mai

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mai"

Languages (74)

Translingual • English

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Maithili or Maithili मैथिली (maithilī).

Symbol

mai

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Maithili.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Maithili terms

English

Etymology

Orthographic borrowing from the romanized form of Japanese マイ (mai), in turn a borrowing from English my, which it is treated as an alternate form of.

Pronunciation

• enPR: mī, IPA^(key): /maɪ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Determiner

mai

1. (anime, manga, fandom slang, Internet slang) Alternative form of my.

   mai waifu

   mai husbando

See also

• mai-baap
• mai fun
• mai tai
• mai tu liao
• siu mai
• yellow mai

Anagrams

• I'm a', ima, I'm-a, IAM, I'ma, I'm'a, AIM, i'ma, IMA, I'm a, i'm'a, I am, Ima, AMI, aim, Mia, Ima', mia, MIA

Ajië

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mai]

Adjective

mai

1. far

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.

Ambonese Malay

Etymology

From Portuguese mãe. Cognate with Manado Malay mai.

Noun

mai

1. mother (female parent)

Derived terms

• cukimai
• jare mai
• mainatu
• maitua

Further reading

• D. Takaria, C. Pieter (1998), Kamus Bahasa Melayu Ambon-Indonesia‎^[4], Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa

Aragonese

Etymology

From Latin mater, matrem.

Noun

mai f (plural mais)

1. mother

Aromanian

Alternative forms

• maiu

Etymology

From Latin Maius or Greek Μάιος (Máios). Compare Romanian mai.

Noun

mai

1. May (month)

Atong (India)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maj/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bodo-Garo *mai¹ (“rice; paddy; cooked rice”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mej (“grain”). Cognate with Chinese 米 (mǐ).

Noun

mai (Bengali script মায় or মাই)

1. rice

Etymology 2

From English May.

Alternative forms

• me
• mei

Noun

mai (Bengali script মায় or মাই)

1. May

Synonyms

• jetja

References

• van Breugel, Seino. 2015. Atong-English dictionary, second edition. Available online: https://www.academia.edu/487044/Atong_English_Dictionary.

Bamwe

Noun

mai

1. water

Bangi

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *màjíjɪ̀.

Noun

mai

1. water

Further reading

• Comparative Handbook of Congo Languages (1903), page 176

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin magis.

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aj

Adverb

mai

1. never

   Antonym: sempre

   No ho sabrem mai. ― We'll never know.

2. ever

   Synonym: alguna vegada

   Hi has vingut mai, a la festa major? ― Have you ever been to the major festival?

Derived terms

• més val tard que no mai

See also

• jamai

Chuukese

Noun

mai

1. breadfruit

Culli

Noun

mai

1. foot

Derived terms

• mai-vil (“sandals”)

References

• Rivet, Paul (1949), “Les Langues De L'ancien Diocèse De Trujillo”, in Journal de la Société des américanistes‎^[5], volume 38, →ISSN, pages 1–51

Dharug

Noun

mai

1. alternative form of may

Estonian

Etymology

From German Mai.

Noun

mai (genitive mai, partitive maid)

1. May (the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June)

Declension

Declension of mai (ÕS type 26/koi, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		mai	maid
accusative	nom.
	gen.	mai
genitive			maide
partitive		maid	maisid
illative		maisse	maidesse
inessive		mais	maides
elative		maist	maidest
allative		maile	maidele
adessive		mail	maidel
ablative		mailt	maidelt
translative		maiks	maideks
terminative		maini	maideni
essive		maina	maidena
abessive		maita	maideta
comitative		maiga	maidega

Synonyms

• lehekuu
• lehehakkamiskuu
• õiekuu
• toomekuu
• meiukuu
• nelipühakuu

See also

Gregorian calendar months: Gregoriuse kalendri kuudedit

• jaanuar
• veebruar
• märts
• aprill
• mai
• juuni
• juuli
• august
• september
• oktoober
• november
• detsember

Faroese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin (mensis) maius.

