ka

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ka"

Languages (73)

Acehnese • Afar • Ainu • Albanian • Amanab • Ambonese Malay • Bahnar • Bambara • Basque • Central Pomo • Chuukese • Cimbrian • Drung • Dutch • Estonian • Ewe • Finnish • French • Fula • Futuna-Aniwa • German • Guinea-Bissau Creole • Haitian Creole • Hanunoo • Hausa • Hawaiian • Hokkien • Iban • Ido • Indonesian • Japanese • Javanese • Kabuverdianu • Kapampangan • Latin • Latvian • Lower Sorbian • Malay • Mandarin • Mangas • Maori • Mapudungun • Mizo • Namuyi • Naxi • Northern Pomo • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Prussian • Pali • Picuris • Pipil • Pitjantjatjara • Portuguese • Rapa Nui • Rawang • Scots • Serbo-Croatian • Skou • Somali • Spanish • Sumerian • Swahili • Tagalog • Tok Pisin • Tuvaluan • Ujir • Veps • Volapük • Ye'kwana • Yoruba

Page categories

Translingual

English Wikipedia has an article on:

ka

Wikipedia

Etymology

The etymology for the ISO 639-1 code for Georgian is from Georgian ქართული ენა (kartuli ena).

Symbol

ka

kiloyear (also ky, kyr)
thousands of years ago
(international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Georgian.

English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kɑː/
Rhymes: -ɑː

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Egyptian kꜣ.

Noun

ka (plural kas)

A spiritual part of the soul in Egyptian mythology, which survived after death.
- 1983, Norman Mailer, Ancient Evenings:
  Then, I wondered how long I must wait before seeing my Double, but if I recalled, the Ka was not supposed to appear before the seventy days of embalming were done.
- 1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae:
  Hence Dorian's portrait is like the ka or double of the deceased in Egyptian tombs, heaped with toys and furniture.
- 2011, Neil Gaiman, American Gods (Tenth Anniversary Edition), William Morrow 2013, p. 179:
  ‘You could bind the ka of a man to his body for five thousand years,’ said Jaquel.

Etymology 2

Origin uncertain.

Verb

ka

(transitive, obsolete) To serve or help; used only in the phrase "Ka me, ka thee" or variants thereof.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, Essays, III.5:
  Now nature stood ever on this point, Kæ mee Ile kæ thee, and ever ready to bee even alwaies on recompences and vicissitude of things, and to give as good as one brings.
- 1821 January 8, [Walter Scott], Kenilworth; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne, […]; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:
  Ka me, ka thee, is a proverb all over the world.

References

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

Etymology 3

Noun

ka (plural kas)

The name of the Cyrillic script letter К / к.

Anagrams

AK, Ak

Acehnese

Adverb

ka

already

Afar

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka/ [ˈkʌ]

Pronoun

ká

he, him

Usage notes

The form káa is used when the pronoun isn't followed by a clitic.

References

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

Ainu

Etymology

Likely a loan word from Nivkh ӿа (ha) (bearing the same meaning), given that the traps were of the same type and that sable hunting was taken up on Sakhalin for export to Qing China, to whom the Nivkh were nearer.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka]

Noun

ka

sable trap

References

Bugaeva, Anna. Handbook of the Ainu Language, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501502859

Albanian

Alternative forms

nga (Tosk)
kah

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka] (Gheg)

Etymology 1

From older kah, from *kah ~ ngah (compare Tosk Albanian nga), from Proto-Albanian *en kaxa, from Proto-Indo-European *en kʷod so (“wherein, wherefrom”), literally ‘in which this’. Cognate with Old Church Slavonic къ (kŭ, “to”).

Preposition

ka (+ nominative) ^[1]

from, out, out of, to
Jo, unë nuk jam ka Shqipëria.
No, I am not from Albania.
who, whom

Etymology 2

From earlier *kaha, from Proto-Albanian *koso, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁s- (“scratch, cut”). For sense development, compare Slavic *volь - ox, from *valiti - to throw down, castrate.^[2] Alternatively, the plural form qe suggests an earlier *kʷē, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (“ox, cow”) via an unidentified Indo-European language.^[3]

Pronunciation

singular: IPA^(key): [kaː]
singular: IPA^(key): [qɒ] (Gheg)
plural: IPA^(key): [ceː]

Noun

ka m (plural qe, definite kau, definite plural qetë)

ox
steer

Declension

Declension of ka

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	ka	kau	qe	qetë
accusative	ka	kaun	qe	qetë
dative	kau	kaut	qeve	qeve
ablative	kau	kaut	qesh	qeve

Hyponyms

kau i hullisë (“stronger ox (of a team) that walks in the furrow”)
ka i kularit (“yoke ox”)

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

ka

third-person singular present indicative of kam

References

^ Fialuur i voghel Sccyp e ltinisct (Small Dictionary of Albanian and Latin), page 51, by P. Jak Junkut, 1895, Sckoder
^ Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “ka”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 160
^ Orel - Balcanica pg. 114

Amanab

Pronoun

ka

I (first person singular nominative)

Ambonese Malay

Etymology

From Malay ke.

