по

See also: По, ПО, по-, and Appendix:Variations of "po"

Bulgarian

Pronunciation 1

• (unstressed) IPA^(key): /po/

Preposition

по • (po)

1. used to indicate movement over a surface or movement bound to certain limits (usually continuous or repeating in time), on, over, through, along

   Вървя по улицата. ― Vǎrvja po ulicata. ― I am walking on the street.

2. introducing the object of a targeted action or for an action related to certain state, on, over, for

   Потупaх го по рамото. ― Potupah go po ramoto. ― I tapped him on the shoulder.

   Ударих го по главата. ― Udarih go po glavata. ― I hit him on/over the head.

   Тъгувам по лятото. ― Tǎguvam po ljatoto. ― I long for the summer.

3. in conjunction with countable nouns for price or quantity, expressing quantity, expressing distribution, by

   По евро за книга. ― Po evro za kniga. ― A euro for a book.

   Двама по двама. ― Dvama po dvama. ― Two by two.

   Тичам по малко (всеки ден). ― Tičam po malko (vseki den). ― I am running a little (every day).

4. expressing approximate time

   По обед. ― Po obed. ― Around lunchtime.

   По Коледа. ― Po Koleda. ― Around Christmas.

5. used to describe attire, with ... on

   Ходя по чорапи. ― Hodja po čorapi. ― I am walking with my socks on.

6. used to indicate means, by, via, on

   Пращам го по автобус. ― Praštam go po avtobus. ― I am sending it by bus.

   Пращам го по въздушна поща. ― Praštam go po vǎzdušna pošta. ― I am sending it via airmail.

   Говоря по телефона. ― Govorja po telefona. ― I am talking on the phone.

7. indicating an activity or it's domain, of

   Учител по история. ― Učitel po istorija. ― History teacher.

   Факултет по физика. ― Fakultet po fizika. ― Faculty of physics.

8. according to, based on, by, of

   Съдя го по външността му. ― Sǎdja go po vǎnšnostta mu. ― I am judging him by his appearance.

   Работя по усмотрение. ― Rabotja po usmotrenie. ― I work of my own accord.

9. used to indicate cause, by

   Пропуснато е по погрешка. ― Propusnato e po pogreška. ― It is missed by mistake.

   По негова вина закъснях. ― Po negova vina zakǎsnjah. ― It is his fault I was late.

10. used to indicate direction, along

    Плувам по течението. ― Pluvam po tečenieto. ― I am swimming along the current.

    Ходя по пътеката. ― Hodja po pǎtekata. ― I am walking along the path.

Pronunciation 2

• (stressed) IPA^(key): /pɔ/

Particle

по • (po)

1. used as a prefix to form comparative for adjectives and adverbs, more

   Корабите са по-бавни от самолетите. ― Korabite sa po-bavni ot samoletite. ― Ships are slower than airplanes.

   Този филм е по-интересен. ― Tozi film e po-interesen. ― This film is more interesting.

   Трябва да ходя по-бързо. ― Trjabva da hodja po-bǎrzo. ― I should walk faster.

пò • (pó)

1. used for nouns, verbs and other parts of speech to form a comparative, more

   Пò я обичам! ― Pò ja običam! ― I love her more!

   Той е пò юнак от теб. ― Toj e pò junak ot teb. ― He is more of a hero than you.

2. used before prepositions to form a comparative, more

   Областта е пò на север. ― Oblastta e pò na sever. ― The region is more northwards.

See also

• повече (poveče)

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Macedonian

Preposition

по • (po)

1. after

   Ќе се вратат по вечерата.

   They'll return after dinner.

2. on (movement along a surface)

   Одам по улицата.

   I'm walking on the street.

3. by (distributive)

   Влезете еден по еден.

   Enter one by one.

4. times

   Два по два е четири.

   Two times two is four.

5. (colloquial) according to

   По тебе, што ќе се случи следно?

   According to you, what's going to happen next?

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Old Church Slavonic

Preposition

по • (po)

1. along
2. on
3. after
4. by

References

• Mali staroslavensko-hrvatski rječnik, Matica hrvatska, Zagreb, 2004

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Russian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *po.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pə]
• IPA^(key): [ˈpo] (when stressed)

• Audio

  (file)

Preposition

по • (po)

1. with accusative case
   1. up to
   2. till
   3. indicates distribution (with numerals other than one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending these words)

      по́ два (две) / по две́сти ― pó dva (dve) / po dvésti ― two / two hundred each

2. with dative case
   1. along
   2. over
   3. on

      плыть по реке́ ― plytʹ po reké ― to swim on a river

   4. according to
   5. showing the cause that is unwanting or unwilling (see из-за's usage notes for more detail)
   6. indicates the direct object of some verbs of striking or hitting

      нанести́ уда́р по я́дерным объе́ктам Ира́на ― nanestí udár po jádernym obʺjéktam Irána ― to launch a strike at Iran's nuclear ambitions

   7. indicates repetition of time

      по четверга́м ― po četvergám ― on Thursdays (every Thursday)

   8. indicates distribution (with numerals one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending in these words)

      по одному́ (одно́й) / по ты́сяче / по миллио́ну / по миллиа́рду ― po odnomú (odnój) / po týsjače / po milliónu / po milliárdu ― one / a thousand / a million / a billion each

3. with prepositional case
   1. after
   2. for

Usage notes

• When used with numerals in a distributive sense, the following should be noted:
  • The case of the numeral is the dative for the numerals one, a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion, etc. and compound numerals ending in these words, e.g. twenty-one, but the accusative inanimate (even with animate nouns) for the remainder.

