stop, to come to a standstill, to halt

Inflection

tone H, latent i (infinitive ukuma)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukuma	ukungemi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	yima	-me
plural	yimani	-meni
stative
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngimi	engimi	ngimi	angimi	engingemi	ngingemi
2nd singular	umi	omi	umi	awumi	ongemi	ungemi
1st plural	simi	esimi	simi	asimi	esingemi	singemi
2nd plural	nimi	enimi	nimi	animi	eningemi	ningemi
class 1	umi	omi	emi	akemi	ongemi	engemi
class 2	bemi	abemi	bemi	abemi	abangemi	bengemi
class 3	umi	omi	umi	awumi	ongemi	ongemi
class 4	imi	emi	imi	ayimi	engemi	ingemi
class 5	limi	elimi	limi	alimi	elingemi	lingemi
class 6	emi	emi	emi	awemi	angemi	engemi
class 7	simi	esimi	simi	asimi	esingemi	singemi
class 8	zimi	ezimi	zimi	azimi	ezingemi	zingemi
class 9	imi	emi	imi	ayimi	engemi	ingemi
class 10	zimi	ezimi	zimi	azimi	ezingemi	zingemi
class 11	lumi	olumi	lumi	alumi	olungemi	lungemi
class 14	bumi	obumi	bumi	abumi	obungemi	bungemi
class 15	kumi	okumi	kumi	akumi	okungemi	kungemi
class 17	kumi	okumi	kumi	akumi	okungemi	kungemi
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyema, ngima	engimayo, engima	ngima	angimi	engingemi	ngingemi
2nd singular	uyema, uma	omayo, oma	uma	awumi	ongemi	ungemi
1st plural	siyema, sima	esimayo, esima	sima	asimi	esingemi	singemi
2nd plural	niyema, nima	enimayo, enima	nima	animi	eningemi	ningemi
class 1	uyema, uma	omayo, oma	ema	akemi	ongemi	engemi
class 2	bayema, bema	abemayo, abema	bema	abemi	abangemi	bengemi
class 3	uyema, uma	omayo, oma	uma	awumi	ongemi	ungemi
class 4	iyema, ima	emayo, ema	ima	ayimi	engemi	ingemi
class 5	liyema, lima	elimayo, elima	lima	alimi	elingemi	lingemi
class 6	ayema, ema	emayo, ema	ema	awemi	angemi	engemi
class 7	siyema, sima	esimayo, esima	sima	asimi	esingemi	singemi
class 8	ziyema, zima	ezimayo, ezima	zima	azimi	ezingemi	zingemi
class 9	iyema, ima	emayo, ema	ima	ayimi	engemi	ingemi
class 10	ziyema, zima	ezimayo, ezima	zima	azimi	ezingemi	zingemi
class 11	luyema, luma	olumayo, oluma	luma	alumi	olungemi	lungemi
class 14	buyema, buma	obumayo, obuma	buma	abumi	obungemi	bungemi
class 15	kuyema, kuma	okumayo, okuma	kuma	akumi	okungemi	kungemi
class 17	kuyema, kuma	okumayo, okuma	kuma	akumi	okungemi	kungemi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngimile, ngimē	engimile, engimē	ngimile, ngimē	angimanga	engingemanga	ngingemanga
2nd singular	umile, umē	omile, omē	umile, umē	awumanga	ongemanga	ungemanga
1st plural	simile, simē	esimile, esimē	simile, simē	asimanga	esingemanga	singemanga
2nd plural	nimile, nimē	enimile, enimē	nimile, nimē	animanga	eningemanga	ningemanga
class 1	umile, umē	omile, omē	emile, emē	akemanga	ongemanga	engemanga
class 2	bemile, bemē	abemile, abemē	bemile, bemē	abemanga	abangemanga	bengemanga
class 3	umile, umē	omile, omē	umile, umē	awumanga	ongemanga	ungemanga
class 4	imile, imē	emile, emē	imile, imē	ayimanga	engemanga	ingemanga
class 5	limile, limē	elimile, elimē	limile, limē	alimanga	elingemanga	lingemanga
class 6	emile, emē	emile, emē	emile, emē	awemanga	angemanga	engemanga
class 7	simile, simē	esimile, esimē	simile, simē	asimanga	esingemanga	singemanga