Preposition

ka

to, towards

References

D. Takaria, C. Pieter (1998) Kamus Bahasa Melayu Ambon-Indonesia‎^[2], Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa

Bahnar

Etymology

From Proto-Bahnaric *kaː, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *kaʔ; cognate with Sedang ká, Vietnamese cá, Mon က (kaʔ).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaː/

Noun

ka

fish

Bambara

Particle

ka

possessive marker
an ka jamana
our country

Particle

ka

particle linking subject and predicative adjective
A ka ɲi
It's good

Kidali ka jan
Kidal is far away

Basque

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/, [ka]

Noun

ka inan

The name of the Latin-script letter K/k.

Declension

Declension of ka (inanimate, ending in -a)

	indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive	ka	ka	kak
ergative	kak	kak	kek
dative	kari	kari	kei
genitive	karen	karen	ken
comitative	karekin	karekin	kekin
causative	karengatik	karengatik	kengatik
benefactive	karentzat	karentzat	kentzat
instrumental	kaz	kaz	kez
inessive	katan	kan	ketan
locative	katako	kako	ketako
allative	katara	kara	ketara
terminative	kataraino	karaino	ketaraino
directive	katarantz	karantz	ketarantz
destinative	katarako	karako	ketarako
ablative	katatik	katik	ketatik
partitive	karik	—	—
prolative	katzat	—	—

Central Pomo

Noun

ka

water

Chuukese

Pronoun

ka

you (singular)

Adjective

ka

you are

Related terms

		Present and past tense	Negative tense	Future	Negative future	Distant future	Negative determinate
Singular	First person	ua	use	upwe	usap	upwap	ute
	Second person	ka, ke	kose, kese	kopwe, kepwe	kosap, kesap	kopwap, kepwap	kote, kete
	Third person	a	ese	epwe	esap	epwap	ete
Plural	First person	aua (exclusive) sia (inclusive)	ause (exclusive) sise (inclusive)	aupwe (exclusive) sipwe (inclusive)	ausap (exclusive) sisap (inclusive)	aupwap (exclusive) sipwap (inclusive)	aute (exclusive) site (inclusive)
	Second person	oua	ouse	oupwe	ousap	oupwap	oute
	Third person	ra, re	rese	repwe	resap	repwap	rete

Cimbrian

Etymology

Shortened form of kan.

Preposition

ka

Alternative form of kan, used before words starting with s.

Drung

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ka.

Noun

ka

word

References

Ross Perlin (2019) A Grammar of Trung‎^[3], Santa Barbara: University of California

Dutch

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaː/
Hyphenation: ka
Rhymes: -aː

Etymology 1

From kade.

Noun

ka f (plural kaden or kades or ka's, diminutive kaatje n)

Alternative form of kade

Etymology 2

Uncertain. Possibly from Catharina Mulder or "Kaat Mossel".

Noun

ka f (plural ka's, diminutive kaatje n)

(Netherlands, derogatory) dominant woman

Synonyms

kenau

Etymology 3

Related to kauw.

Noun

ka f (plural ka's or kauwen, diminutive kaatje n or kauwtje n)

Alternative form of kauw

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Egyptian kꜣ.

Noun

ka c (plural ka's)

ka (ancient Egyptian notion of the soul, shown as a bird)

Estonian

Etymology

Derived from kaasas.

Adverb

ka (not comparable)

also, too
Tema läks ka metsa.
He also went to the forest.

Ewe

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkɑː/

Noun

ka (plural kawo)

Verb

ka

to bite
to break
to chip
to rummage

Finnish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkɑ/, [ˈkɑ̝]
Rhymes: -ɑ
Syllabification^(key): ka

Etymology 1

Variant of kaa, both shortenings of kanssa.

Adverb

ka (rare, dialectal)

also, too
Minä menin kauppaan ka.
I went to a shop as well.

Etymology 2

A dialectal or colloquial 2nd person imperative present of katsoa (“to look”).

Verb

ka

(dialectal, colloquial) look!
Ka!

Synonyms

katso
kato (colloquial)

French

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/ ~ /kɑ/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -ɑ

Noun

ka m (plural kas)

kay, The name of the Latin-script letter K/k.

Fula

Preposition

ka

to, in, at

Suffix

ka

Noun class indicator for nouns (singular) including abstractions and borrowed words

Usage notes

Common to all varieties of Fula (Fulfulde / Pulaar / Pular).

Article

ka

(definite) the (when it follows the noun)
taasa ka ― the bowl

Usage notes

Common to all varieties of Fula (Fulfulde / Pulaar / Pular).

Determiner

ka

(used in indicating something)
ka taasa ― this/that bowl

Usage notes

Common to all varieties of Fula (Fulfulde / Pulaar / Pular).

References

Oumar Bah, Dictionnaire Pular-Français, Avec un index français-pular, Webonary.org, SIL International, 2014.
M. Niang, Pulaar-English English-Pulaar Standard Dictionary, New York: Hippocrene Books, 1997.

