ям

See also: ам and Ям

Belarusian

Alternative forms

• jam — Łacinka (Belarusian Latin alphabet)

Etymology

From Turkic, ultimately from Chinese 站 (zhàn) or Mongolian зам (zam). Cognate to Russian ям (jam), which see. Compare also semantically unrelated Estonian jaam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [jam]

Noun

ям • (jam) m inan (genitive я́ма, nominative plural я́мы, genitive plural я́маў, relational adjective ямскі́)

1. (historical) mail staging post

Declension

Declension of ям (inan hard masc-form accent-a)

	singular	plural
nominative	ям jam	я́мы jámy
genitive	я́ма jáma	я́маў jámaw
dative	я́му jámu	я́мам jámam
accusative	ям jam	я́мы jámy
instrumental	я́мам jámam	я́мамі jámami
locative	я́ме jámje	я́мах jámax
count form	—	я́мы1 jámy1

¹Used with the numbers 2, 3, 4 and higher numbers after 20 ending in 2, 3, and 4.

Related terms

• я́мшчык (jámščyk)
• ямшчыко́вы (jamščykóvy)
• ямшчы́цкі (jamščýcki)

References

• “ям”, in Skarnik's Belarusian dictionary (in Belarusian), based on Kandrat Krapiva's Explanatory Dictionary of the Belarusian Language (1977-1984)
• “ям” in Belarusian–Russian dictionaries and Belarusian dictionaries at slounik.org

Bulgarian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁édti

Proto-Balto-Slavic *ḗˀstei

Proto-Slavic *ě̀sti

Old Church Slavonic ꙗсти (jasti)

Bulgarian ям

Inherited from Old Church Slavonic ꙗсти (jasti), from Proto-Slavic *ě̀sti.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ja̟m]

• Audio (Standard Bulgarian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -am

Verb

ям • (jam) first-singular present indicative, impf

1. (transitive) to eat, to consume

   Synonyms: консуми́рам (konsumíram), хра́ня се (hránja se)

   Са́нке, сла́гай да яде́м.

   Sánke, slágaj da jadém.

   Sanke, serve the food so we can eat.

   Веднъ́ж тя яде́ше нама́зана фили́я с мед и ма́сло.

   Vednǎ́ž tja jadéše namázana filíja s med i máslo.

   Once she was eating a slice of bread spread with honey and butter.

2. (transitive) to eat, to feed oneself (to maintain life)

   От една́ се́дмица яде́м са́мо варе́на царе́вица.

   Ot edná sédmica jadém sámo varéna carévica.

   For a week we've been eating only boiled corn.

3. (transitive) to eat (to like or be able to eat a specific food)

   Ама́ наи́стина ли и́ма хо́ра, кои́то яда́т жа́би?

   Amá naístina li íma hóra, koíto jadát žábi?

   Are there really people who eat frogs?

4. (figurative, colloquial) to spend, to squander (money, property, etc., usually belonging to someone else)

   Synonyms: изразхо́двам (izrazhódvam), ха́рча (hárča)

   Да оста́вя пари́! Че да ги яде́ мо́ят зет, а, Пе́тър да ги яде́.

   Da ostávja parí! Če da gi jadé mójat zet, a, Pétǎr da gi jadé.

   Me, leave money! So that my son-in-law can squander it, eh, so Peter can squander it.

5. (figurative, transitive) to eat away, to corrode, to destroy

   Synonyms: разруша́вам (razrušávam), разя́ждам (razjáždam)

   Чи́стото зла́то ръжда́ го не яде́.

   Čístoto zláto rǎždá go ne jadé.

   Rust does not eat away pure gold.

6. (transitive) to cause someone to worry, to eat, to pester, to badger, to nag

   Synonyms: измъ́чвам (izmǎ́čvam), стра́дам (strádam)

   Жесто́ка ми́съл ни яде́ше, че Бълга́рия ни е забра́вила.

   Žestóka mísǎl ni jadéše, če Bǎlgárija ni e zabrávila.

   A cruel thought was eating us up, that Bulgaria had forgotten us.

   Ста́ваше не́що с то́зи чове́к, не́що го яде́ше и го суше́ше отвъ́тре.

   Stávaše néšto s tózi čovék, néšto go jadéše i go sušéše otvǎ́tre.

   Something was happening to this man, something was eating him up and drying him out from the inside.

