u-

Prefix

u-

you singular (used for conjugating verbs to the subjective or nominative case of the personal pronoun)

Kambera

Pronoun

u-

alternative form of mu-

Lower Tanana

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *u-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/

Prefix

u-

Marks the conative aspect, relating to attempting actions. There are a number of extended meanings, including:
1. Appears thematicized in some verbs
  yuzri ― he/she is calling his/her name
  
  yutwn' ― he/she is holding it
2. With the gh-qualifier, refers to entering a particular condition
  ughadletr'etl ― it became scorched
3. Refers to concealment
  saxunadhenh ― he/she is concealing it from me
4. Refers to familial relationship
  suɬyayh ― he/she is related to me
5. With the ɬ-qualifier and a gender prefix, describes a tendancy
  udaɬk'wn' ― it is flammable
  
  xuɬyo' ― he/she is talkative
6. Forms directive verbs
7. Forms verbs with a meaning of "passing by".
8. Appears in several deverbal nouns
  uyonh ― embarrassment
  
  unyeyh ― blackfish

Derived terms

References

Kari, James et al. (2024), Kari, James, editor, Lower Tanana Dene Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, pages 30-31

Makhuwa-Meetto

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 noun prefix”).

Prefix

u-

Class 15 noun prefix.

Matengo

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀- (“Class 14 noun prefix”).

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

References

Nobuko Yoneda (2006), A Classified Vocabulary of the Matengo Language‎^[2], Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, page xi

Northern Ndebele

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

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

Prefix

u-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

Norwegian Bokmål terms prefixed with u-

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

Abbreviation of utviklings- (“development-”), undervanns- (“underwater-”), and ungdoms- (“youth”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈʉː/
Rhymes: -ʉː

Prefix

u-

abbreviation of utviklings- (“development-”)
‎u- + ‎land → ‎u-land

‎u- + ‎hjelp → ‎u-hjelp
abbreviation of undervanns- (“underwater-”)
‎u- + ‎båt → ‎ubåt
abbreviation of ungdoms- (“youth”)
‎U- + ‎landslag → ‎U-landslag

‎U- + ‎landskamp → ‎U-landskamp

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Norse ú- (“un-, not”), also ó- (“un-, not”), from Proto-Germanic *un- (“un-, not”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“not”), zero-grade of *ne (“not”).

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk u-, Danish u-, Swedish o-, Icelandic ó-, Faroese ó-, English un-, German un-, Dutch on-, Latin in-, and Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-), ἀν- (an-).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʉ/
IPA^(key): /ˈʉː/
Rhymes: -ʉː

Prefix

u-

Forms words with a negative, lacking, or opposite meaning.
‎u- + ‎ønsket → ‎uønsket

‎u- + ‎mulig → ‎umulig

‎u- + ‎hell → ‎uhell
Used in words that no longer occur without the prefix.
‎u- + ‎bendig → ‎ubendig

‎u- + ‎fyselig → ‎ufyselig

‎u- + ‎hyre → ‎uhyre

‎u- + ‎nektelig → ‎unektelig

‎u- + ‎kvemsord → ‎ukvemsord
Forms words denoting something bad, undesirable, harmful, or defective.
‎u- + ‎gjerning → ‎ugjerning

‎u- + ‎vane → ‎uvane

‎u- + ‎vær → ‎uvær
Forms words with an intensifying meaning.
‎u- + ‎styggelig → ‎ustyggelig

‎u- + ‎tall → ‎utall

Synonyms

(negative or opposite meaning): a-, in-, ikke-
(bad or undesirable): mis-, van-

Derived terms

References

“u-” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“u-_1” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
“u-_2” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse ú- or ó-, English un-, German un-. With the intensifying function probably influenced by ov-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʉː/

Prefix

u-

un- (not)
flaks → uflaks

luck → bad luck
used to create an undesired version of the following noun
vêr → uvêr
weather → severe weather

tid → utid
time → inconvenient time
used to strengthen/intensify the following noun
tal → utal
number → huge number
an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk terms prefixed with u-

uro

References

“u-” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew

Proto-Balto-Slavic *au

Proto-Slavic *u

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Polish u-

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *u-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /u/
IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /u/

Prefix

u-

perfective prefix
‎u- + ‎wiązać → ‎uwiązać

Derived terms

Old Polish terms prefixed with u-

Old Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew

Proto-Balto-Slavic *au

Proto-Slavic *u

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Slovak u-

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *u-. Cf. u.

