-u

See also: -ú and Appendix:Variations of "u"

Albanian

Etymology

Suffixed definite article attached on nouns ending with k, g (IPA^(key): [k], [ɡ]). From the ending Proto-Indo-European *-osyo. cognate to Messapic -aihi.

Related to Albanian -i (“of the, etc.”), Albanian i (“of, the, to”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [u]

Article

-u m

1. masculine singular nominative and accusative suffixed definite article: the

   ‎flok (“hair”) + ‎-u → ‎floku (“the hair”)

   ‎treg (“market”) + ‎-u → ‎tregu (“the market”)

   ‎plak (“old man”) + ‎-u → ‎plaku (“the old man”)

   ‎zog (“bird”) + ‎-u → ‎zogu (“the bird”)

   (note: -u shifts towards -i among some Gheg dialects; zogi instead of zogu)

Related terms

• (suffixed article, suffix): -a, -e, -ë, -i, -o, -ia, -ja, -je, -jë, -at, -et, -ët, -it, -ot, -ut, -të, -ri, -ishte, -ishtja
• (article, preposition): e, i, së, të

Chuukese

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-u

1. out, outwards; used to modify verb direction

Esperanto

Etymology 1

Etymology unclear. Perhaps from the Greek -ou imperative (pronounced [u]) of deponent verbs such as dekhou “receive!”, or from the Hebrew imperative -û. It may instead—or also—be connected to the vowel of the Esperanto conditional suffix -us, minus the s of the indicative inflections.

Suffix

-u

1. volitive inflection of verbs, indicating that an action or state is desired, requested, ordered, or aimed for.

   Donu ĝin al mi.

   Give it to me. (expresses a request or command)

   Ni faru tion.

   Let's do that. (expresses a desire or aim)

   Mi iru dormi.

   I ought to go to sleep. (expresses desirability of the action)

   Via infano sukcesu en la vivo.

   May your child be successful in life. (wish or desire)

   Mi volas, ke vi helpu min.

   I want you to help me. (desire)

   Ŝi petas, ke mi silentu.

   She asks that I be silent. (request)

Etymology 2

Apparently connected to the u at the end of unu (“one, a certain”).

Suffix

-u

1. -one. (Ending of the individual correlatives.)

   kiu (“what individual, who”)

   tiu (“that individual, that one”)

   ĉiu (“all individuals, everyone”)

   iu (“some individual, someone”)

   neniu (“no individual, nobody”)

   (unofficial) aliu (“another individual, someone else”)

Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Uralic *-w (as applied to stems ending in -e). Cognate with Finnish -u.

Suffix

-u (genitive -u, partitive -u)

1. Derives nouns from verbs or prefixes

   jagama "to divide" → jagu "a part, a share"

   kaduma "to disappear" → kadu "loss, losing"

   sise- "inside" → sisu "content"

   pesema "to wash" → pesu "wash, washing"

Derived terms

Estonian terms suffixed with -u

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-u, from Proto-Uralic *-w (as applied to stems ending in -e). Cognate with Estonian -u.

Suffix

-u (front vowel harmony variant -y)

1. Forms nouns from verbs. Most common with e- and i-stem verbs.

   ‎hyppiä (“to be jumping”) + ‎-u → ‎hyppy (“jump”)

   ‎itkeä (“to cry”) + ‎-u → ‎itku (“cry(ing)”)

   ‎pestä (“to wash”) + ‎-u → ‎pesu (“wash(ing)”)

   ‎potkia (“to kick”) + ‎-u → ‎potku (“kick”)

   ‎urheilla (“to practice sport”) + ‎-u → ‎urheilu (“sport”)

2. Derives a number of nouns from other nouns.

   ‎silmä (“eye”) + ‎-u → ‎silmu (“bud”)

   ‎sisä- (“inside”) + ‎-u → ‎sisu (“determination, perseverance”)

Usage notes

The front-harmonic variant -y is only used when the first vowel of the word is one of the harmonic front vowels -y-, -ä-, -ö-; words beginning with neutral front vowels e, i take the back-harmonic variant.