Noun

mai m

1. May (month of the Gregorian calendar)

See also

Gregorian calendar monthsedit

• januar
• februar
• mars
• apríl
• mai
• juni
• juli
• august
• september
• oktober
• november
• desember

Fijian

Etymology

From Proto-Central Pacific *mai, from Proto-Oceanic *maʀi, *mai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi.

Particle

mai

1. directional particle indicating movement towards the speaker

   Antonym: yani

   Lako mai!

   Come here! (toward me)

   Solia mai!

   Give it here! (to me)

Interjection

mai!

1. come! (command to approach)

Preposition

mai

1. from (with the origin, starting point or initial reference of or at)

   — O sa lako maivei?
   — Au lako mai Suva.

   — Where did you come from?
   — I came from Suva.

2. at, in (location other than where the speaker is)

   mai Suva (when speaker is not in Suva) ― in Suva

   mai vanua tani ― overseas/in foreign lands

3. by (indicates the agent of a passive verb)

   Sa dola na soqo mai vua na vulagi dokai.

   The function was opened by the distinguished guest.

Derived terms

• ena macawa ka tu mai (“during the coming week”)
• ena macawa mai oqo (“in the coming week”)
• Komai (minor title prefix)
• Mai (chiefly title prefix in Cakaudrove)
• mai muri (“future, afterwards”)
• mai oqo (“from now, henceforth”)
• mai vanua tani (“from overseas”)
• na noda kawa mai muri (“our future generations”) (idiom)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “mai”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[6], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, page 151

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French mai, from Latin Maius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɛ/

• Audio (France); “en mai”:

  (file)

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Paris)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Massy)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛ
• Homophones: maie, maies, mais, met, mets (general), mes (ɛ/e-merger)

Noun

mai m (plural mais)

1. May (month)

Derived terms

• arbre de mai
• mi-mai

Descendants

• Guianese Creole: mé
• Haitian Creole: me
• Louisiana Creole: mê
• Mauritian Creole: me
• Réunion Creole French: mé
• → English: may
• → Fula: mee
• → Iranian Persian: مه (me)
• → South Azerbaijani: مه (mə)
• → Tunisian Arabic: ماي (mēy)
• → Lao: ແມ (mǣ)

See also

Gregorian calendar months: mois du calendrier grégorienedit

• janvier
• février
• mars
• avril
• mai
• juin
• juillet
• août
• septembre
• octobre
• novembre
• décembre

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• ami

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin magis.

Adverb

mai

1. never

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese mãy, from Latin mater. Cognate of Portuguese mãe.

Noun

mai f (plural mais)

1. alternative form of nai

Gallo

Pronoun

mai

1. me

Garo

Pronoun

mai

1. what

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese mãe. Cognate with Kabuverdianu mai.

Noun

mai

1. mother

Hausa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mâi/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [mâi]

Noun

mâi m (possessed form mâin)

1. oil, fat, grease
2. gasoline, petrol

Derived terms

• man shanu

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mai, from Proto-Central Pacific *mai, from Proto-Oceanic *mai, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi. Compare with Māori mai and Rapa Nui mai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmai̯/, [ˈmɐj], (rapid speech) [ˈmɛj]

Particle

mai

1. hither, this way, towards the speaker

   Mai mai mai!

   Come in, come in!

   E hoʻolohe mai ana lākou i ka moʻolelo.

   They were listening to the story.

Usage notes

• Commonly used after verbs that do not need a directional in English.
• Mai and aku may change the meaning of the verb:

  aʻo mai ("to learn") - aʻo aku ("to teach")

  kūʻai mai ("to buy") - kūʻai aku ("to sell")

Synonyms

• maila

Antonyms

• aku, akula

Preposition

mai

1. from (used in the sequence mai...mai or mai...aku)

Verb

mai

1. don't Negative imperative followed by a verb

   Mai makaʻu.

   Don't be afraid.