Prefix

u-

verbal prefix serving as a pure perfective aspect marker
‎u- + ‎robiť → ‎urobiť (“to do; to make (perfective)”)

‎u- + ‎loviť → ‎uloviť (“to catch; to hunt down (perfective)”)

‎u- + ‎veriť → ‎uveriť (“to believe (perfective)”)
verbal prefix highlighting the full completion or thorough finalization of an action
‎u- + ‎schovať → ‎uschovať (“to store away; to keep safe”)
verbal prefix denoting the peak or extreme limit of an action's effect, often leading to exhaustion
‎u- + ‎brechať → ‎ubrechať (“to bark oneself out; to get tired of barking”)
verbal prefix denoting movement away from a specific location: away
‎u- + ‎letieť → ‎uletieť (“to fly away”)
verbal prefix denoting a small deviation, sideways movement, avoidance, or retreat
‎u- + ‎hnúť → ‎uhnúť (“to move aside; to dodge”)

‎u- + ‎stúpiť → ‎ustúpiť (“to step back; to retreat; to yield”)
verbal prefix denoting the separation or removal of a part from a whole: off
‎u- + ‎rezať → ‎urezať (“to cut off (a piece)”)

‎u- + ‎lomiť → ‎ulomiť (“to break off (a twig/piece)”)
verbal prefix denoting the imparting of a specific quality or the causation of a state
‎u- + ‎rýchly + ‎-iť → ‎urýchliť (“to accelerate; to speed up”)
verbal prefix denoting the acquisition of a state or quality
‎u- + ‎suchý + ‎-núť → ‎uschnúť (“to dry up; to wither”)

‎u- + ‎tichý + ‎-núť → ‎utíchnuť (“to fall silent; to quiet down”)
verbal prefix denoting a high degree or great intensity of an action
‎u- + ‎biť → ‎ubiť (“to beat to death; to batter”)

‎u- + ‎bozkávať → ‎ubozkávať (“to smother with kisses”)
verbal prefix denoting the capacity, strength, or ability to perform an action
‎u- + ‎držať → ‎udržať (“to manage to hold; to maintain”)

‎u- + ‎niesť → ‎uniesť (“to be able to carry; to abduct”)

Derived terms

Old Slovak terms prefixed with u-

udrieť

ujsť

Descendants

Slovak: u-

Phuthi

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

Polish terms prefixed with u-

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew

Proto-Balto-Slavic *au

Proto-Slavic *u

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Polish u-

Polish u-

Inherited from Old Polish u-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -u
Syllabification: u-
Homophones: ó, u, -u, -u-

Prefix

u-

appears in front of some verbs meaning: to make something behave in a certain way, en-, be-, make
Synonym: o-

‎u- + ‎łatwy → ‎ułatwiać
perfective prefix
‎u- + ‎bóść → ‎ubóść
added to mean "a bit"
‎u- + ‎lać → ‎ulać
added to mean away
‎u- + ‎iść → ‎ujść
(rare) added to mean successfully, often without an imperfective counterpart
‎u- + ‎ciągnąć → ‎uciągnąć

‎u- + ‎rzucić → ‎urzucić

Derived terms

Punu

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *kʊ̀- (“Class 15 noun prefix”).

Prefix

u-

Infinitive prefix.

References

Yasutoshi Yukawa (2006), A Classified Vocabulary of the Punu Language‎^[4], Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, page iii

Shona

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀- (“Class 14 noun prefix”).