Declension

Inflection of -u (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		-u	-ut
genitive		-un	-ujen
partitive		-ua	-uja
illative		-uun	-uihin
		singular	plural
nominative		-u	-ut
accusative	nom.	-u	-ut
	gen.	-un
genitive		-un	-ujen
partitive		-ua	-uja
inessive		-ussa	-uissa
elative		-usta	-uista
illative		-uun	-uihin
adessive		-ulla	-uilla
ablative		-ulta	-uilta
allative		-ulle	-uille
essive		-una	-uina
translative		-uksi	-uiksi
abessive		-utta	-uitta
instructive		—	-uin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -u (type valo)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -uni -uni accusative nom. -uni -uni gen. -uni genitive -uni -ujeni partitive -uani -ujani inessive -ussani -uissani elative -ustani -uistani illative -uuni -uihini adessive -ullani -uillani ablative -ultani -uiltani allative -ulleni -uilleni essive -unani -uinani translative -ukseni -uikseni abessive -uttani -uittani instructive — — comitative — -uineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -usi -usi accusative nom. -usi -usi gen. -usi genitive -usi -ujesi partitive -uasi -ujasi inessive -ussasi -uissasi elative -ustasi -uistasi illative -uusi -uihisi adessive -ullasi -uillasi ablative -ultasi -uiltasi allative -ullesi -uillesi essive -unasi -uinasi translative -uksesi -uiksesi abessive -uttasi -uittasi instructive — — comitative — -uinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -umme -umme accusative nom. -umme -umme gen. -umme genitive -umme -ujemme partitive -uamme -ujamme inessive -ussamme -uissamme elative -ustamme -uistamme illative -uumme -uihimme adessive -ullamme -uillamme ablative -ultamme -uiltamme allative -ullemme -uillemme essive -unamme -uinamme translative -uksemme -uiksemme abessive -uttamme -uittamme instructive — — comitative — -uinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -unne -unne accusative nom. -unne -unne gen. -unne genitive -unne -ujenne partitive -uanne -ujanne inessive -ussanne -uissanne elative -ustanne -uistanne illative -uunne -uihinne adessive -ullanne -uillanne ablative -ultanne -uiltanne allative -ullenne -uillenne essive -unanne -uinanne translative -uksenne -uiksenne abessive -uttanne -uittanne instructive — — comitative — -uinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -unsa -unsa accusative nom. -unsa -unsa gen. -unsa genitive -unsa -ujensa partitive -uaan -uansa -ujaan -ujansa inessive -ussaan -ussansa -uissaan -uissansa elative -ustaan -ustansa -uistaan -uistansa illative -uunsa -uihinsa adessive -ullaan -ullansa -uillaan -uillansa ablative -ultaan -ultansa -uiltaan -uiltansa allative -ulleen -ullensa -uilleen -uillensa essive -unaan -unansa -uinaan -uinansa translative -ukseen -uksensa -uikseen -uiksensa abessive -uttaan -uttansa -uittaan -uittansa instructive — — comitative — -uineen -uinensa