Hungarian

Etymology

ma +‎ -i

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɒji]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: mai
• Rhymes: -ji

Adjective

mai (not comparable)

1. of today, today's

   Antonyms: régi, antik

   a mai újság ― today’s newspaper

Declension

Inflection (stem in -a-, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	mai	maiak
accusative	mait	maiakat
dative	mainak	maiaknak
instrumental	maival	maiakkal
causal-final	maiért	maiakért
translative	maivá	maiakká
terminative	maiig	maiakig
essive-formal	maiként	maiakként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	maiban	maiakban
superessive	main	maiakon
adessive	mainál	maiaknál
illative	maiba	maiakba
sublative	maira	maiakra
allative	maihoz	maiakhoz
elative	maiból	maiakból
delative	mairól	maiakról
ablative	maitól	maiaktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	maié	maiaké
non-attributive possessive – plural	maiéi	maiakéi

Further reading

• mai 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.

Anagrams

• ami, ima

Iban

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maiʔ/
• Rhymes: -mai
• Hyphenation: mai

Verb

mai

1. to bring

Ingrian

Month names

Previous:	apreli
Next:	ijuuni

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian май (maj).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

mai

1. May
   • 1937, N. S. Popova, translated by A. Kolesova, Arifmetiikan oppikirja alkușkouluja vart (toin osa), Leningrad: Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 25:

     Vooes ono 12 kuuta: janvari, fevrali, martti, apreli, mai, ijuuni, ijuuli, avgusta, sentjabri, oktjabri, nojabri i dekabri.

     In a year are 12 months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.

Declension

Declension of mai (type 8/maa, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	mai	mait
genitive	main	maijen
partitive	maita	maita
illative	maihe	maihe
inessive	mais	mais
elative	maist	maist
allative	maille	maille
adessive	mail	mail
ablative	mailt	mailt
translative	maiks	maiks
essive	mainna, main	mainna, main
exessive1)	maint	maint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Derived terms

• maikuu
• Maipraaznikka

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 291

Istriot

Etymology

From Latin magis.

Adverb

mai

1. never (not ever)
   • 1877, Antonio Ive, Canti popolari istriani: raccolti a Rovigno, volume 5, Ermanno Loescher, page 40:

     Che mai pioûn biela duon i’iê veisto al mondo,

     That I haven’t ever seen a more beautiful woman in the world,

Italian

Etymology

Inherited from Latin magis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.i/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ai
• Hyphenation: mà‧i

Adverb

mai

1. never
2. ever, always
3. used as an intensifier

   Una risposta quanto mai ambigua.

   An ambiguous answer indeed.

   Dove mai si sarà cacciato?

   Where on earth did he end up?

Derived terms

• casomai
• come mai
• giammai
• mai dire mai
• mai e poi mai
• mai più
• maunque
• meglio tardi che mai
• ora o mai più
• ormai
• quasi mai

Anagrams

• ami, ima, mia

Japanese

Romanization

mai

1. Rōmaji transcription of まい
2. Rōmaji transcription of マイ

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr

Proto-Italic *mātēr

Latin māter

Old Galician-Portuguese madre

Old Galician-Portuguese mãy

Portuguese mãeder.

Kabuverdianu mai

Derived from Portuguese mãe.

Noun

mai

1. mother

Karelian

Regional variants of mai

North Karelian (Viena)	—
South Karelian (Tver)	mai

Months of the year

Previous:	aprelʹa
Next:	ijunʹa

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian май (maj).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑi̯/
• Hyphenation: mai

Noun

mai (genitive main, partitive maida)

1. (South Karelian) May

Declension

Tver Karelian declension of mai (type 6/pimie, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	mai	main
genitive	main	maida
partitive	maida	maih
illative	maih	maissa
inessive	maissa	maista
elative	maista	mailla
adessive	mailla	mailda
ablative	mailda	maiksi
translative	maiksi	maina
essive	maina	mainke
comitative	mainke	maitta
abessive	maitta	{{{25}}}
prolative	mait	{{{26}}}
instructive	—	{{{27}}}

Possessive forms of mai
1st person	maini
2nd person	mais
3rd person	maih
*) Possessive forms are very rare for adjectives and only used in substantivised clauses.

