(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.
Pronunciation
Rhymes: -ɑː
Noun
ma (pluralmas) (not generally used in the plural)
(colloquial, and in direct address) mother, mama
Usage notes
Often capitalized when used to refer to a specific person.
Synonyms
Translations
See also
pa
Etymology 3
Abbreviation.
Noun
ma
May
Usage notes
Usually capitalised as Ma.
Etymology 4
From my
Determiner
ma
(dialectal, informal)Alternative spelling of my
Etymology 5
From Chinese嘛 (ma, “of course!”).
Particle
ma(Singlish, Singapore, colloquial)
Alternative form of mah
References
Anagrams
'am, A&M, A. & M., A. M., A.M., AM, Am, Am., a.m., am
'Are'are
Conjunction
ma
and
References
Kateřina Naitoro, A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (2013)
Acehnese
Noun
ma
mother
References
2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.
Afrikaans
Noun
ma (pluralma's)
mom, mother
Synonyms
mamma
moeder
Antonyms
pa
Derived terms
ouma
Ajië
Conjunction
ma
and
References
Leenhardt, M. (1935) Vocabulaire et grammaire de la langue Houaïlou, 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.
Alemannic German
Alternative forms
mà, Maa, Mann, Mànn, mo
Etymology
From Middle High Germanman, from Old High Germanman, from Proto-Germanic*mann-. Cognate with GermanMann, Dutchman, Englishman, Icelandicmaður, Swedishman, Gothic𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌰(manna).
Noun
mam(Gressoney, Issime)
man
husband
References
“ma” in Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Anaang
Verb
má
to love
Further reading
Cristiane Benjamin Santos, Aspectos morfossintáticos dos pronomes pessoais em Anaan (2007)
Bruce Connell, Lower Cross Wordlist
Anguthimri
Noun
ma
(Mpakwithi) man
Verb
ma
(transitive, Mpakwithi) to hear
(transitive, Mpakwithi) to listen
References
Terry Crowley, The Mpakwithi dialect of Anguthimri (1981), page 187
Aromanian
Etymology 1
From Latinmagis. Compare Romanianmai.
Adverb
ma
more
Etymology 2
From Italianma.
Conjunction
ma
but, yet
Asturian
Alternative forms
mamá
Noun
maf (pluralmas)
mother
Synonym:madre
Bambara
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [màꜜà]
Noun
ma
sea cow
References
2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.
Breton
Pronoun
ma
my
Interjection
ma
good!
Conjunction
ma
that
if
Synonyms
mar
Catalan
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin*mam, reduced form of Latinmeam
Pronunciation
(Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA(key): /ˈma/
Homophone: mà
Determiner
ma
feminine singular of mon
Chamorro
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /mæ/
Pronoun
ma
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
References
Donald M. Topping (1973) Chamorro Reference Grammar[4], Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Cimbrian
Etymology 1
From Middle High Germanmāne, from Old High Germanmāno, from Proto-West Germanic*mānō, from Proto-Germanic*mēnô(“moon”). Cognate with GermanMond, Englishmoon.
Noun
mam
(Tredici Comuni) moon
Alternative forms
maano, må
References
“ma” in Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Etymology 2
An unstressed pronunciation of månn(“man”). Compare Germanman, Dutchmen for a similar construct.
Pronoun
ma
(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.
Dama (Sierra Leone)
Etymology
Related to widespread words for "mother" and related respectful terms for women across West Africa.
Noun
ma
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
bee (insect)
Dutch
Pronunciation
Rhymes: -aː
Noun
maf (pluralma's, diminutivemaatjen)
(informal) mother
Synonyms
mama
moeder
See also
oma
pa
Efik
Verb
má
love, like
Further reading
Bruce Connell, Lower Cross Wordlist
Estonian
Pronoun
ma (genitivemu, partitivemind)
I; short form of mina
Finnish
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈmɑ/, [ˈmɑ]
Rhymes: -ɑ
Syllabification: ma
Etymology 1
From maanantai.