Inflection of -u (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation)
nominative		-u	-ut
genitive		-un	-ujen -uiden -uitten
partitive		-ua	-uja -uita
illative		-uun	-uihin
		singular	plural
nominative		-u	-ut
accusative	nom.	-u	-ut
	gen.	-un
genitive		-un	-ujen -uiden -uitten
partitive		-ua	-uja -uita
inessive		-ussa	-uissa
elative		-usta	-uista
illative		-uun	-uihin
adessive		-ulla	-uilla
ablative		-ulta	-uilta
allative		-ulle	-uille
essive		-una	-uina
translative		-uksi	-uiksi
abessive		-utta	-uitta
instructive		—	-uin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -u (type palvelu)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -uni -uni accusative nom. -uni -uni gen. -uni genitive -uni -ujeni -uideni -uitteni partitive -uani -ujani -uitani inessive -ussani -uissani elative -ustani -uistani illative -uuni -uihini adessive -ullani -uillani ablative -ultani -uiltani allative -ulleni -uilleni essive -unani -uinani translative -ukseni -uikseni abessive -uttani -uittani instructive — — comitative — -uineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -usi -usi accusative nom. -usi -usi gen. -usi genitive -usi -ujesi -uidesi -uittesi partitive -uasi -ujasi -uitasi inessive -ussasi -uissasi elative -ustasi -uistasi illative -uusi -uihisi adessive -ullasi -uillasi ablative -ultasi -uiltasi allative -ullesi -uillesi essive -unasi -uinasi translative -uksesi -uiksesi abessive -uttasi -uittasi instructive — — comitative — -uinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -umme -umme accusative nom. -umme -umme gen. -umme genitive -umme -ujemme -uidemme -uittemme partitive -uamme -ujamme -uitamme inessive -ussamme -uissamme elative -ustamme -uistamme illative -uumme -uihimme adessive -ullamme -uillamme ablative -ultamme -uiltamme allative -ullemme -uillemme essive -unamme -uinamme translative -uksemme -uiksemme abessive -uttamme -uittamme instructive — — comitative — -uinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -unne -unne accusative nom. -unne -unne gen. -unne genitive -unne -ujenne -uidenne -uittenne partitive -uanne -ujanne -uitanne inessive -ussanne -uissanne elative -ustanne -uistanne illative -uunne -uihinne adessive -ullanne -uillanne ablative -ultanne -uiltanne allative -ullenne -uillenne essive -unanne -uinanne translative -uksenne -uiksenne abessive -uttanne -uittanne instructive — — comitative — -uinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -unsa -unsa accusative nom. -unsa -unsa gen. -unsa genitive -unsa -ujensa -uidensa -uittensa partitive -uaan -uansa -ujaan -uitaan -ujansa -uitansa inessive -ussaan -ussansa -uissaan -uissansa elative -ustaan -ustansa -uistaan -uistansa illative -uunsa -uihinsa adessive -ullaan -ullansa -uillaan -uillansa ablative -ultaan -ultansa -uiltaan -uiltansa allative -ulleen -ullensa -uilleen -uillensa essive -unaan -unansa -uinaan -uinansa translative -ukseen -uksensa -uikseen -uiksensa abessive -uttaan -uttansa -uittaan -uittansa instructive — — comitative — -uineen -uinensa

Derived terms

Finnish terms suffixed with -u

See also

• -o
• -uu

French

Etymology

Inherited from Latin -ūtus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /y/

Suffix

-u

1. Forming adjectives having the sense of ‘having quality of, being provided with’ (the root word).

   ‎barbe (“beard”) + ‎-u → ‎barbu (“bearded”)

   ‎ventre (“belly”) + ‎-u → ‎ventru (“pot-bellied, rounded”)

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -u

Gothic

Romanization

-u

1. Romanization of -𐌿

Greenlandic

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-u (n-v^?, truncative^?, uses -j- as interfix^?)

1. be

   ilinniartitsisoq (“teacher”) -> ilinniartitsisiuuvugut (“we are teachers”) .

   Ukiuuvoq.

   It is winter.

   • 1998 May 7, “Tasiilami efterskoleqalernissaa Jakob Sivertsen-ip sulissutigaa”, in Atuagagdliutit / Grønlandsposten:

     Inatsisartunut ilaasortaq Jakob Sivertsen Atassummeersoq ilungersornertuujuvoq.

     MP Jakob Sivertsen, of Atassut, is diligent.