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

References

M. Hannan, S.J. (1984), Standard Shona Dictionary: Revised Edition with Addendum‎^[5], Harare College Press, page x

Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew

Proto-Balto-Slavic *au

Proto-Slavic *u

Proto-Slavic *u-

Old Slovak u-

Slovak u-

Inherited from Old Slovak u-. Cf. u.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u/, [u]

Prefix

u-

verbal prefix serving as a pure perfective aspect marker
‎u- + ‎robiť → ‎urobiť (“to do; to make (perfective)”)

‎u- + ‎loviť → ‎uloviť (“to catch; to hunt down (perfective)”)

‎u- + ‎veriť → ‎uveriť (“to believe (perfective)”)
verbal prefix highlighting the full completion or thorough finalization of an action
‎u- + ‎za- + ‎-mknúť → ‎uzamknúť (“to lock up completely”)

‎u- + ‎schovať → ‎uschovať (“to store away; to keep safe”)
verbal prefix denoting the peak or extreme limit of an action's effect, often leading to exhaustion
‎u- + ‎brechať → ‎ubrechať (“to bark oneself out; to get tired of barking”)

‎u- + ‎trmácať → ‎utrmácať (“to get worn out; to get exhausted from travel”)
away (verbal prefix denoting movement away from a specific location)
‎u- + ‎letieť → ‎uletieť (“to fly away”)

‎u- + ‎-niknúť → ‎uniknúť (“to escape; to leak out”)
verbal prefix denoting a small deviation, sideways movement, avoidance, or retreat
‎u- + ‎hnúť → ‎uhnúť (“to move aside; to dodge”)

‎u- + ‎stúpiť → ‎ustúpiť (“to step back; to retreat; to yield”)
off (verbal prefix denoting the separation or removal of a part from a whole)
‎u- + ‎rezať → ‎urezať (“to cut off (a piece)”)

‎u- + ‎lomiť → ‎ulomiť (“to break off (a twig/piece)”)
verbal prefix denoting the imparting of a specific quality or the causation of a state
‎u- + ‎stály + ‎-iť → ‎ustáliť (“to stabilize; to fix”)

‎u- + ‎rýchly + ‎-iť → ‎urýchliť (“to accelerate; to speed up”)
verbal prefix denoting the acquisition of a state or quality
‎u- + ‎suchý + ‎-núť → ‎uschnúť (“to dry up; to wither”)

‎u- + ‎tichý + ‎-núť → ‎utíchnuť (“to fall silent; to quiet down”)
verbal prefix denoting a high degree or great intensity of an action
‎u- + ‎biť → ‎ubiť (“to beat to death; to batter”)

‎u- + ‎bozkávať → ‎ubozkávať (“to smother with kisses”)
verbal prefix denoting a small measure, a portion, or a partial amount of an action (partitive)
‎u- + ‎-jedať → ‎ujedať (“to nibble at; to eat from (a cake)”)

‎u- + ‎-píjať → ‎upíjať (“to sip from (wine)”)
verbal prefix denoting the capacity, strength, or ability to perform an action
‎u- + ‎držať → ‎udržať (“to manage to hold; to maintain”)

‎u- + ‎niesť → ‎uniesť (“to be able to carry; to abduct”)
verbal prefix denoting reciprocity, mutual agreement, or bilateral action
‎u- + ‎z- + ‎hovoriť → ‎uzhovoriť (“to agree upon; to settle with someone”)

‎u- + ‎z- + ‎hodnúť → ‎uzhodnúť (“to reach an agreement; to coincide”)
(archaic or dialectal) verbal prefix used as a replacement for other prefixes (e.g., za-, z-)
‎u- + ‎hodiť → ‎uhodiť (“to throw (archaic/dialectal for zahodiť)”)

‎u- + ‎horieť → ‎uhorieť (“to burn down (archaic/dialectal for zhorieť)”)

Derived terms

Slovak terms prefixed with u-

Slovene

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *u-. Prefixed form of the preposition u.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /u-/

Prefix

u-

Forms perfective verbs with the following meanings:
1. (no change in meaning)
  ‎u- + ‎branīti (“to defend”) → ‎ubranīti (“to defend”)
2. away
  ‎u- + ‎téči (“to run”) → ‎utéči (“to run away, escape”)
3. (reflexive) to make a mistake while
  ‎u- + ‎štẹ́ti (“to count”) → ‎uštẹ́ti (“to miscount”)

Derived terms

Slovene terms prefixed with u-

Southern Ndebele

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

Swahili terms prefixed with u- (noun)

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Swahili

Other scripts
Ajami	اُـ

Alternative forms

w- (before a vowel)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *lu- and *wu-.

