آغا

Iraqi Arabic

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish آغا (aġa, “lord”).

Noun

آغا (āḡa) m

1. lord, master
2. agha, an honorific title of address; Mr., sir

   شلونك آغاتي؟

   šlonak āḡāti?

   How are you Sir?

Ottoman Turkish

Alternative forms

• (provincial) آقا (aka)

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *āka (“elder (brother)”). Possibly related to Proto-Mongolic *aka (“elder brother”) and Proto-Tungusic *ake (“elder brother”), whence Mongolian ах (ax) and Nanai ага (aga).

Noun

آغا • (ağa)

1. lord, master
2. eldest brother
3. eldest paternal uncle
4. head of household
5. head male servant
6. agha, an honorific title of address; Mr., sir
7. agha, a title of various military and civil officers

Descendants

• → Bulgarian: ага (aga)
• → Iraqi Arabic: آغا
• → Romanian: agă
• Turkish: ağa
• → Armenian: աղա (aġa), Աղասի (Aġasi)

References

• Tokat, Feyza (2014) “On the Common Words in Mongolian and the Turkish Dialects in Turkey”, in The Journal of International Social Research (Uluslararası Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi)‎^[1], volume 7, number 32, →ISSN, pages 185-198.

Persian

Etymology

From Turkic. Compare Azerbaijani ağa.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ɣɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ɣɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ɣɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ɣɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔɔː.ɣɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɒː.ʁɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɔ.ʁɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?	āğā
Dari reading?	āğā
Iranian reading?	âğâ
Tajik reading?	oġo

• Homophones: آقا (only in Iran)

Noun

آغا • (âğâ)

1. (chiefly Dari, Tajik) an endearing term for an older male; grandpa, father, brother
2. (usually Iran) Mrs.; Lady; Madam
3. (Hazaragi) older sister
4. (Classical Persian, dated) synonym of آقا (āqā, “sir, mister, Mr., nobleman”)
5. eunuch
6. (in Iran) misspelling of آقا (âqâ).
7. agha, aga

Usage notes

• In Iran, آغا (âğâ) is considered the semantically feminine form of آقا (âqâ, “Mr., sir”). Though they are homophones in most Iranian dialects, and are only distinguished in writing.
• In Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and in Classical Persian, both آقا (āqā) and آغا (āğā) are typically (though not exclusively) used for men. Though in Afghanistan the former is more respectful and the latter is more endearing.

Urdu

Alternative forms

• آقا (āqā)

Etymology

From Classical Persian آغا (āğā), from Turkic. Compare Turkish ağa and Bengali আগা (aga).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɑː.ɣɑː/
• Rhymes: -ɑː

Noun

آغا • (āġā) m (Hindi spelling आग़ा)

1. Mr.
2. sir, gentleman
3. master
4. owner
5. lord