Futuna-Aniwa

Verb

ka

(Aniwa) to squeal

German

Phrase

ka

(Internet slang) Alternative spelling of k. A.
- 2004 September 21, Tilman Wetter, “Schaltauge nachrüsten?”, in de.rec.fahrrad‎^[4] (Usenet):
  Na gut
  Mir war halt so nach schnellspannnabe, wegen Reifenwechseln undsoweiter.
  Ich hab ka nun den zweiten Totenkopf abgerissen und die 14er Schlüssel
  ziehen Winters immer in den Süden :-(
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2005 December 10, Alexander Jede, “einfrierende Maus bei xine”, in linux.debian.user.german‎^[5] (Usenet):
  Kann mir da einer helfen? ich hab absolut ka woran es liegt. AUs der config von xine bin ich zum nicht schlauer geworden.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2006 January 12, Alexander Jede, “einfrierende Maus bei xine”, in linux.debian.user.german‎^[6] (Usenet):
  irgendwo hab ich aufgeschnappt das mitte Februar neue Dual Core CPU´s auf den Markt kommen.Bitte nicht fragen wo ich das her hab,ka vieleicht bilde ich mir das ja auch nur ein ;-)
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From African origin. Cognate with Kabuverdianu ka.

Adverb

ka

not

Haitian Creole

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/

Etymology 1

From French cas (“case”).

Noun

ka

case, instance

Etymology 2

Contraction of kapab, from French capable

Verb

ka

(auxiliary) can, be able to

Hanunoo

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka/ [ˈka]
Rhymes: -a
Syllabification: ka

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ka (2sg. subject pronoun).

Pronoun

ka (Hanunoo spelling ᜣ)

you (singular)
Synonyms: kawo, (rare) kam

Naan ka pamag-uli?
Where do you live?

Etymology 2

Particle

ka (Hanunoo spelling ᜣ)

connective used between a cardinal numeral and that which is enumerated
duwa ka bilog sab-a ― two of saba bananas

Etymology 3

Particle

ka (Hanunoo spelling ᜣ) (literary)

a connective
Synonyms: pag, pagka

Kang ka idu, si Migra. ― My dog, Migra.

Hausa

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /káː/
- (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [káː]

Adverb

kā

(with dà or à) in or on

References

Newman, Paul (2007) A Hausa-English Dictionary (Yale Language Series), New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 102.

Hawaiian

Alternative forms

ke (before words that begin with 'k', 'a', 'e', or 'o')

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/, [kə]

Article

ka sg (plural nā)

the

Hokkien

For pronunciation and definitions of ka – see 家 (“home; family; household; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 家).

For pronunciation and definitions of ka – see 鳩 (“pigeon; dove (family; to gather; to assemble; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 鳩).

For pronunciation and definitions of ka – see 鉸 (“scissors; to cut with scissors; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 鉸).

For pronunciation and definitions of ka – see 加 (“to put on top of another object; to add; to put in; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 加).

Iban

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /käʔ̚/

Verb

ka

(informal, modal auxiliary) Contraction of deka.
Aku ka makai asi.
I want to eat rice.

Ido

Etymology

See kad. Decision no. 16, Progreso II. Based on the apocopic forms a, e, and o.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/

Particle

ka

Apocopic form of kad (used before a consonant)
Ka tu amoras me? ― Do you love me?

References

Progreso II (in Ido), 1909–1910, page 15, 357, 579

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch kaa.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka/, [ˈka]

Noun

ka

The name of the Latin-script letter K/k.

Synonyms

ke (Standard Malay)

Japanese

Romanization

ka

The hiragana syllable か (ka) or the katakana syllable カ (ka) in Hepburn romanization.

Javanese

Etymology

Clipping of ika

Determiner

ka

(colloquial) yonder

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From African origin.

Adverb

ka

not

Kapampangan

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ka (“2sg. subject pronoun”). Compare Indonesian -kah, Malay -kah.

Particle

ka

marks a sentence as interrogative
Kalaraman ka?
Is it a lie?

Nanka?
What's up?
- 1617, Francisco Coronel, Arte y reglas de la lengua Pampanga:
  Sucat mo casing bitasan quing micabucasan ca?
  Can you by chance assure us that you will arrive tomorrow?
whether (or not)
X ka Y ka?
Are you an X or Y?

Munta ka alika?
Are you going or not?
used with o to mark list and to connect choices being considered with uncertainty
Ini ka o ita ka, sanu kareni.
This or that?, which one of these?

Magpasta ka o magpitsa ka?
Are you gonna eat pasta or pizza?

Pronoun

ka

you (second person singular)
Kaluguran daka
I love you

Mamun ka kang inda
Say goodbye to your mother

Usage notes

The word ka usually replaces ika when in the middle of a sentence.
When speaking to be polite, use the plural form kayu, ikayu.

Latin

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /kaː/, [käː]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ka/, [käː]

Noun

kā f (indeclinable)

The name of the letter K.