   • 1992, “Meeqqakka”, in Atuagagdliutit/Grønlandsposten:

     Ernerput anguteqatiminoortartunngorsimavoq (19-inik ukioqarluni paasineqarpoq), niviarsiararlu nukarleq arnaqatiminoortartunngorsimalluni. Akulleq pissusissamisoortuuvoq.

     Our son has become gay (it was discovered when he was 19 years old), and the youngest girl has become a lesbian. The middle [child] is as she should be [i.e. heterosexual].

Usage notes

May become additive after a strong q base.

References

• Bjørnum, S.: Grønlandsk Grammatik, p. 275. Atuagkat 2003.
• Vestgrønlands Grammatik, p. 81, F.A.J. Nielsen, 2014
• -u in Katersat

Hungarian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [u]

Suffix

-u

1. (diminutive suffix) Added to a noun or a proper noun to form a diminutive.

   apa (“father”) → apu (“dad”)

Derived terms

• -us

 

Hungarian nouns suffixed with -u

See also

• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

Ido

Etymology

Common vowel found in pronouns in Romance languages: French tu, Italian tu and Spanish tú, also in French vous and as an o in Italian voi and Spanish vos, etc. (Compare tu and vu)

Suffix

-u

1. suffix used to form pronouns indicating a person

   ‎omna (“all, every”) + ‎-u → ‎omnu (“everyone”)

Usage notes

As it is used to form pronouns, you cannot use it to create nouns. Instead, to form an agent from an adjective like felica (“happy”), you just make it a noun: felico (“a happy person”).

Derived terms

Ido terms suffixed with -u

Latin

Suffix

-ū

1. ablative/locative singular of -us for fourth-declension nouns.

Maltese

Alternative forms

• -h (after a vowel)

Etymology

From Arabic ـهُ‎ (-hu).

Suffix

-u

2. 3rd-person masculine singular pronominal suffix: his, him

   Synonym: tiegħu (only in possessive use)

   ‎sħab (“friends”) + ‎-u → ‎sħabu (“his friends”)

   ‎taħt (“under”) + ‎-u → ‎taħtu (“under him”)

   ‎jinsa (“he forgets”) + ‎-u → ‎jinsieh (“he forgets him”)

Related terms

• hu
• huwa

 

Maori

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-u

1. Used in contractions with particles of possession to mean you

See also

Maori personal pronouns

			singular	dual	plural
1st person (exclusive)			au, ahau	māua	mātou
1st person (inclusive)				tāua	tātou
2nd person			koe	kōrua	koutou
3rd person			ia	rāua	rātou

Northern Sami

Etymology 1

From Proto-Samic *-ō. Cognate with Finnish -o.

Suffix

-u

1. Forms result or action nouns from verbs.

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the strong grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

Inflection

Even u-stem, no gradation
Nominative	-u
Genitive	-u -ọ
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-u	-ut
Accusative	-u	-ūid
Genitive	-u -ọ	-ūid
Illative	-ui	-ūide
Locative	-us	-ūin
Comitative	-ūin	-ūiguin
Essive	-un
Possessive forms Singular Dual Plural 1st person -on -ome -omet 2nd person -ot -ode -odet 3rd person -us -uska -uset

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -u

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-u

1. Form of the suffix -i used with verbs in -ut.

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the strongest grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

Inflection

Even u-stem, no gradation
Nominative	-u
Genitive	-u -ọ
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-u	-ut
Accusative	-u	-ūid
Genitive	-u -ọ	-ūid
Illative	-ui	-ūide
Locative	-us	-ūin
Comitative	-ūin	-ūiguin
Essive	-un
Possessive forms Singular Dual Plural 1st person -on -ome -omet 2nd person -ot -ode -odet 3rd person -us -uska -uset

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -u

Old English

Alternative forms

• -o

Etymology

From suppletive fusion of Old English feminine ending -u, -o and Proto-Germanic *-į̄ (“feminine abstract ending”). Akin to Gothic feminine abstracts in -𐌴𐌹 (-ei) (compare 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌴𐌹 (mikilei, “greatness”); 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐌴𐌹 (diupei, “depth”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /u/

