așa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "asa"

Romanian

Alternative forms

• așă, așe, așea, ași, așia, șa — archaic, obsolete or regional

Etymology

Probably from Late Latin ac sīc, or less likely *eccum sīc, in either case with paragogic /-a/ added as with some other adverbs (compare atâta < atât). Closely parallel to Aromanian ashi, Portuguese assim, and Spanish así. Compare also Catalan així, French ainsi, Italian così. First attested in c. 1500–1560.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈʃa/

• Audio

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: a‧șa

Adverb

așa

1. so (in this or that manner), thus, like that, such

   Synonym: astfel

   Noi așa facem masa la noi acasă.

   That’s how we make dinner at our house.

   Așa e viața.

   Such is life.

   N-am mai văzut așa om.

   I’ve never seen a man like that.

2. (somewhat informal) that, so (to such a degree)

   Nu mă gândeam că e așa frumos pe aici.

   I didn’t think it’d be so nice over here.

   Cum ai ajuns așa de repede?

   How did you get here that quickly?

3. (filler word) Indicates resumption of an idea in narration.

Usage notes

While not necessarily informal, așa in the first sense is replaced by its synonym astfel in careful writing.

In its second meaning, așa may be succeeded by de without any change in nuance or tone. It modifies adjectives or adverbs; it is unusual that it modifies verbs.

Synonyms

• (like that): astfel
• (to such a degree): atât, într-atât

Derived terms

• așa că
• așa ceva
• așa să-mi ajute Dumnezeu
• așa și pe dincolo
• așa și-așa
• așa-i
• așa-numit
• așadar
• cum așa
• nu-i așa
• și așa mai departe
• și-așa
• uite-așa

 

Collocations

• așa o fi ― it may be so (uncertain or reluctant agreement)
• fie și-așa ― so be it (expressing concession)
• ca să zic așa ― to say so, if I may say so
• numai așa (informal) ― just so (for no particular reason)
• chiar și-așa, chiar așa ― even then

References

• așa in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)