    Я дал им по пя́ть рубле́й. ― Ja dal im po pjátʹ rubléj. ― I gave them five rubles each.

    Я дал им по двадцати́ одному́ рублю́. ― Ja dal im po dvadcatí odnomú rubljú. ― I gave them twenty-one rubles each.

    Мы отпра́вили по три́ челове́ка. ― My otprávili po trí čelovéka. ― We sent three men each. (note, not animate *трёх)

  • The case of an associated noun, if any, follows the normal rules for the numeral (dative singular for one and compounds ending in one; genitive singular for two, three, four and compounds ending in these numerals; and genitive plural in all other cases).
  • With два (dva), три (tri), сто (sto) (but not compounds ending in these numerals), the stress is optionally drawn onto по:

    Я дал им по́ два/по два́ рубля́. ― Ja dal im pó dva/po dvá rubljá. ― I gave them two rubles each.

Related terms

• по ме́ре того́ как (po mére tovó kak)

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From пол, from Proto-Slavic *polъ. See по-.

Alternative forms

• по̑л

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pôː/

Adverb

по̑ (Latin spelling pȏ)

1. half

   сат и по ― hour and a half

   четири и по ― four thirty

   чов(ј)ек и по ― an excellent man

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *po, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)po.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pô/

Preposition

по̏ (Latin spelling pȍ)

1. (+ accusative case) for

   отићи по мл(иј)еко ― to go and get the milk

   по ц(иј)ели дан ― all day long

   по шести пут ― for the sixth time

   бити штетан по некога/нешто ― to be harmful for sb/sth

   добро/лоше по њега ― good/bad for him

2. (+ locative case) over, through, across, in, on

   ударити по глави ― to hit on the head

   сн(иј)ег је пао по цести ― snow fell on the road

   вода се пролила по поду ― water spilled over the floor

   шетати по шуми ― to walk in the woods

3. (+ locative case) by, with, through (using an intermediary or medium)

   Послао сам му пакет по заједничком пријатељу. ― I've sent him a package via a mutual friend.

   по зраку/води ― by air/water

4. (+ locative case) by, according to

   све иде по плану ― everything is going according to the plan

   Америка је прва држава по богатству у св(иј)ету. ― America is the richest country in the world.

   по глави становника ― per capita

   жив(ј)ети по принципима ― to live according to principles

   по мом(е) мишљењу ― in my opinion

   по мом рачуну ― by my reckoning

   по мени ― in my opinion; as far as I'm concerned

   свирати по слуху ― to play by ear

   судити по вањштини ― to judge by appearance

5. (+ locative case) after

   по свршетку сукоба ― after (the end of) the conflict

6. (+ locative case) during

   по киши/сунцу ― in the rain/sun

   по дану ― during the day

7. (+ locative case) in miscellaneous senses in various phrasal constructs

   разум(иј)е се (само) по себи ― it goes without saying

   нека буде по твоме ― let it be your way

   једнак по величини ― equal in size

   све је по старом ― everything is/goes in the accustomed/usual manner

   по обичају ― as usual, according to custom

   по вр(иј)едности ― in value

   по свој прилици ― in all likelihood

   по роду ― by birth

   по нарави/природи ― in nature

   по тој ц(иј)ени ― at this price

   по параграфу 13 ― under section 13

   по што по то ― by all means

   по могућности ― if possible

   по реду ― in order, one after another

   по мом укусу ― (according) to my taste

   по квалитети ― by quality

   по томе ― according to this/that, accordingly, consequently, then

   по закону ― according to the law, by the law

   по дуљини ― lengthwise

Etymology 3

Particle

по (Latin spelling po)

1. (+ accusative case or nominative case) denoting distribution and succession; by, per, each, apiece

   Попили смо сви по чашицу ракије. ― We all drank a glass of rakija each.

   корак по корак ― step by step

   један по један ― one by one

   трипут по сату ― three times per hour

   Cви смо добили по јабуку. ― Each of us received an apple.

References

• “по”, in Hrvatski jezični portal, 2006–2019
• “по”, in Hrvatski jezični portal, 2006–2019

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Tajik

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *pṓds (“foot”), cognates include Sanskrit पद् (pád), Latin pes (French pied), German Fuß, English foot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔː/

Noun

Dari Persian	پا‎
Iranian Persian	پا‎
Tajiki Persian	по (po)

по • (po)

1. leg, foot

See also

• пой (poy)

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Tundra Nenets

Etymology

From Proto-Samoyedic *poəj.

Noun

по (po)

1. year