   Какво́ те яде́?

   Kakvó te jadé?

   What's worrying you?

Conjugation

    Conjugation of ям (conjugation 1.1, irregular, imperfective, transitive)

participles		present active participle	past active aorist participle	past active imperfect participle	past passive participle	verbal noun	adverbial participle
masculine	indefinite	ядя́щ jadjášt	ял jal	ядя́л jadjál	я́ден jáden		яде́йки jadéjki
	definite subject form	ядя́щият jadjáštijat	я́лият jálijat	—	я́деният jádenijat
	definite object form	ядя́щия jadjáštija	я́лия jálija	—	я́дения jádenija
feminine	indefinite	ядя́ща jadjášta	я́ла jála	ядя́ла jadjála	я́дена jádena
	definite	ядя́щата jadjáštata	я́лата jálata	—	я́дената jádenata
neuter	indefinite	ядя́що jadjášto	я́ло jálo	ядя́ло jadjálo	я́дено jádeno	я́дене jádene
	definite	ядя́щото jadjáštoto	я́лото jáloto	—	я́деното jádenoto	я́денето jádeneto
plural	indefinite	ядя́щи jadjášti	я́ли jáli	яде́ли jadéli	я́дени jádeni	я́дения, я́денета jádenija, jádeneta
	definite	ядя́щите jadjáštite	я́лите jálite	—	я́дените jádenite	я́денията, я́денетата jádenijata, jádenetata

person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present		ям jam	яде́ш jadéš	яде́ jadé	яде́м jadém	яде́те jadéte	яда́т jadát
imperfect		ядя́х jadjáh	яде́ше jadéše	яде́ше jadéše	ядя́хме jadjáhme	ядя́хте jadjáhte	ядя́ха jadjáha
aorist		я́дох jádoh	я́де jáde	я́де jáde	я́дохме jádohme	я́дохте jádohte	я́доха jádoha
future	pos.	Use ще followed by the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́ма да followed by the present indicative tense
future in the past	pos.	Use the imperfect indicative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́маше да followed by the present indicative tense
present perfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
past perfect		Use the imperfect indicative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future perfect		Use the future indicative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future perfect in the past		Use the future in the past indicative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
renarrative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and ядя́л m, ядя́ла f, ядя́ло n, or яде́ли pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past renarrative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
dubitative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and ядя́л m, ядя́ла f, ядя́ло n, or яде́ли pl
aorist		Use the aorist renarrative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect dubitative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало било́ да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		none
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past dubitative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
conclusive		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ядя́л m, ядя́ла f, ядя́ло n, or яде́ли pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало е да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past conclusive tense of съм and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
conditional		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
		Use the first aorist indicative tense of бъ́да and ял m, я́ла f, я́ло n, or я́ли pl
imperative		-	ти	-	-	вие	-
			яж jaž			я́жте jážte

References

• “ям”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “ям”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010

Erzya

Панго ям.

Etymology

From Proto-Mordvinic *jam, possibly inherited from Proto-Uralic *jamɜ (“mash, soup (made of fish flour, blood, meat)”).

Noun

ям • (jam)

1. soup

Declension

Indefinite declension of ям (hard consonant stem (сан) type)

case	singular	plural
nominative (...)	ям (jam)	ямт (jamt)
genitive (of ...)	ямонь (jamoń)	—
dative (to ...)	ямнэнь (jamnëń)	—
ablative (than ...)	ямдо (jamdo)	—
inessive (in ...)	ямсо (jamso)	—
elative (out of ...)	ямсто (jamsto)	—
illative (into ...)	ямс (jams)	—
prolative (through ...)	ямга (jamga)	—
translative (becoming ...)	ямкс (jamks)	—
comparative (like ...)	ямшка (jamška)	—
abessive (without ...)	ямтомо (jamtomo)	—

References

• B. A. Serebrennikov; R. N. Buzakova; M. V. Mosin (1993), “ям”, in Эрзянь-рузонь валкс [Erzya-Russian dictionary], Moscow: Русский язык, →ISBN
• Entry #162 in Uralonet, online Uralic etymological database of the Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics.

Russian

Alternative forms

• ямъ (jam) — pre-1918 spelling

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [jam]

  Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Turkic, ultimately from Chinese or Mongolian. There is no scholarly consensus regarding the direction of borrowing. Generally, it is believed that Turkic yam and Chinese 站 (zhàn) are loanwords from Mongolian ǰam, however, some (e.g. Tuymebayev in Казахско-монгольские лексические параллели (Kazaxsko-mongolʹskije leksičeskije paralleli)) believe the directionality is reversed (i.e. Chinese "to stand > stand > station" → Middle Mongol → Turkic → Russian). Whatever the etymology, what is apparent is that the word jam has been around for a long time and was used by Central Asians to designate a key postal relay station or official. Compare Mongolian зам (zam).

Noun

ям • (jam) m inan (genitive я́ма, nominative plural я́мы, genitive plural я́мов, relational adjective ямско́й)

1. (historical) mail staging post

Declension

Declension of ям (inan masc-form hard-stem accent-a) 

	singular	plural
nominative	я́м jám	я́мы jámy
genitive	я́ма jáma	я́мов jámov
dative	я́му jámu	я́мам jámam
accusative	я́м jám	я́мы jámy
instrumental	я́мом jámom	я́мами jámami
prepositional	я́ме jáme	я́мах jámax

Related terms

• ямщи́к (jamščík)

Descendants

• → Estonian: jaam

Etymology 2

Noun

ям • (jam) f inan pl

1. genitive plural of я́ма (jáma)

Further reading

• Kuznetsov, Sergey Alexandrovich (1998), “ям”, in Большой толковый словарь русского языка [Great Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian language] (in Russian), Saint Petersburg: Norint, →ISBN

Tajik

Alternative forms

• ямм (yamm)

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian یَم (yam), from Arabic يَمّ (yamm).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jam/, [jäm]

Noun

ям • (yam) (Persian spelling یم)

1. (literary or poetry) sea

   Synonym: баҳр (bahr)

Inflection

Inflection of ям

		singular	plural
sound	broken1	or broken1
bare		ям (yam)	ямҳо (yamho)	[Term?]	[Term?]
definite object		ямро (yamro)	ямҳоро (yamhoro)	ро (ro)	ро (ro)
izofa		ями (yam-i)	ямҳои (yamho-yi)	и (i)	и (i)
indefinite, definite relative	bare	яме (yame)	—	—	—
	object	ямеро (yamero)	—	—	—

Possessive forms of ям

		singular	plural
sound	broken1	broken1
bare	1st singular	ямам (yamam)	ямҳоям (yamhoyam)	ам (am)	ам (am)
	2nd singular	ямат (yamat)	ямҳоят (yamhoyat)	ат (at)	ат (at)
	3rd singular	ямаш (yamaš)	ямҳояш (yamhoyaš)	аш (aš)	аш (aš)
	1st plural	ямамон (yamamon)	ямҳоямон (yamhoyamon)	амон (amon)	амон (amon)
	2nd plural	яматон (yamaton)	ямҳоятон (yamhoyaton)	атон (aton)	атон (aton)
	3rd plural	ямашон (yamašon)	ямҳояшон (yamhoyašon)	ашон (ašon)	ашон (ašon)
		singular	plural
sound	broken1	broken1
definite object	1st singular	ямамро (yamamro)	ямҳоямро (yamhoyamro)	амро (amro)	амро (amro)
	2nd singular	яматро (yamatro)	ямҳоятро (yamhoyatro)	атро (atro)	атро (atro)
	3rd singular	ямашро (yamašro)	ямҳояшро (yamhoyašro)	ашро (ašro)	ашро (ašro)
	1st plural	ямамонро (yamamonro)	ямҳоямонро (yamhoyamonro)	амонро (amonro)	амонро (amonro)
	2nd plural	яматонро (yamatonro)	ямҳоятонро (yamhoyatonro)	атонро (atonro)	атонро (atonro)
	3rd plural	ямашонро (yamašonro)	ямҳояшонро (yamhoyašonro)	ашонро (ašonro)	ашонро (ašonro)

predicative forms of ям (yam)

	singular	plural
1st person (I am/we are)	ямам (yamam)	ямем (yamem)
2nd person (you are)	ямӣ (yami)	ямед (yamed)
3rd person (he, she, it is/they are)	ям аст (yam ast)	яманд (yamand)

Further reading

• “ям”, in Вожаҷӯ / واژه‌جو [Vožajü] (in Tajik), 2025