Suffix

-u

1. ending used to form abstract nouns from adjectives (compare Modern English -ness), often causing i-mutation, and remaining even when preceded by a long syllable

   ‎eald (“old”) + ‎-u → ‎ieldu (“age”)

   ‎hāliġ (“holy, sacred; pious”) + ‎-u → ‎hāligu (“holiness”)

   ‎hāl (“sound, healthy, intact”) + ‎-u → ‎hǣlu (“wholeness, health”)

   ‎hāt (“hot”) + ‎-u → ‎hǣtu (“heat, warmth”)

   ‎mennisc (“human, natural, humane”) + ‎-u → ‎menniscu (“humanity”)

   ‎miċel (“big, large; great”) + ‎-u → ‎miċelu (“greatness, size”)

Usage notes

In later Old English, -u became -o and the declension altered to reflect the following paradigm

Declension of -u

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-o	-o
accusative	-o	-o
genitive	-o	-a
dative	-o	-um

Declension

Declension of -u (strong ō-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-u	-a, -e
accusative	-e	-a, -e
genitive	-e	-a
dative	-e	-um

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -u

Old French

Etymology

From Latin -ūtus.

Suffix

-u

1. suffixed used to form adjectives (oblique masculine singular) from nouns

Derived terms

• boçu
• foillu

Descendants

• Middle French: -u
  • French: -u

Phalura

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-u, -o/

Suffix

-u

1. Masculine singular agreement suffix

References

• Liljegren, Henrik; Haider, Naseem (2011) Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[1], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-u, -o/

Suffix

-u

1. Masculine nominative/singular agreement suffix

References

• Liljegren, Henrik; Haider, Naseem (2011) Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎^[2], Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /u/
• Rhymes: -u
• Syllabification: u

Suffix

-u

1. (sometimes archaic) forms the masculine dative singular, now used to create adverbs, always used in conjunction with po

   ‎polski + ‎-u → ‎po polsku

2. forms the inanimate masculine genitive singular after soft or historically soft stems

   ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu

3. (rare) forms the masculine dative singular in certain words

   ‎chłopiec + ‎-u → ‎chłopcu

4. forms the masculine locative singular

   ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu

5. forms the masculine vocative singular

   ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu

6. forms the feminine vocative singular after -ś and -ź

   ‎mamusia + ‎-u → ‎mamusiu

7. forms the neuter dative singular in soft and velar stems

   ‎pole + ‎-u → ‎polu

   ‎stoisko + ‎-u → ‎stoisku

8. forms the neuter locative singular in soft and velar stems

   ‎pole + ‎-u → ‎polu

   ‎stoisko + ‎-u → ‎stoisku

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -u

Further reading

• -u in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• -u in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Turkish

preceding vowel
A / I	E / İ	O / U	Ö / Ü
-ı	-i	-u	-ü

Etymology 1

Accusative suffix.

Suffix

-u

1. Form of -i after the vowels O / U.

   ‎doktor (“doctor”) + ‎-u → ‎doktoru

Etymology 2

Possessive suffix.

Suffix

-u

1. Form of -i after the vowels O / U.

   ‎pantolon (“pants”) + ‎-u → ‎pantolonu (“his/her pants”)

Etymology 3

Derivative suffix.

Suffix

-u

1. Form of -i after the vowels O / U.
   1. Derives nouns from verbs.

      ‎duy- (“to feel, to sense”) + ‎-u → ‎duyu (“sense”)

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh -u, from Proto-Brythonic *-oβ̃.

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ɨ̞/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /i/

Suffix

-u

1. Forms verbnouns from verb stems.

   Synonyms: -a, -ed, -eg, -i, -o, -io

Usage notes

This suffix is mostly used where the vowel in the last syllable is a, ae, e, or y.

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -u