ـی

Persian

Etymology 1

From Middle Persian -yk' / 𐭩𐭪𐭩‎ (yky /-īg/), from Proto-Iranian *-akah, from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂kos, from a-stem suffix *-eh₂- + adjectival suffix *-kos. Later influenced by Arabic ـِيّ‎ (-iyy).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /iː/

• (Dari): IPA^(key): /iː/

• (Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /iː/
• (Tajik): IPA^(key): /iː/

Suffix

ـی • (-i)

1. Forms nouns or adjectives from nouns
   1. of or pertaining to

   خورشید‎ (xoršid, “sun”) + ـی (-i) = خورشیدی‎ (xoršidi, “solar”)

   1. one from or belonging to

      تهران‎ (Tehrân, “Tehran”) + ـی (-i) = تهرانی‎ (Tehrâni, “Tehrani”)

   2. Forms the word for a profession, and the place it is practiced, from the word for the person who practice it

      خیاطی‎ (“tailoring; tailor shop”)

   3. able to, capabale of being, deserved to be, determined to, and/or destined to

      خوردنی‎ (xordani, “edible”)

      رفتنی‎ (raftani, “destined to leave”)

2. Forms surnames.

Usage notes

ـی is the form that follows words ending in consonants. Adjectives ending in the short vowel ـه‎ (-e) will use the form ـگی‎ (-egi) for their derived nouns, while nouns ending in ـه‎ (-e) will usually add the non-joining ای‎ (-i) to form their derived adjectives. Both nouns and adjectives ending in the long vowels ـا‎ (-â) and ـو‎ (-u) will use the form یی‎ (-yi)

As a derivational suffix, ـی and the above-mentioned alternative forms take the stress in a word, as in خورشیدی‎ (xoršidí, “solar”). As the marked indefinite or relative definite suffix, the stress remains on the root of the word, as in خورشیدی‎ (xoršídi, “a sun / the sun which”)

Most Persian surnames end in this suffix.

Derived terms

► Persian words suffixed with ـی

Etymology 2

From Middle Persian 𐭩𐭧‎ (yḥ /-īh/).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [iː]

Suffix

ـی • (-i)

1. Forms abstract nouns from adjectives.

   بزرگ‎ (bozorg, “big”) + ـی (-i) = بزرگی‎ (bozorgi, “bigness”)

   شیرین‎ (širin, “sweet”) + ـی (-i) = شیرینی‎ (širini, “sweetness”)

   جوان‎ (javân, “young”) + ـی (-i) = جوانی‎ (javâni, “youth”)

Etymology 3

From Middle Persian 𐭸‎ (1 /ē(w)/), from Old Persian 𐎠𐎡𐎺 (a-i-v /aiva/), Proto-Iranian *Háywah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Háywas, from Proto-Indo-European *óywos. Compare Ancient Greek οἶος (oîos), and Avestan 𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀‎ (aēuua).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /eː/

• (Dari): IPA^(key): /eː/

• (Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /iː/
• (Tajik): IPA^(key): /e/

Suffix

Dari Persian	ـی
Iranian Persian
Tajik	-е (-e)

ـی • (-ê)

1. a, one

Usage notes

The usage is almost completely restricted to marking the indefinite noun of a sentence; in all other instances, the word یک‎ (yek, “one”) is used. Etymologically, both of these words however derive from the same Proto-Indo-European root.

It is attached as a suffix to a noun in a sentence and acts as the indefinite object marker. Most words use the non-joining ای‎ (-ê), unless the word ends in the long vowels ـا‎ (-â) and ـو‎ (-u) or a non-joining consonant. For instance, “a house” would be خانه‌ای (xâna-yê), “a dog” would be سگ‌ای (sag-ê), and “houses” would be خانه‌هایی (xâna-ha-yê).

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Urdu

Etymology 1

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit -𑀇𑀅 (-ia), from Sanskrit -इक (-ika, diminutive suffix) or Sanskrit -ईय (-īya, adjectival suffix). Later influenced through Persian by Arabic ـِيّ‎ (-iyy, nisba suffix).

Suffix

ـی • (-ī), Hindi spelling: -ई (-ī)

1. relating to, forms adjectives from nouns

   ‎جوکھم‎ (jokhim, “risk”) + ‎ـی → ‎جوکھمی‎ (jokhimī, “risky”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from the nominative singular form of Sanskrit -इन् (-in, doer, possessor).

Suffix

ـی • (ī), Hindi spelling: -ई (-ī)

1. doer, possessor

   ‎ساتھ‎ (sāth, “company, support”) + ‎ـی → ‎ساتھی‎ (sāthī, “companion, partner”).

   ‎روگ‎ (rog, “sickness, disease”) + ‎ـی → ‎روگی‎ (rogī, “sick person, patient”).

Etymology 3

From Persian ـی‎ (-i), from Middle Persian 𐭩𐭧‎ (yḥ /-īh/).

Suffix

ـی • (-ī), Hindi spelling: -ई (-ī)

1. forms abstract nouns from adjectives or common nouns

   ‎روشن‎ (rauśan, “bright”) + ‎ـی → ‎روشنی‎ (rauśnī, “brightness”).

Derived terms

► Urdu words suffixed with ـی