Noun
ma
Abbreviation of maanantai(“Monday”).
Etymology 2
See minä.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈmɑ/, [ˈmɑ]
Rhymes: -ɑ
Syllabification: ma
Pronoun
ma
(personal, archaic, poetic) I
Synonyms
minä(standard Finnish)
mä(colloquial)
mie(dialectal)
miä(dialectal)
mää(dialectal)
mnää(dialectal)
French
Etymology
From Old Frenchma, from Latinmea.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Determiner
maf
feminine singular of mon
Related terms
1 Also used before feminine adjectives and nouns beginning with a vowel or mute h.
2 Also used as the polite singular form.
Further reading
“ma” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Friulian
Etymology
From Latinmagis.
Conjunction
ma
but
Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai
Pronoun
ma
2nd-person singular pronoun: you
2nd-person plural pronoun: you
2nd-person singular possessive pronoun: your
2nd-person plural possessive pronoun: your
See also
Hawaiian
Preposition
ma
in, at
Hungarian
Etymology
Probably related to más.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ˈmɒ]
Rhymes: -mɒ
Adverb
ma
today
Synonym:máma(folksy)
Noun
ma (pluralmák)
today
(attributively, before any time of day) this …… (morning etc.), to-…… (as in “tonight”)
Declension
Its plural and (single- and multiple-possession) possessive forms are hardly if ever used. The suffixed singular forms máig, mára, mához, máról, and mától are common, while mát, mának, mával, máért, mában, mánál, mába, 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.
Derived terms
jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok
mai
most
Related terms
más
References
Further reading
ma in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh: A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (’The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962.
Ido
Etymology
Borrowed from Frenchmais, Italianma, Spanishmas from Latinmagis, from Proto-Indo-European*méǵh₂s.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Conjunction
ma
but
Synonyms
sed(archaic)
Interlingua
Etymology
From Italianma. Compare Spanishmas.
Conjunction
ma
but
Interlingue
Conjunction
ma
but
Istriot
Etymology
From Latinmagis.
Conjunction
ma
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
From Latinmagis.
Pronunciation
Rhymes: -a
Conjunction
ma
but
See also
però
Noun
maf
Abbreviation of mamma.
Interjection
ma
(informal, emphatic) Indicates emotion or emphasis.
Ma che carino! - Oh, how cute!
(informal) Used to introduce a new topic or a question.
Ma...tu sei di Roma? - So...you're from Rome?
References
Japanese
Romanization
ma
Rōmaji transcription of ま
Rōmaji transcription of マ
Jarawa
Etymology
Cognate to Öngemi(“I; me”).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Pronoun
ma
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
References
Kumar, Pramod (2012). Descriptive and Typological Study of Jarawa (PhD). Jawaharlal Nehru University. Page 76—85.
Kavalan
Adverb
ma
only
Noun
ma
daddy; father (term of address)
Keoru-Ahia
Noun
ma
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
truth
Adverb
ma
truly
Etymology 2
Particle
ma
(for class 6) of
References
Ladino
Etymology
From Old Spanishmas, from Latinmagis.
Conjunction
ma (Latin spelling)
but
Synonym:ama
why
Lala (South Africa)
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu*-jɪ́ma.
Verb
-má
to stand
Livonian
Alternative forms
minā
Etymology
See etymology at Finnish me.
Pronoun
ma
I; first person pronoun, referring to the speaker
Declension
See also
sinā, sa
tämā, ta
References
Renāte Blumberga, Tapio Mäkeläinen, Karl Pajusalu (2013), Lībieši: vēsture, valoda un kultūra, Rīga: Līvõ Kultūr sidām, →ISBN
Lower Sorbian
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ma]
Verb
ma
third-person singular present of měś
Maltese
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /maː/
Usually unstressed and then automatically shortened to /ma/.