Synonyms

• oraškuu

References

• A. V. Punzhina (1994), “mai”, in Словарь карельского языка (тверские говоры) [Dictionary of the Karelian language (Tver dialects)], →ISBN

Kaurna

Alternative forms

• mayi (superseded)

Etymology

From Proto-Thura-Yura *mayi, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *mayi (“vegetable food”). Cognates include Pitjantjatjara mai, Guugu Yimidhirr mayi and Warlpiri miyi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mai]
• Hyphenation: mai

Noun

mai

1. food, particularly vegetable food or plant-based food

   Maimpi waa?

   Where's some food?

   Padlu kadli mai-anta ngarki.

   S/he even ate the dog food.

2. (traditional, specifically) bush tucker (traditional indigenous food obtained from wild plants found in the bush)

   Synonym: yaitya mai

   Antonym: pinti mai

   Ngadlurlu yaitya mai mainthi.

   We eat native plant food.

Usage notes

This term particularly refers to indigenous plant foods and contrasts with pinti mai (“European food”), which was introduced after European contact. To specify indigenous plant foods, yaitya mai (literally “own food”) may also be used.

Derived terms

• mai karnkarnkati (“spoon”)
• mai pudnapiti (“bait”)
• mai wantawantati (“plate, dish”)
• mai-idla (“without food”)
• mai-itya (“hungry”)
• maikudna (“stingy”)
• maikuntu (“skin, dingo hide”)
• maimarnguta (“greedy for food, gluttonous”)
• maiminma (“greedy for food, gluttonous”)
• maimpi (“wanting food”)
• maimunthu (“full, satisfied after eating”)
• maimunthu tikanthi (“to have plenty”)
• mainthi (“to eat, to graze”)
• maipadniti (“throat, oesophagus, gut”)
• mairna (“provisions, foodstuffs”, plural)
• maitidli (“having food”)
• maitina (“without food, destitute”)
• pinti mai, pintimai (“European food”)

References

• Amery, Rob; Greenwood, Susie; Morley, Jasmine (2023) [2021], “mai”, in Kaurna Warrapiipa [Kaurna Dictionary], 3rd edition, Adelaide, SA: Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi; Wakefield Press, page 31

Kedah Malay

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *mari, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai/

Verb

mai

1. Come, present (at here), attend, be (here)

   Hang nak gebang aku eh, kata nak mai, batang hidung pun tak nampak!

   You said that you're gonna come, but I didn't see you anywhere!

   Depa mai ka dak ni; dah cemuih dah dok tang ni dok melangut ja.

   Have you seen them (present at here), cause I am bored to death here, just doing nothing.

Interjection

mai

1. Come here! Here!

   Mai la sat, aku seghighau satgi depa tabuh aku pulak.

   Please come with me for a second, I'm afraid that they might hit me.

   "Mai la, hang dok takut pa, aku tak buat pa eh," kata Ali kepada kucingnya.

   "Come! What are you so afraid of? I'm not gonna do anything to you," says Ali to his cat.

Khumi Chin

Mai.

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *maj, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *məj. Cognates include Tibetan མེ (me) and S'gaw Karen မ့ၣ် (maỳ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai̯˥/

Noun

mai

1. fire
2. flame

Derived terms

• mai-ing
• maidüte
• maikangte
• maikhü
• maipa
• maiphaw
• maisä-e
• maithawngte
• maitinae

References

• R. Shafer (1944), “Khimi Grammar and Vocabulary”, in Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, volume 11, number 2, page 423
• K. E. Herr (2011), The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎^[7], Payap University, page 44

Kikuyu

Etymology

Hinde (1904) records mai as an equivalent of English dung (cow's) in “Jogowini dialect” of Kikuyu, listing also Kamba maii and Swahili mavi as its equivalents.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai/

Noun

mai class 6

1. shit, stool

Derived terms

(Proverbs)

• mbũri ya mai ndĩremaga

See also

• mathugumo

Kokborok

Etymology

From Proto-Bodo-Garo *mai¹ (“rice; paddy; cooked rice”), from, Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mej (“grain”). Cognate with Garo mi, Atong (India) mai.