Coordinate terms

(Latin-script letter names) littera; ā, bē, cē, dē, ē, ef, gē, hā / *acca, ī, kā, el, em, en, ō, pē, kū, er, es, tē, ū, ix / īx / ex, ȳ / ī graeca / ȳpsīlon, zēta

References

Arthur E. Gordon, The Letter Names of the Latin Alphabet (University of California Press, 1973; volume 9 of University of California Publications: Classical Studies), part III: “Summary of the Ancient Evidence”, page 32
Clearly there is no question or doubt about the names of the vowels A, E, I, O, U. They are simply long A, long E, etc. (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū). Nor is there any uncertainty with respect to the six mutes B, C, D, G, P, T. Their names are bē, cē, dē, gē, pē, tē (each with a long E). Or about H, K, and Q: they are hā, kā, kū — each, again, with a long vowel sound.

Latvian

Etymology

Originally an old neuter nominative singular form of kas (“who, what”) that acquired the function of a conjunction. Cognates include Old Prussian ka (“who, what”).^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka]
Audio: (file)

Conjunction

ka

that; used to link a subordinate clause to the main clause, sometimes with a pronominal antecedent (tas, tāds, tik, tādēļ, tāpēc), with various different functions:
(a) subject:

labi, ka darbs padarīts ― (it is) good that the work is done

viņam nepatika, ka tagad viņi ar Plienu bija palikuši tikai divi ― he didn't like that now only he and Pliens had remained

aplam darīts arī tas, ka divās dienās nopļāva visu Spilvas pļavu ― wrongly done was also that (= the fact) that (he) mowed the entire Spilva meadow in two days

tveice bija tāda, ka šķita - tīrums smaržo kā liela rudzu kalte ― the heat was such that one felt (as if) the field smelled like a big rye drier
(b) attributive complement, (secondary) predicate

pienāca ziņa, ka tēvs saslimis ― there is news that father is sick

viņi nolaida karogus per zīmi, ka demonstrācija beigusies ― they lowered the flags as a sign that the protest was over

vēl vairāk sirdi nospeiž sāpes, / ka atkal apkārt tikai mežs ― even more the heart is oppressed by the pain / that again (there is) only forest around

ir tāds karstums, ka pat putniņi paslēpušies ― (there) is such a heat that even the little birds are hiding
(c) direct object

viņš teica, ka varam iet ― he said that we could go

Ģirts redzēja, ka Artūrs nekā neapjēdz, ka labāk runāt par ko citu ― Ģirts saw that Artūrs would never realize that it would be better to talk about something else

Krančelis izrādīja visu savu nemieru ar to, ka nevarēja meiteni iepriecināt ― Krančelis showed all his concern with that (= the fact) that he could not cheer up the girl

kas gan var būt vēl skaistāks pasaulē par to, ka cilvēks palīdz cilvēkam un draugs - draugam! ― what can be more beautiful in (this) world than that (= the fact) that a person helps (another) person and a friend - (another) friend!
(d) adverbial complement (manner)

viņpus upes krastā Preimanis lādējās, ka visa pamale skanēja ― on the shore, on the other side of the river, Preimanis cursed (in such a way) that the whole horizon resounded (with his curses)

Saulītis krāca tā, ka ārā varēja dzirdēt ― Saulītis snored so (= in such a way) that one could hear it outside
(e) adverbial complement (cause)
(often tāpēc ka, tādēļ ka, less frequently tamdēļ ka, tālab ka, “for the reason that”)

viņai kļūst kauns par sevi, ka pat domās pieļāvusi salīdzinājumu ― she felt ashamed of herself, that (= because) she had allowed herself (to make) this comparison even in thought

publicisti uzbruka rakstniekiem, ka tie bez īstas kvēles un dedzības ķeras pagatavot lugas ― the publishers attacked the writers that (= because) they tried to prepare (= write) plays without real fervor and zeal

“bet varbūt tāpēc līst, ka man sāp zobs”, viņš iedomājās ― “but maybe it is raining for that reason, that (= because) my tooth hurts,” he thought

krievu valoda mums jāprot tādēļ, ka tā ir mūsu kaimiņu un draugu valoda ― we must know Russian for that reason, that (= because) it is the language of our neighbors and friends

Ješka nepaguva atbildēt, tāpēc ka papriekš gribēja iedzert ― Ješka couldn't answer, because he first wanted to drink

tu, tēvoc, daudz ko nedzirdi, tādēļ ka kurls esi palicis ― you, uncle, haven't heard much, because you have become deaf
(f) adverbial complement (consequence)
(often tā kā “so that”)

otrā rītā sāp mugura, ka tīri vai jāraud ― the next morning (his) back was in pain, (so much) that (he) simply had to cry

visi bija tik satraukti, ka nemanīja, vai viņš atsveicinās vai ne ― everybody was so excited that (they) did not noticed whether or not he said goodbye

