saya

See also: sāya

Languages (17)

English

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Asturian • Bambara • Betawi • Cebuano • Indonesian • Japanese • Karao • Malay • Maranao • North Moluccan Malay • Papiamentu • Sambali • Spanish • Tagalog • Ternate • Ye'kwana

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Page categories

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Tagalog saya, from Spanish saya.

Noun

saya (plural sayas)

1. (Philippines) A skirt.
   • 2022, James Hopper, Caybigan:

     And as she stalked in her long, loose stride toward the dressing-room to readjust her saya, somewhat in distress from the Maestro's last effort, it had suddenly flashed upon him where he had seen her before.

Derived terms

• under the saya

Anagrams

• Ayas, ayas, Asya, yaas, AYAs, Asay

Asturian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Leonese saya, from Vulgar Latin *sagia, from Latin sagum, from Gaulish *sagos, or from Ancient Greek σάγος (ságos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʝa/ [ˈsa.ʝa]
• Rhymes: -aʝa
• Syllabification: sa‧ya

Noun

saya f (plural sayes)

1. skirt

   Synonym: falda

References

• “saya”, in Diccionariu de la llingua asturiana [Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (in Asturian), 1ª edición, Academia de la Llingua Asturiana, 2000, →ISBN
• Xosé Lluis García Arias (2002–2004), “saya”, in Diccionario general de la lengua asturiana [General Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (in Spanish), Editorial Prensa Asturiana, →ISBN

Bambara

Noun

saya

1. death

Betawi

Alternative forms

• aya (clipping)
• ayè (Meester)
• ayah, sayah (Bekasi)

Etymology

From Classical Malay saya (“I, me, my”), from Classical Malay sahaya (“slave”), from Sanskrit सहाय (sahāya, “follower”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saja/
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: sa‧ya

Pronoun

saya

1. I, me, my (first person singular pronoun)

Usage notes

Used mainly in literary works, in formal situation, or by someone younger when addressing an older person.

Synonyms

• ané
• gua
• kita (euphemistic)

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• sayal

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Spanish saya, from Vulgar Latin *sagia, from Latin sagum, from Gaulish *sagos, or from Ancient Greek σάγος (ságos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaja/ [ˈs̪a.jɐ]
• Hyphenation: sa‧ya

Noun

saya

1. skirt

   Synonym: palda

2. (often humorous) kilt

Verb

saya

1. to wear a skirt

Derived terms

• ander de saya

Etymology 2

Compare sadya.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saˈja/ [s̪ɐˈja]
• Hyphenation: sa‧ya

Adjective

sayá

1. merry

Indonesian

Alternative forms

• sahaya (archaic)
• saja (1901–1947, 1947–1972)

Etymology

From Malay saya, from earlier sahaya, from Sanskrit सहाय (sahāya).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈsaja/ [ˈsa.ja]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aja
• Syllabification: sa‧ya

Pronoun

saya

1. (polite) first person singular pronoun: I, me, my

   Saya akan pergi ke kebun.

   I will go to the garden.

   Mereka suka bercanda dengan saya.

   They like to joke around with me.

   Atasan saya sedang sibuk.

   My boss is busy.

Interjection

saya

1. (polite) response that confirms that the speaker is paying attention: yes

Synonyms

As a first person singular personal pronouns:

• aku (informal)
• gua (informal, Jakarta)
• hamba (poetic)

See also

Indonesian personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person exclusive	regular	aku, saya1	kami
	enclitic	-ku	-
	proclitic	ku-	-
1st person inclusive		-	kita
2nd person	regular	kamu, Anda2, kau3	kalian, Anda2, Anda sekalian2, Anda semua2
	enclitic	-mu	-
3rd person	regular	dia, beliau4, ia3	mereka
	enclitic	-nya	-
reflexive		diri5, diri sendiri
emphatic		sendiri

¹ Polite.
² Formal.
³ Now mostly literary.
⁴ Respectful.

⁵ Sometimes used as an emphatic marker instead of being reflexive.

Notes:

• This table only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language.
• The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
• The enclitics are only used obliquely (object or possessor), while the proclitic is only used as a subject.

See each entry for more information.

Japanese

Romanization

saya

1. Rōmaji transcription of さや

Karao

Noun

saya

1. tear; teardrop

Malay

Alternative forms

• sahaya (now dated)
• sy (abbreviation)

Etymology

Clipping of sahaya, from Sanskrit सहाय (sahāya, “follower”).

Pronunciation

• (schwa-variety) IPA^(key): /ˈsajə/ [ˈsa.jə]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ajə, -jə, -ə
• (Baku, /a/-variety) IPA^(key): /ˈsaja/ [ˈsa.ja]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -aja, -ja, -a
• (in fast speech) IPA^(key): [se]
• Hyphenation: sa‧ya

Pronoun

saya (Jawi spelling ساي)

1. (polite) First person singular pronoun; I, me.