Noun

mai

1. rice
2. paddy

References

• Debbarma, Binoy (2001), “mai”, in Concise Kokborok-English-Bengali Dictionary‎^[8], Language Wing, Education Department, TTAADC, →ISBN, page 78

Lambadi

Noun

mai

1. mother

Leonese

Etymology

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

Noun

mai f

1. mother

References

• “mai”, in Diccionario Castellano-Leonés / Leonés-Castellano [Spanish-Leonese / Leonese-Spanish Dictionary] (in Spanish), La Asociación L'Alderique, 2012–2026

Lingala

Etymology

See Lingala mái.

Noun

mai

1. water

Luxembourgish

Etymology

Borrowed from Yenish mai, probably from Hebrew מֵאָה (me'á, “hundred”).

Numeral

mai

1. (Jéinesch, cant) hundred

   Synonym: zantes

Macanese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr

Proto-Italic *mātēr

Latin māter

Old Galician-Portuguese madre

Old Galician-Portuguese mãy

Portuguese mãe

Macanese mai

Inherited from Portuguese mãe.

Noun

mai

1. mother

   Coordinate term: pai

Derived terms

• pai-mai

References

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

Malay

Pronunciation

• (Kedah) IPA^(key): [ˈmai̯]

Verb

mai (Jawi spelling ماي)

1. (dialectal) to come (to move from further away to nearer to)

Related terms

• mari

References

• “mai”, in Kamus Dewan [The Institute Dictionary] (in Malay), Fourth edition, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2005, →ISBN
• "mai" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "mai" at PRPM first version)

Mandar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai/

Verb

mai

1. to ask for, to request

References

• Nadia Almira Sagitta (2016), Kamus Mandar-Indonesia‎^[9], page 17

Mandarin

Romanization

mai

1. nonstandard spelling of mái
2. nonstandard spelling of mǎi
3. nonstandard spelling of mài

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 *mai, from Proto-Central Pacific *mai, from Proto-Oceanic *mai, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi. Compare with Hawaiian mai and Rapa Nui mai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmai/ [ˈmɐi]

Adverb

mai

1. hither
2. to, from
3. since

Mbandja

Noun

mai

1. water

References

• William L. Gardner, Language use in the Epena district of Northern Congo, SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2006-005 (2006)

Middle English

Verb

mai

1. alternative form of may

Mizo

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *maay.

Noun

mai

1. pumpkin

Derived terms

• maian
• maipâwl

Further reading

• Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940), “mai”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society

Murui Huitoto

Alternative forms

• maì (superseded)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mai̯]

Adverb

mai

1. Used to form hortatives of verbs; let's

   Mai jaai! ― Let's go!

2. Used to form the end of a narrative: the end, that's it

References

• Shirley Burtch (1983), Diccionario Huitoto Murui (Tomo I) (Linguistica Peruana No. 20)‎^[10] (in Spanish), Yarinacocha, Peru: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, page 171
• Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017), A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎^[11], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 144

North Frisian

Alternative forms

• mei (Föhr-Amrum)
• mooge (Mooring)

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maganą.

Verb

mai

1. (Sylt) would, would like to, like to

Conjugation

Conjugation of mai (Sylt dialect)

infinitive I	mai
infinitive II	(tö) maien
past participle	maat
imperative	—
	present	past
1st singular	mai	maat
2nd singular	maist	maatst
3rd singular	mai	maat
plural / dual	mai	maat
	perfect	pluperfect
1st singular	haa maat	her maat
2nd singular	heest maat	herst maat
3rd singular	heer maat	her maat
plural / dual	haa maat	her maat
	future (skel)	future (wel)
1st singular	skel mai	wel mai
2nd singular	sket mai	wet mai
3rd singular	skel mai	wel mai
plural / dual	skel mai	wel mai

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin Maius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑɪ̯/, /ˈmɑː.i/

Noun

mai m (definite singular maien, indefinite plural maier, definite plural maiene)

1. May (fifth month of the Gregorian calendar)

Usage notes

• All inflected forms (including the definite singular) are very rare.

See also

Gregorian calendar months: månader i den gregorianske kalenderen, måneder i den gregorianske kalenderedit

• januar
• februar
• mars
• april
• mai
• juni
• juli
• august
• september
• oktober
• november
• desember

References

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

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Maius, after Maia.

Noun

mai (indeclinable)

1. May (fifth month)

References

• “mai” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Occitan

Alternative forms

• (Limousin, Auvergne, Languedoc, "but") mas
• (Gascony, "more/but") mes
• (Gascony, "more") mèi/mei
• (Gascony, Auvergne, "but") mès

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai/

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Old Occitan mai, from Latin magis.

Adverb

mai

1. (Provençal, Vivaro-Alpine, Languedoc) but
2. (Provençal, Vivaro-Alpine, Languedoc, Auvergne, Limousin) more

   Synonym: pus

Derived terms

• a mai
• mai o mens

Etymology 2

From Latin (mensis) Maius.

Noun

mai m (plural mais)

1. May (month)

Pitjantjatjara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai̯/, [mɛɪ]

Noun

mai

1. food (especially non-meat food; sometimes used for food in general)
2. plant used for food

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.i/
• Rhymes: -ai
• Syllabification: ma‧i

Verb

mai

1. third-person singular present of maić

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mai, from Proto-Oceanic, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi. Cognate with Hawaiian mai and Māori mai.

Preposition

mai

1. from, since

Romanian

Alternative forms

• май (mai) — post-1930s Cyrillic spelling

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaj/

• Audio (male voice):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: mai

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂sder.?

Latin Maia

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Italic *-os

Archaic Latin -os

Latin -us

Latin Maiusbor.

Koine Greek Μάϊος (Máïos)bor.

Old Church Slavonic маи (mai)bor.

Romanian mai

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic маи (mai), from Koine Greek Μάϊος (Máïos), from Latin (mensis) Maius. Less likely a direct derivation from Latin.

Noun

mai m (uncountable)

1. May

   Synonym: (popular/folk name) florar

See also

Gregorian calendar months: luni a calendarului gregorianedit

• ianuarie
• februarie
• martie
• aprilie
• mai
• iunie
• iulie
• august
• septembrie
• octombrie
• noiembrie
• decembrie

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *magis

Latin magis

Romanian mai

Inherited from Latin magis.

Adverb

mai

1. more
2. anymore
3. again
4. before

Usage notes

This word regards degree rather than number, for which a form of the word mult should be appended.

mai ușor ― easier (literally, “more easy”)

mai fericit ― happier (literally, “more happy”)

mai multă fericire ― more happiness

mai mulți băieți ― more boys

el nu mai merge ― he is not going anymore

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *melh₂-?

Proto-Indo-European *mer-?

Proto-Indo-European *merh₂-?

Latin malleus

Romanian mai

Inherited from Latin malleus (“hammer”).

Noun

mai n (plural maiuri)

1. mallet, maul, sledgehammer, rammer, club

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	mai	maiul	maiuri	maiurile
genitive-dative	mai	maiului	maiuri	maiurilor
vocative	maiule		maiurilor

Derived terms

• măior

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Hungarian máj.

Noun

mai n (plural maiuri) (Moldavian region, Transylvania, Bukovina, Maramureș)

1. liver

   Synonym: ficat

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	mai	maiul	maiuri	maiurile
genitive-dative	mai	maiului	maiuri	maiurilor
vocative	maiule		maiurilor

Etymology 5

Unawareness of the fact that it is a contraction, and thus is spelled together.