class 8	zimile, zimē	ezimile, ezimē	zimile, zimē	azimanga	ezingemanga	zingemanga
class 9	imile, imē	emile, emē	imile, imē	ayimanga	engemanga	ingemanga
class 10	zimile, zimē	ezimile, ezimē	zimile, zimē	azimanga	ezingemanga	zingemanga
class 11	lumile, lumē	olumile, olumē	lumile, lumē	alumanga	olungemanga	lungemanga
class 14	bumile, bumē	obumile, obumē	bumile, bumē	abumanga	obungemanga	bungemanga
class 15	kumile, kumē	okumile, okumē	kumile, kumē	akumanga	okungemanga	kungemanga
class 17	kumile, kumē	okumile, okumē	kumile, kumē	akumanga	okungemanga	kungemanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngāma	engāma	ngāma	angimanga	engingemanga	ngingemanga
2nd singular	wāma	owāma	wāma	awumanga	ongemanga	ungemanga
1st plural	sāma	esāma	sāma	asimanga	esingemanga	singemanga
2nd plural	nāma	enāma	nāma	animanga	eningemanga	ningemanga
class 1	wāma	owāma	āma	akemanga	ongemanga	engemanga
class 2	bāma	abāma	bāma	abemanga	abangemanga	bengemanga
class 3	wāma	owāma	wāma	awumanga	ongemanga	ungemanga
class 4	yāma	eyāma	yāma	ayimanga	engemanga	ingemanga
class 5	lāma	elāma	lāma	alimanga	elingemanga	lingemanga
class 6	āma	āma	āma	awemanga	angemanga	engemanga
class 7	sāma	esāma	sāma	asimanga	esingemanga	singemanga
class 8	zāma	ezāma	zāma	azimanga	ezingemanga	zingemanga
class 9	yāma	eyāma	yāma	ayimanga	engemanga	ingemanga
class 10	zāma	ezāma	zāma	azimanga	ezingemanga	zingemanga
class 11	lwāma	olwāma	lwāma	alumanga	olungemanga	lungemanga
class 14	bāma	obāma	bāma	abumanga	obungemanga	bungemanga
class 15	kwāma	okwāma	kwāma	akumanga	okungemanga	kungemanga
class 17	kwāma	okwāma	kwāma	akumanga	okungemanga	kungemanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingema	—	ngingema	ngingeme	—	ngingeme
2nd singular	ungema	—	ungema	ungeme	—	ungeme
1st plural	singema	—	singema	singeme	—	singeme
2nd plural	ningema	—	ningema	ningeme	—	ningeme
class 1	angema	—	engema	angeme	—	engeme
class 2	bangema	—	bengema	bangeme	—	bengeme
class 3	ungema	—	ungema	ungeme	—	ungeme
class 4	ingema	—	ingema	ingeme	—	ingeme
class 5	lingema	—	lingema	lingeme	—	lingeme
class 6	angema	—	engema	angeme	—	engeme
class 7	singema	—	singema	singeme	—	singeme
class 8	zingema	—	zingema	zingeme	—	zingeme
class 9	ingema	—	ingema	ingeme	—	ingeme
class 10	zingema	—	zingema	zingeme	—	zingeme
class 11	lungema	—	lungema	lungeme	—	lungeme
class 14	bungema	—	bungema	bungeme	—	bungeme
class 15	kungema	—	kungema	kungeme	—	kungeme
class 17	kungema	—	kungema	kungeme	—	kungeme
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizokuma	engizokuma	ngizokuma	angizukuma	engingezukuma	ngingezukuma
2nd singular	uzokuma	ozokuma	uzokuma	awuzukuma	ongezukuma	ungezukuma
1st plural	sizokuma	esizokuma	sizokuma	asizukuma	esingezukuma	singezukuma
2nd plural	nizokuma	enizokuma	nizokuma	anizukuma	eningezukuma	ningezukuma
class 1	uzokuma	ozokuma	ezokuma	akazukuma	ongezukuma	engezukuma
class 2	bazokuma	abazokuma	bezokuma	abazukuma	abangezukuma	bengezukuma
class 3	uzokuma	ozokuma	uzokuma	awuzukuma	ongezukuma	ungezukuma
class 4	izokuma	ezokuma	izokuma	ayizukuma	engezukuma	ingezukuma
class 5	lizokuma	elizokuma	lizokuma	alizukuma	elingezukuma	lingezukuma
class 6	azokuma	azokuma	ezokuma	awazukuma	angezukuma	engezukuma
class 7	sizokuma	esizokuma	sizokuma	asizukuma	esingezukuma	singezukuma
class 8	zizokuma	ezizokuma	zizokuma	azizukuma	ezingezukuma	zingezukuma
class 9	izokuma	ezokuma	izokuma	ayizukuma	engezukuma	ingezukuma
class 10	zizokuma	ezizokuma	zizokuma	azizukuma	ezingezukuma	zingezukuma
class 11	luzokuma	oluzokuma	luzokuma	aluzukuma	olungezukuma	lungezukuma
class 14	buzokuma	obuzokuma	buzokuma	abuzukuma	obungezukuma	bungezukuma
class 15	kuzokuma	okuzokuma	kuzokuma	akuzukuma	okungezukuma	kungezukuma
class 17	kuzokuma	okuzokuma	kuzokuma	akuzukuma	okungezukuma	kungezukuma
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokuma	engiyokuma	ngiyokuma	angiyukuma	engingeyukuma	ngingeyukuma
2nd singular	uyokuma	oyokuma	uyokuma	awuyukuma	ongeyukuma	ungeyukuma
1st plural	siyokuma	esiyokuma	siyokuma	asiyukuma	esingeyukuma	singeyukuma
2nd plural	niyokuma	eniyokuma	niyokuma	aniyukuma	eningeyukuma	ningeyukuma
class 1	uyokuma	oyokuma	eyokuma	akayukuma	ongeyukuma	engeyukuma
class 2	bayokuma	abayokuma	beyokuma	abayukuma	abangeyukuma	bengeyukuma
class 3	uyokuma	oyokuma	uyokuma	awuyukuma	ongeyukuma	ungeyukuma
class 4	iyokuma	eyokuma	iyokuma	ayiyukuma	engeyukuma	ingeyukuma
class 5	liyokuma	eliyokuma	liyokuma	aliyukuma	elingeyukuma	lingeyukuma
class 6	ayokuma	ayokuma	eyokuma	awayukuma	angeyukuma	engeyukuma
class 7	siyokuma	esiyokuma	siyokuma	asiyukuma	esingeyukuma	singeyukuma
class 8	ziyokuma	eziyokuma	ziyokuma	aziyukuma	ezingeyukuma	zingeyukuma
class 9	iyokuma	eyokuma	iyokuma	ayiyukuma	engeyukuma	ingeyukuma
class 10	ziyokuma	eziyokuma	ziyokuma	aziyukuma	ezingeyukuma	zingeyukuma
class 11	luyokuma	oluyokuma	luyokuma	aluyukuma	olungeyukuma	lungeyukuma
class 14	buyokuma	obuyokuma	buyokuma	abuyukuma	obungeyukuma	bungeyukuma
class 15	kuyokuma	okuyokuma	kuyokuma	akuyukuma	okungeyukuma	kungeyukuma
class 17	kuyokuma	okuyokuma	kuyokuma	akuyukuma	okungeyukuma	kungeyukuma
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngime	ngingemi
2nd singular	ume	ungemi
1st plural	sime	singemi
2nd plural	nime	ningemi
class 1	eme	angemi
class 2	beme	bangemi
class 3	ume	ungemi
class 4	ime	ingemi
class 5	lime	lingemi
class 6	eme	angemi
class 7	sime	singemi
class 8	zime	zingemi
class 9	ime	ingemi
class 10	zime	zingemi
class 11	lume	lungemi
class 14	bume	bungemi
class 15	kume	kungemi
class 17	kume	kungemi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngema	ngangema, angema, angangema
2nd singular	wema	wangema, awema, awangema
1st plural	sema	sangema, asema, asangema
2nd plural	nema	nangema, anema, anangema
class 1	wema	wangema, akema, akangema
class 2	bema	bangema, abema, abangema
class 3	wema	wangema, awema, awangema
class 4	yema	yangema, ayema, ayangema
class 5	lema	langema, alema, alangema
class 6	ema	angema, awema, awangema
class 7	sema	sangema, asema, asangema
class 8	zema	zangema, azema, azangema
class 9	yema	yangema, ayema, ayangema
class 10	zema	zangema, azema, azangema
class 11	lwema	lwangema, alwema, alwangema
class 14	bema	bangema, abema, abangema
class 15	kwema	kwangema, akwema, akwangema
class 17	kwema	kwangema, akwema, akwangema

Derived terms

• -mi
• isimo
• umumo

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “ma”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ma (inf. ukuma, 2.3-6.6-3)”