   Synonym: aku (informal, poetic)

   Saya di sekolah sekarang.

   I am at school now.

Usage notes

This pronoun is generally used when talking to someone of a socially higher position such as an older person or a superior.

See also

Malay personal pronouns

	Singular	Plural
1st person	saya1 aku3	kita4 kami2 & 5 kita orang3 & 5
2nd person	awak1 anda2 awda8 (eng)kau3 kamu3	(2nd person) + semua6 kalian2 (eng)kau orang3
3rd person	dia ia beliau7 -nya2	mereka2 dia orang3

¹ Polite.
² Formal.
³ Informal.
⁴ Includes the listener (inclusive).
⁵ Excludes the listener (exclusive).
⁶ Formality depends on the second person pronoun used.
⁷ Honorific.
⁸ Formal (Brunei).

Notes:

• This table mostly only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language and within the Klang Valley area.
• The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
• The enclitic -nya is only used obliquely (as an object or possessor).
• The second person pronoun kamu is usually only used when speaking with younger speakers.

See each entry for more information.

Interjection

saya (Jawi spelling ساي)

1. (uncommon) Used to express affirmation; yes.

   Synonyms: ya, benar, betul

Descendants

• Indonesian: saya
• North Moluccan Malay: saya

Maranao

Adverb

saya

1. here

North Moluccan Malay

Etymology

From Malay saya, from earlier sahaya, from Sanskrit सहाय (sahāya, “companion, follower, assistant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaja/
• IPA^(key): (in relaxed or fast speech) /ˈse(j)a/
• Hyphenation: sa‧ya

Pronoun

saya

1. (polite) First person singular pronoun: I, me, my

See also

North Moluccan Malay personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person	long	kita, saya1	torang
	short	ta	tong
2nd person	long	ngana	ngoni
	short	nga	ngo
3rd person	long	dia	dorang
	short	de	dong
possessive		pe
reflexive		diri
emphatic		sandiri

¹ Polite.

• The short forms are mostly dependent.
• The second person pronouns are usually avoided when talking to someone of higher status or older.
  

See each entry for more information.

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Spanish saya and Portuguese saia and Kabuverdianu saia.

Noun

saya

1. skirt

Sambali

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish saya.

Noun

saya

1. skirt

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *sagia, from Latin sagum, from Gaulish *sagos, or from Ancient Greek σάγος (ságos). Compare Portuguese saia, French saie.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʝa/ [ˈsa.ʝa]

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʝa/ [ˈsa.ʝa] (everywhere but Argentina and Uruguay)
• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʃa/ [ˈsa.ʃa] (Buenos Aires and environs)
• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʒa/ [ˈsa.ʒa] (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay)

• Rhymes: -aʝa
• Syllabification: sa‧ya

Noun

saya f (plural sayas)

1. (archaic except Cuba, Philippines) skirt

   Synonyms: falda, pollera, nagua

Descendants

• → Cebuano: saya
• → Moroccan Arabic: صاية (ṣāya)
• → Tagalog: saya

Further reading

• “saya”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Tagalog

Etymology 1

From Proto-Philippine *sayaq. Compare Kapampangan saya, Masbatenyo sadya, Cebuano sadya, and Hiligaynon sadya.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /saˈja/ [sɐˈja]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa‧ya

Noun

sayá (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜌ)

1. joy; happiness; gladness

   Synonyms: tuwa, katuwaan, galak, kagalakan, ligaya, kaligayahan, alegriya

2. fun; merriment; festivity

   Synonyms: pagkakatuwa, pagdiriwang

Derived terms

• ansaya
• ikasaya
• ipagsaya
• kasayahan
• magpakasaya
• magpasaya
• magsaya
• makapagsaya
• makasaya
• masaya
• masayahan
• masayahin
• masayang-masaya
• napakasaya
• pagsasaya
• pakikipagsaya
• pampasaya
• pasaya
• pasayahin
• sayahan
• sayahin
• sumaya

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish saya, from Vulgar Latin *sagia, from Latin sagum, from earlier sagus, probably of Gaulish origin.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsaja/ [ˈsaː.jɐ]
• Rhymes: -aja
• Syllabification: sa‧ya

Noun

saya (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜌ)

1. skirt

   Synonym: palda

Derived terms

• ander de saya
• baro't saya

Further reading

• “saya”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Anagrams

• Asya

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsa.ja]

Noun

saya

1. a flower

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Ye'kwana

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [saja]

Noun

saya

1. mountain

References

• Cáceres, Natalia (2011), “saya”, in Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana‎^[1], Lyon