Contraction

mai

1. (eye dialect) misspelling of m-ai

Further reading

• “mai”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026

Romansh

Alternative forms

• matg (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran)
• meg (Puter)

Etymology

From Latin Maius.

Proper noun

mai m

1. (Vallader) May

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmai/ [ˈmai̯]
• Rhymes: -ai
• Syllabification: mai

Noun

mai f (plural mais)

1. (colloquial, Puerto Rico) mother, mom

   Synonyms: madre, mamá

Further reading

• “mai”, 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

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• ma-y, may — obsolete, Spanish-based spelling
• ma-i

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /maˈʔi/ [mɐˈʔɪ]
• Rhymes: -i
• Syllabification: ma‧i

Noun

maí (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜁ) (obsolete)

1. word loaded with meaning

   Synonym: wikang malaman

   may maing salita ― has a word loaded with meaning

See also

• paramdam
• sakuna

Further reading

• “mai”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de; Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860), Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves, y coordinado por el P. Juan de Noceda y el P. Pedro de Sanlucar. Ultimamente aumentado y corregido por varios religiosos de la Orden de Agustinos calzados.‎^[12] (overall work in Spanish and Classical Tagalog), Manila: Ramírez y Giraudier.

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈma.i]

Adverb

mai

1. even

   botoboto mai ioho, lado mai ioho ― they even ate grasshoppers, they even ate eels

   ngofa-ngofa amoi ua mai kado ― not even one child came

   ngori pipi cabu mai ua ― I have no money at all (literally, “my money, even a little is not”)

References

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

Tetum

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi. Compare Malay mari.

Verb

mai

1. to come

Tocharian B

Particle

mai

1. perchance

Tokelauan

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈma.i]
• Hyphenation: ma‧i

Preposition

mai

1. from
   • 1948, Tūlāfono fakavae a Tokelau [Constitution of Tokelau]‎^[13], page 1:

     Mai te kāloā, ko nā tālaaga ki nā fenua o Atafu, Nukunonu, Fakaofo, ma Olohega na fauhia kē fai ma o matou kāiga.

     From the ancient times, of the tales, the islands of Atafu, Nukunonu, Fakaofo and Olohega You created together, as our home.

Particle

mai

1. Indicates the motion of the action of the preceding verb towards the speaker; towards, to

Antonyms

• atu

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[14], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 199

Tungag

Noun

mai

1. ginger

Uneapa

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *mai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(um-)aʀi, from Proto-Austronesian *(um-)aʀi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai/

Verb

mai

1. to come

Further reading

• M. Ross, A. Pawley, M. Osmond, editors (2003), The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic‎^[15], volume 2: The Physical Environment, Australian National University, →ISBN.

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (Hà Nội):

  (file)

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) For the connection between "first part of the day" and "day after this one", compare Germanic equivalents such as English morn(ning) and morrow, Dutch morgen, Romance ones such as French demain and Italian domani, and Japanese 明日 and 朝 (ashita).

Noun

mai • (埋, 𣈕, 枚, 𪰹)

1. early morning
2. (colloquial) short for ngày mai (“tomorrow”)
3. the hair in front of a person's ears, sideburns

Derived terms

• ban mai
• hôm mai
• mai mốt
• nay mai
• ngày mai
• sao Mai
• sớm mai

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 梅 (“Chinese plum”).

Noun

mai • (枚, 梅) (classifier cây, bông, hoa)

1. Ochna integerrima, a tree species (sometimes shrub) of the family Ochnaceae, sometimes called apricot in English
   • 1999, Lê Trung Vũ and Lê Hồng Lý, Lễ hội Việt Nam, Văn hoá Thông tin, page 357

     Ngày xưa kỳ thi Hội chọn lấy đỗ Tiến sĩ được tổ chức vào mùa xuân, cùng với dịp hoa mai nở.