Homophone: ma'
Etymology 1
From Arabicمَا (mā, “not”).
Adverb
ma
not; used to negate verbs and pronominal adverbs
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
From Arabicمَا (mā, “what”).
Pronoun
ma
(relative)Alternative form of li(“who, which, that”), used in some fossiled expressions
Derived terms
bħalma
Mandarin
Romanization
ma (Zhuyin˙ㄇㄚ)
Pinyin transcription of 么
Pinyin transcription of 嗎, 吗
Pinyin transcription of 嘛
Pinyin transcription of 㕰
ma
Nonstandard spelling of mā.
Nonstandard spelling of má.
Nonstandard spelling of mǎ.
Nonstandard spelling of mà.
Usage notes
English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.
Maricopa
Noun
ma
milk
Middle English
Pronoun
ma
Alternative form of man(“one, you”)
Neapolitan
Etymology
From Latinmagis. Compare Italianma, Frenchmais.
Conjunction
ma
but
Nigerian Pidgin
Etymology
From Englishmy.
Determiner
ma
my
North Frisian
Preposition
ma
(Mooring Dialect) with
Northern Ndebele
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu*-jɪ́ma.
Verb
-má
to stand
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Novial
Conjunction
ma
but
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic*maiz. Cognate with Old Frisianmā, Old Saxonmēr, Old Dutchmēr, Old High Germanmēr, Old Norsemeir, Gothic𐌼𐌰𐌹𐍃(mais).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /mɑː/
Adverb
mā
more
instead, rather
Adjective
mā (indeclinable)
more (often + genitive)
The Life of Saint Margaret
Old French
Etymology
From Latinmea.
Determiner
maf (masculinemon, pluralmes)
my (first-person singular possessive)
Descendants
French: ma
Old Frisian
Pronoun
ma
one
Old Irish
Conjunction
ma
Alternative spelling of má
Opao
Noun
ma
water
References
Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
Orokolo
Noun
ma
water
References
Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
Phalura
Etymology
From Sanskritम(ma, “1sg (base of oblique cases)”).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Pronoun
ma (personal, Perso-Arabic spellingمہ)
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
Liljegren, Henrik; Haider, Naseem (2011) Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)[7], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN
Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) , “(9691)”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
Pipil
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /maː/
Particle
mā
Subjunctive marker
Clipping of maka. (Negative imperative marker)
Usage notes
The particle ma helps disambiguating many of the subjunctive forms from the present indicative or imperative forms.
Verb
-má
Clipping of -maka.
Pitjantjatjara
Adverb
ma
away
Pohnpeian
Conjunction
ma
if
Polish
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Verb
ma
third-person singular present indicative of mieć
Pronoun
ma
Alternative form of moja.
Further reading
ma in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /mɐ/
Contraction
ma
Contraction of me a.
Samoan
Conjunction
ma
and
because
Preposition
ma
with
Savi
Etymology
From Sanskritमया(mayā) or another form of अहम्(aham, “I”).
Pronoun
ma
I; first-person singular personal pronoun
References
Nina Knobloch (2020) A grammar sketch of Sauji: An Indo-Aryan language of Afghanistan[8], Stockholm University
Scots
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/, /mə/
Etymology
From Middle Englishmi, my, apocopated form of min, myn, from Old Englishmīn(“my, mine”), from Proto-Germanic*mīnaz(“my, mine”, pron.) (genitive of *ek(“I”)), from Proto-Indo-European*méynos(“my; mine”).
Determiner
ma
my
Synonym:wir
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
From Old Irishmá, from Proto-Celtic*mā, *ma (compare Cornish and Bretonmar), from Proto-Indo-European*meh₂.
Conjunction
ma
if
Usage notes
If followed by the future tense, the relative future tense is used.
In the conditional tense, instead of ma, nan/nam is used in positive sentences and mura in negative ones.
Serbo-Croatian
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ma/
Hyphenation: m‧a
Interjection
ma
bah, whatever
Placed at the beginning of a sentence to add intensity and surprise
Placed at the beginning of a sentence to express dismissal and indignation
Used to emphasize sarcasm
Situ
Etymology
Proto-Sino-Tibetan*ma.
Particle
ma
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
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ma]
Pronoun
ma
genitive/accusative of ja
Suri
Noun
mà
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
to stand
to stop, to wait
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Tahitian
Conjunction
ma
and
Preposition
ma
with
Tairuma
Noun
ma
Alternative form of ma'a
References
Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
Toaripi
Noun
ma
(Toaripi, Kaipi, Sepoe) water
References
Karl J. Franklin, Comparative Wordlist 1 of the Gulf District and adjacent areas (1975), page 67
Tokelauan
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈma/
Hyphenation: ma
Etymology 1
From Proto-Polynesian*ma. Cognates include Maorimā and Samoanma.
Conjunction
ma
Joins noun clauses; and, with
Joins verb clauses; and, also, too
Etymology 2
From Proto-Polynesian*ma.
Preposition
ma
from, away from
Etymology 3
Preposition
ma
Marks a prospective role of the subject; as, for
References
R. Simona, editor (1986) Tokelau Dictionary[9], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 198
Tz'utujil
Adverb
ma
not
Veps
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic*maa, from Proto-Uralic*mëxe.
Noun
ma
earth
ground
soil
land, country, region
state
Inflection
Derived terms
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], Petrozavodsk: Periodika
Vietnamese
Pronunciation
(Hà Nội) IPA(key): [maː˧˧]
(Huế) IPA(key): [maː˧˧]
(Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [maː˧˧]
Etymology
From Proto-Vietic*-maː(“genie; phantom; ghost; spirit”). Sino-Vietnamese word from 魔.
Noun
(classifiercon) ma
ghost (spirit appearing after death)
Derived terms
Noun
(classifiercon) ma
(archaic) a demon
(archaic) magic
Synonyms
quỷ
Derived terms
Vilamovian
Pronoun
ma
(indefinite) one, they (indefinite third-person singular pronoun)
Vilela
Noun
ma
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
my
me, accusative of iné
References
Focus, chapter 8: Warao and Urarina
Languages with Wilf, Comparison: Warao vs. Warray
Wolof
Pronoun
ma
me (first-person singular object pronoun)
See also
Xhosa
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu*-jɪ́ma.
Verb
-̂ma
(intransitive) to halt
(intransitive) to stop
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Derived terms
ummi
Zazaki
Pronunciation
Rhymes: -ma
Pronoun
ma
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 Thaiหมา(mǎa), Northern Thaiᩉ᩠ᨾᩣ, Laoໝາ(mā), Lüᦖᦱ(ṁaa), Tai Damꪢꪱ, Shanမႃ(mǎa), Tai Nüaᥛᥣᥴ(máa), Aitonမႃ, Ahom𑜉𑜠(ma), Saekหม่า.
Noun
ma (classifierduz, Sawndip forms𬌫or獁or𬍄or䭾or庅or犸or𭸱, old orthographyma)
dog
Etymology 2
From Proto-Tai*ʰmaːᴬ(“to come”). Cognate with Thaiมา(maa), Northern Thaiᨾᩣ(ma), Laoມາ(mā), Lüᦙᦱ(maa), Tai Nüaᥛᥣᥰ(mäa), Shanမႃး(máa), Aitonမႃ, Ahom𑜉𑜠(ma) or 𑜉𑜡(maa) or 𑜉𑜡𑜠(maaa).
Verb
ma (Sawndip forms庲or么or麻or𮜃or𫹞or駡, old orthographyma)
to come back; to return
See also
maz
Zulu
Etymology
From Proto-Bantu*-jɪ́ma.
Verb
-má
(intransitive) to stand, to be standing
(intransitive) to stand still, to not move
(intransitive) to stop, to come to a standstill, to halt