Ainas acis vērāas tik mierīgas un vēas, ka viņš atmeta šādu domu ― (but) Aina's eyes were so peaceful and cool (= calm) that he abandoned such thought(s)

dejotāju kājas bija noru noblietējušas tā, ka zeme sāka skanēt ― the dancers' feet had stomped the (forest) glade so (= in such a way) that the earth began to resound

vējš gaudoja aizvien stiprāk, tā ka sāka jau drebēt majas jumts ― the wind howled more and more strongly, so that the house roof began to shake

vecais zvirbulis bija ļoti noskumis un kļuva pat neuzmanīgs, tā ka to gandrīz noķēra pelēkais Minka ― the old sparrow had become very sad and even inattentive, so that the gray Minka (= cat) almost caught him
(g) adverbial complement (purpose)

pēc malkas ej, ka var kurināt tam akmenim virsū! ― go find wood, (so) that we can burn it on (top of) that rock

skrien kā traks, ka tikai izraut lielāku normu ― I run (= work) like crazy, (so) that I may get a larger margin (= advantage)
(h) adverbial complement (measure, proportion)

tūlīt pēc kara pievairojis bija pelēču, ka mudž ― immediately after the war the grays (= landowners) became many, (so much) that (they) were swarming

viņa steidzās tik ļoti, ka neievēroja vaļējās klēts durvis un tajās sēdošo cilvēku ― she hurried so much that (she) did not notice the open barn door and the person sitting in(side of) it

vai tik daudz sāpju sevī pārvarēji, / ka tikai prieku spēsi citiem sniegt? ― have you overcome so much pain in yourself / that you will be able to give only joy to others?
(i) adverbial complement (condition)

kas tas par draugu, ka nevar palīdzēt? ― what kind of friend is he, that (= if) he can't help?

kur gan esat, zilie ceriņi, ka nekur vairs nesatieku jūs? ― where are you, blue lilac, that (= if) I don't find you anywhere?

Particle

ka

used to add a nuance of probability or doubt to a, usually negative, utterance, to make it optative, expressive of a desire (cf. kaut); may...
jāsagrābj siens, ka neuznāk lietus ― (we) have to rake the hay together, may rain not come (i.e., maybe there will be rain)

vispirms gādājiet, lai rudzi tiek statos; ka neuznāk krusa ― first of all make sure that the rye is in heaps; may hail not come (= i.e., maybe there will be hail)

ka tik viņš neaizietu! ― may he only not leave! if only he wouldn't leave!

“ka nenositas”, Nikolajs ieminas, bet onkulis atmet at roku: “liels puisietis, nenositīsies” ― “may he not get himself killed” (i.e., he probably won't get himself killed), Nikolas said, and uncle gestured with his hand: “(he is) a big boy, he won't get himself killed”

“ak, ka tak viss neietu tik lēnām... tos, kas nomirs, tos tak ielaidīs jūrā?” “laikam”
“oh, may everything not go so slowly (= if only everything didn't go so slowly)... those who died, they will be thrown into the sea?” “maybe”

pagája labs brīdis, bet necēlās neviens no pakritušajiem skrējējiem... ka viņu vilks, nu būs abi divi beigti ― a good while went by, but none of the fallen runners stood up... may (the devil) take him, they now will be (= probably are) both finished (= dead)
used to reinforce the intensity of an action or activity, usually with a repeated verb; ... and ...
māte tik naigi dur ka dur - šuj savu šujamo ― mother so quickly pierced and pierced - she sows her sowing (= what she needs to sow, i.e. she is certainly carrying out her task)

References

^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “ka”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka/

Noun

ka m inan

The name of the Latin-script letter k/K.

Malay

Noun

ka

Abbreviation of kaki (“foot (unit of measurement)”).

Mandarin

Romanization

ka

Nonstandard spelling of kā.
Nonstandard spelling of kǎ.
Nonstandard spelling of kà.

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.

Mangas

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kā/

Pronoun

ka

second person singular personal pronoun, you

References

Blench, Robert; Bulkaam, Michael (2021) An Introduction to Mantsi, a South Bauchi language of Central Nigeria. University of Cambridge.

Maori

Particle

ka

Marks an event as occurring at some time or as existing
when; used before a verb to indicate the start of an action or state
Marks a verb as being in future tense
Used when counting numbers
Ka tahi, ka rua, ka toru...
One, two, three...
Used in commands with taua and tātou
ātou ka haere
let's go
now (for the first time); when used after kātahi anō

References

"ka" - Maori Dictionary

Mapudungun

Mizo

Etymology

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaj ~ kaj-maʔ , from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋa-j ~ ka (“I; me”).

Pronoun

ka

I; me

References

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

Namuyi

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka˧]

Noun

ka

bed

Naxi

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ka-(n/m/ŋ).

Adjective

ka

bitter

References

Naxi Dictionary by T.M. Pinson, Lijiang 2012

Northern Pomo

Noun

ka

water

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronoun

ka

form removed with the spelling reform of 1959; superseded by hva

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kɑː/

Pronoun

ka

(dialectal, Trøndelag, Northern Norway, Vestlandet, non-standard since 1959) alternative form of kva (“what”)
Ka e da du gjere på?
What are you doing?

Old Prussian

Alternative forms

kha

Etymology

Derived from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kas.

Pronoun

ka

(interrogative) what
(relative) what

References

Mažiulis, Vytautas (1988–1997) “ka”, in Prūsų kalbos etimologijos žodynas‎^[7] (in Lithuanian), Vilnius
W. R. Schmalstieg (1971) “New Look at the Old Prussian Pronoun”, in Baltistica VII(2), Vilnius: Vilniau Universitetas

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

𑀓 (Brahmi script)
क (Devanagari script)
ক (Bengali script)
ක (Sinhalese script)
က or ၵ (Burmese script)
ก or กะ (Thai script)
ᨠ (Tai Tham script)
ກ or ກະ (Lao script)
ក (Khmer script)
𑄇 (Chakma script)

Etymology 1

From the masculine and neuter respectively of Sanskrit क (ká), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kás, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷós.

Pronoun

ka m

(interrogative) who
(interrogative) what
(interrogative) which
- 2006, The First Book in the Suttanta-Pitaka: Dīgha-Nikāya (I)‎^[8], page 82:
  කන‍්නු ඛ‍්වජ‍්ජ සමණං වා බ්‍රාහ‍්මණං වා පයිරුපාසෙය්‍යාම යන‍්නො පයිරුපාසතො චිත‍්තං පසීදෙය්‍යා!"ති
  kannu khvajja samaṇaṃ vā brāhmaṇaṃ vā payirupāseyyāma yanno payirupāsato cittaṃ pasīdeyyā!"ti
  Indeed now which ascetic or Brahmin should we visit today who, for us visiting him, will soothe the heart?

Usage notes

The pronoun may function as an interrogative adjective.

Declension

Declension table of "ka" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	ko	ke
Accusative (second)	kaṃ	ke
Instrumental (third)	kena	kehi or kebhi
Dative (fourth)	kassa or kissa	kesaṃ or kesānaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	kasmā or kismā	kehi or kebhi
Genitive (sixth)	kassa or kissa	kesaṃ or kesānaṃ
Locative (seventh)	kasmiṃ or kamhi or kismiṃ or kimhi	kesu

Derived terms

kā (“who (f)”)

Pronoun

ka n

(interrogative) what
(interrogative) which

Usage notes

The pronoun may function as an interrogative adjective.

Declension

Declension table of "ka" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	kiṃ	kāni
Accusative (second)	kiṃ	kāni
Instrumental (third)	kena	kehi or kebhi
Dative (fourth)	kassa or kissa	kesaṃ or kesānaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	kasmā or kismā	kehi or kebhi
Genitive (sixth)	kassa or kissa	kesaṃ or kesānaṃ
Locative (seventh)	kasmiṃ or kamhi or kismiṃ or kimhi	kesu

Derived terms

kāpurisa

Etymology 2

Probably from the pronunciation of a syllable consisting only of the letter.

Noun

ka m

the Pali letter 'k'
- c. 500 AD, Kaccāyana, Pālivyākaraṇaṃ‎^[9] (overall work in Pali), page 4; republished as Satish Chandra Acharyya Vidyabhusana, editor, Kaccayana's Pali Grammar (edited in Devanagari character and translated into English), Calcutta, Bengal: Mahabodhi Society, 1901:
  क, ख, ग, घ, ङ, च, छ, ज, झ, ञ, ट, ठ, ड, ढ, ण, त, थ, द, ध, न, प, फ, ब, भ, म, य, र, ल, व, स, ह, ळ, ं। इति व्यञ्जन नाम होन्ति।
  Ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa, ca, cha, ja, jha, ña, ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma, ya, ra, la, va, sa, ha, ḷa, aṃ, iti vyañjanā nāma honti.
  'k', 'kh', 'g', 'gh', 'ṅ', 'c', 'ch', 'j', 'jh', 'ñ, 'ṭ', 'ṭh', 'ḍ', 'ḍh', 'ṇ', 't', 'th', 'd', 'dh', 'n', 'p', 'ph', 'b', 'bh', 'm', 'y', 'r', 'l', 'v', 's', 'h', 'ḷ' and 'ṃ', these are the consonants by name.
- c. 500 AD, Kaccāyana, Pālivyākaraṇaṃ‎^[10] (overall work in Pali), page 12; republished as Satish Chandra Acharyya Vidyabhusana, editor, Kaccayana's Pali Grammar (edited in Devanagari character and translated into English), Calcutta, Bengal: Mahabodhi Society, 1901:
  को यस्स यथा-सको।
  Ko yassa yathā-sako.
  'K' from 'y' as in 'sako'.

Declension

Declension table of "ka" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular
Nominative (first)	ko
Accusative (second)	kaṃ
Instrumental (third)	kena
Dative (fourth)	kassa or kāya or katthaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	kasmā or kamhā or kā
Genitive (sixth)	kassa
Locative (seventh)	kasmiṃ or kamhi or ke
Vocative (calling)	ka

Synonyms

kakāra

References

Pali Text Society (1921–1925) “ka˚”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

Picuris

Verb

ka

to wash

Pipil

Preposition

ka

to, at

Pitjantjatjara

Conjunction

ka

and (switching)
Watingku maḻu nyangu ka wirtjapakaṉu.
The man saw the kangaroo and the kangaroo ran away.

Usage notes

Ka is a switching conjunction. When it links two clauses or sentences, it conveys that the second clause has a different subject from the first. In cases where the subject remains the same, the conjunction munu is used. In the example above, the subject of the second clause need not be "the kangaroo", although that seems the most likely possibility from context. The ku simply tells us that someone or something other than wati (the subject of the first clause) ran away.
Although ka is spelt with a short a, the vowel is actually long (kaa). The misleading spelling exists for historical reasons.

Portuguese

Alternative forms

kaka, kakaka (kakakaka...)

Interjection

ka

ha (representation of laughter)

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *ka-, *ka. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻa- and Maori ka.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka/
Hyphenation: ka

Particle

ka

Used to indicate the future tense.
Used to indicate the imperative mood.
Used to indicate the jussive mood.
Used to indicate the temporal contiguity of an action.
Used to indicate the conditional mood of a relative clause.
Used to form a counting form from of the following numeral.
Ka tahi, ka rua, ka toru. ― One, two, three.

Interjection

¡ka!

Intensifies the following verb; how! what a!
¡Ka ma'itaki 'ō! ― How very beautiful!

Usage notes

Ka is often used to convey an objective intensification, while ko is used when one has a strong emotion towards the subject.

References

Paulus Kieviet (2017) A grammar of Rapa Nui‎^[11], Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, pages 153, 330, 477, 491

Rawang

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kʰɑ˧/

Etymology 1

Compare Burmese ကြက် (krak).

Noun

ka

chicken.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ka-(n/m/ŋ) (“bitter”). Cognate with Burmese ခါး (hka:), Old Chinese 苦 (OC *kʰaːʔ, *kʰaːs).

Adjective

ka

bitter.

Scots

Alternative forms

kae

Etymology

Of imitative origin, similar to Old High German kā (“crow, jackdaw”), Middle Low German kâ (“crow, jackdaw”), English caw.

Noun

ka (plural kas)

jackdaw

Serbo-Croatian

Preposition

ka (Cyrillic spelling ка)

Alternative form of k

Synonyms

k

Adverb

ka (Cyrillic spelling ка)

(Chakavian, Montenegro) as, like

Synonyms

kao

Conjunction

ka

(Chakavian, Montenegro) as, like

Synonyms

kao

Pronoun

ka (Cyrillic spelling ка)

(Chakavian, Kajkavian, interrogative) which (feminine)
(Chakavian, Kajkavian, relative) which, that, who (feminine)
(Chakavian, Kajkavian, indefinite) some (feminine)

Synonyms

koja

Skou

Particle

ka

not - negative particle
Ke bà fue a bápánenì ne ka.
That person is not my friend.

References

Donohue, Mark. A Grammar of the Skou Language of New Guinea (2004).

Somali

Etymology 1

Preposition

ka

Usage notes

In Somali, prepositions fall before the verb and not before the noun they modify:
Ka imow. ― To come from.

Ka keen. ― To bring from.

Etymology 2

Article

ka

Alternative spelling of -ka
Garaash ka fur. ― Open the garage.

References

Puglielli, Annarita, Mansuur, Cabdalla Cumar (2012) “ka”, in Qaamuuska Af-Soomaliga‎^[12], Rome: RomaTrE-Press, →ISBN

Spanish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka/ [ˈka]
Rhymes: -a
Syllabification: ka
Homophone: ca

Noun

ka f (plural kas)

Name of the letter k

Sumerian

Romanization

ka

Romanization of 𒅗 (ka)

Swahili

Etymology

From the -ka- consecutive tense marker.

Pronunciation

Audio (Kenya): (file)

Adverb

ka

and then (used between a series of actions that happened soon closely together)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Influenced by Baybayin character ᜃ (ka).

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ka/ [kɐ]
Rhymes: -a
Syllabification: ka

Noun

ka (Baybayin spelling ᜃ)

the name of the Latin-script letter K/k, in the Abakada alphabet
Synonym: (in the Filipino alphabet) key
(historical) the name of the Latin-script letter K/k, in the Abecedario
Synonym: (in the Filipino alphabet) key

Etymology 2

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ka (“2sg. subject pronoun”).

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ka/ [kɐ]
Rhymes: -a
Syllabification: ka

Pronoun

ka (Baybayin spelling ᜃ) (postpositive)

you (second person singular)

Usage notes

The word ka usually replaces ikaw when in the middle of a clause.
When speaking to be polite, use the plural form kayo.

Alternative forms

ca — obsolete, Spanish-based orthography
k — Internet and text messaging slang

Derived terms

Etymology 3

From clipping of wika.

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈkaʔ/ [ˈkaʔ]
Rhymes: -aʔ
Syllabification: ka

Noun

kâ (Baybayin spelling ᜃ)

Alternative spelling of 'ka

Derived terms

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English car.

Noun

ka

car

Tuvaluan

Particle

ka

future tense marker, inserted immediately before the relevant verb

Ujir

Numeral

ka

four

References

Antoinette Schapper, Marian Klamer, Numeral systems in the Alor-Pantar languages

Veps

Etymology

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

Adverb

ka

yes
certainly, absolutely
naturally, of course
let's [with first-person plural imperative]

Conjunction

ka

but
then (in "if...then" constructions)

References

Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “безусловно, да, давать, естественно, конечно, но”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ‎^[13], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Volapük

Conjunction

ka

than (used for comparisons)

Ye'kwana

Alternative forms

cha (allomorph after i)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka]

Particle

ka

Forms a polar (yes/no) question.

Usage notes

In most circumstances this particle is found in the second position in a sentence (immediately after the first constituent). Occasionally, for unclear reasons, it may appear elsewhere.

References

Cáceres, Natalia (2011) “ka”, in Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana‎^[14], Lyon, pages 158–159

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Cognate with Igala káà

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kà/

Verb

kà

(intransitive, transitive) to count
(intransitive, transitive) to read

Usage notes

ka before a direct object

Derived terms

kíkà (“reading, counting”)
ìkà (“the act of reading”)
òǹkà (“number”)

Etymology 2

Likely cognate with Igala kà (“to tell”) and Igbo kà (“to speak”), perhaps related to Nupe gàn

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kà/

Verb

kà

(transitive) to confess (literally, "to recount previous misdeeds involuntarily or under duress")

Usage notes

ka before a direct object

Derived terms

ìkà (“the act of confession”)

Related terms

jẹ́wọ́ (“to confess”)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kà/

Verb

kà

to buy things in the hundreds

Usage notes

ka before a direct object

Derived terms

ìkà

Etymology 4

Cognate with Igala ká

Alternative forms

kán (Igbomina)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ká/

Verb

ká

(transitive) to pluck fruit (from a tree)
to break something; to knock off something
(idiomatic) to become snapped under pressure

Derived terms

ká ìbó (“euphemism for a child dying literally "to pluck the fruit of the ibo tree"”)
káléyín
késo
ìká

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ká/

Verb

ká

(transitive) to curl or fold something
Fọlá, wá bá mi ká aṣọ! ― Fọla, come and help me fold the clothes
(intransitive) to become curled or folded
to constrain someone (often via supernatural means)
(idiomatic) to get something under control
apá àtẹ́lẹwọ́ kì í ká ilé ― The arm of the palm cannot control the house (Yoruba incantation)

Derived terms

Etymology 6

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ká/

Verb

ká

to be everywhere

Usage notes

Used especially in the V2 position

Derived terms

kárí (“around”)
káàkiri (“around”)
rìnká (“to wander, walk around”)
yíká (“to surround”)
Yímiká (“a shortened name form meaning "surrounds me"”)
Yín̄ká (“a shortened name form meaning "surrounds me"”)
àyíká (“around”)
ìká

[1] Fialuur i voghel Sccyp e ltinisct (Small Dictionary of Albanian and Latin), page 51, by P. Jak Junkut, 1895, Sckoder

[2] Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “ka”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 160

[3] Orel - Balcanica pg. 114

[4] Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “ka”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

[3]

[1]

		1st person	2nd person	3rd person m	3rd person f
Subject	Singular	anú	atú	úsuk	ís
Subject	Plural	nanú	isín	úsun
Object	Singular	yó	kó	ká	tét
Object	Plural	né	sín	kén

Person	Number	Direct	Indirect	Oblique
First	singular	ako	niko	kangko, kang
	plural inclusive	kita	nita	kanta
	plural exclusive	kami	nimi	kanmi
Second	singular	kawo, ka	nimo	kanmo
Second	plural	kamo	niyo	kanyo
Third	singular	siya	niya	kanya
Third	plural	sida	nida	kanda

Person	Number	Direct (ang)	Indirect (ng)	Oblique (sa)
First	singular	ako	ko	akin
	dual¹	kita, kata	nita, nata, ta	kanita, kanata, ata
	plural inclusive	tayo	natin	atin
	plural exclusive	kami	namin	amin
First & Second	singular	kita²
Second	singular	ikaw, ka	mo	iyo
Second	plural	kayo, kamo	ninyo, niyo	inyo
Third	singular	siya	niya	kaniya
Third	plural	sila	nila	kanila
¹ First person dual pronouns are not commonly used in Standard Tagalog. ² Replaces ko ikaw.

ka

Translingual

Etymology

Symbol

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Etymology 2

Verb

References

Etymology 3

Noun

See also

Anagrams

Acehnese

Adverb

Afar

Pronunciation

Pronoun

Usage notes

See also

References

Ainu

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

References

Albanian

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Preposition

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Hyponyms

Etymology 3

Verb

References

Amanab

Pronoun

Ambonese Malay

Etymology

Preposition

References

Bahnar

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Bambara

Particle

Particle

Basque

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

See also

Central Pomo

Noun

Chuukese

Pronoun

Adjective

Related terms

Cimbrian

Etymology

Preposition

Further reading

Drung

Etymology

Noun

References

Dutch

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Etymology 2

Noun

Synonyms