     In times of old, the ceremony of selecting Imperial Examination laureates was organized in spring, to coincide with the blooming of the apricot trees.

Etymology 3

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

Noun

mai (classifier cái)

1. (of crabs, turtles and tortoises) carapace (dorsal shell)

   Synonym: mu

Etymology 4

Cognate with Muong Bi bai.

Noun

mai • (鋰) (classifier cái)

1. a kind of shovel

Derived terms

• dốt đặc cán mai

Etymology 5

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 媒 (SV: môi).

Noun

mai • (䋦)

1. (Southern Vietnam) matchmaker

Derived terms

• mai mối

Etymology 6

Romanization

mai

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 埋

Derived terms

• mai phục
• thảo mai

Votic

Pronunciation

• (Luutsa, Liivčülä) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑi̯/, [ˈmɑi̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯
• Hyphenation: mai

Noun

mai

1. alternative form of maijõ

Inflection

Declension of mai (type I/maa, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	mai	maid
genitive	mai	maijõ
partitive	maitõ	mait
illative	maisõ	maisõ
inessive	maiz	maiz
elative	maiss	maiss
allative	maillõ	maillõ
adessive	maill	maill
ablative	mailt	mailt
translative	maissi	maissi
'Standardized' inflection based on the Vaipooli dialects; see WT:AVOT. For dialectal differences between case endings, see Appendix:Votic dialects. *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the terminative is formed by adding the suffix -ssaa to the genitive. ***) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka to the genitive.

References

• Hallap, V.; Adler, E.; Grünberg, S.; Leppik, M. (2012), “mai”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language]‎^[16], 2nd edition, Tallinn

Welsh

Etymology

From mae (“it is”).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales, standard) IPA^(key): /mai̯/
  • (North Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ma/, /mə/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /mai̯/
• Homophone: Mai; mae (South Wales)
• Rhymes: -ai̯

Conjunction

mai

1. (formal and North Wales colloquial) that (introduces a noun clause, marking it for emphasis)

   Mae’n dweud mai athro yw ef. (formal)

   He says that he is a teacher.

   Mae o’n deud mai athro ’dy o. (North Wales, colloquial)

   He says that he is a teacher.

   • 2012 April 27, “Uchafbwynt Uwchgynghrair Rygbi”, in BBC Cymru Fyw‎^[17], archived from the original on 23 August 2026:

     Byddai buddugoliaeth i Bontypridd yn sicrhau mai nhw fydd yn gorffen y tymor ar frig y tabl.

     Victory for Pontypridd would ensure that they finish the season at the top of the table.

Synonyms

• (South Wales, colloquial) taw

See also

• y
• bod
• i
• nad

West Makian

Etymology

Cognate with Ternate mari (“stone”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.i/

Noun

mai

1. stone

References

• James Collins (1982), Further Notes Towards a West Makian Vocabulary‎^[18], Pacific linguistics
• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[19], Pacific linguistics (as may)

Yola

Verb

mai

1. alternative form of mye
   • 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 21-23:

     Ye pace——yea, we mai zei, ye vaste pace whilke bee ee-stent owr ye londe zince th'ast ee-cam,

     The peace——yes, we may say the profound peace—which overspreads the land since your arrival,

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 114

Zhuang

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /maːi˨˦/
• Tone numbers: mai¹
• Hyphenation: mai

Verb

mai (1957–1982 spelling mai)

1. to mark; to label

Zou

Etymology 1

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *hmaay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mǎːi̯]
• Hyphenation: mai

Noun

ma̋i

1. face

Etymology 2

Mai khat.

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *maay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [māːi̯]
• Hyphenation: mai

Noun

mâi

1. pumpkin

References

• Philip Thangliènmâng (2010), Minimal dictionary and Self-tutor Functional Grammar in Zo-English-Hindi, New Delhi: Zoculsin, →ISBN, pages 21, 27
• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013), A Descriptive Grammar of Zou (PhD thesis), Canchipur: Manipur University, page 45