Due to sound change, Swahili merged the Bantu classes XI (from Proto-Bantu *dʊ̀-) and XIV (from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-) into one u class_(XI), with adjective agreement identical to that of m class_(III). The same merger happened in the Comorian languages, such as with Ngazidja Comorian u-. Due to this merger, many original class-XI nouns were removed from the merged class due to incompatible semantics with the original class-XIV nouns, and reassigned to n class_(IX), both in Swahili and in Comorian.^[1]

As a class-XI prefix, this is furthermore cognate with Giryama lu-, Rwanda-Rundi ru-, and Zulu lu-. As a class-XIV prefix, this is cognate with Giryama u-, Rwanda-Rundi bu-, and Zulu bu-.

Prefix

u- (plural n- or ma-)

u class_(XI) noun prefix, denoting natural objects, extensions, abstract qualities, or collections of small things.
ulimi mrefu ― a long tongue
1. -ness, -ity
  ‎u- + ‎-chafu (“dirty”) → ‎uchafu (“dirtiness”)
  
  ‎u- + ‎mtoto (“child”) → ‎utoto (“childhood”)
  
  ‎u- + ‎binafsi (“self”) → ‎ubinafsi (“individualism”)
2. forms names of countries
  ‎u- + ‎French France (“France”) → ‎Ufaransa (“France”)

Derived terms

ufu

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

you, 2nd person singular subject concord
Antonym: hu-

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́- and *dʊ́-.

Prefix

u-

it, m class_(III)/u class_(XI) subject concord
Antonym: hau-
- 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi‎^[6], stanza 13:
  هُنُ اُلِمِغُ بَحَرِ تِيْسِ ، اُنَ مَتُبَوِ نَمَغِ مَاسِ،
  Hunu ulimwengu baḥari tesi, una matumbawe na-mangi masi,
  This world is a troubled sea, it has corals and much wickedness;
verb-initial form of -u- (“it, m class_(III)/u class_(XI) object concord”)

References

^ Nurse, Derek; Hinnebusch, Thomas J. (1993), Swahili and Sabaki: A Linguistic History, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, →ISBN, pages 350-351

Swazi

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 3

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Taos

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔu/

Prefix

u-

(transitive) Third person singular subject + third person duoplural object.

Tlingit

Prefix

u-

Marks the irrealis mood

Tumbuka

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

2nd person singular subject concord. Translates as thou or you (singular or informal).

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-.

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́-

alternative of wu-

Xhosa

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

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

Prefix

u-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Prefix

u- (medial ka-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4

Yoruba terms prefixed with u- (nominalizing prefix)

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

he, she, it; class 3 subject concord.

Etymology 5

Prefix

u-

Class 11 noun prefix; form of ulu- used before stems of more than one syllable.

Yao (Africa)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀-

Prefix

u-

Class 14 noun prefix.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *ʊ̀-

Prefix

u-

2nd person singular subject concord.

Usage notes

According to Sanderson, the 2nd person singular isn't used unless you're talking to children or using it to show contempt.

References

Rev. Alexander Hetherwick, M.A., F.R.G.S. (1902), A Handbook of the Yao Language‎^[7], Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, page 32
Meredith Sanderson, M.R.C.S., F.R.G.S., F.R.A.I. (1922), A Yao Grammar‎^[8], Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, page 36

Ye'kwana

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [u-]

Prefix

u-

Allomorph of y- (first-person prefix) used for stems that begin with two consonants and have a first vowel u.

Inflection

Ye'kwana personal markers

	pronoun	noun possessor/ series II verb argument		postposition object		series I verb argument
	pronoun	noun possessor/ series II verb argument		postposition object		transitive patient	intransitive patient-like		intransitive agent-like	transitive agent
first person	ewü	y-, ∅-, ü-, u-¹						w-, wi-
first person dual inclusive	küwü	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-								k-, kii-, ki-¹
second person	amödö	ö-, öy-/ödh-, o-, oy-/odh-, a-, ay-/adh-							m-, mi-
first person dual exclusive	nña	y-/dh-, ch-, ∅-, i-¹			chö-	∅-	n-, ni-
third person	tüwü	y-/dh-, ch-, ∅-, i-¹			chö-	n-, ni-	n-, ni-
distant past third person	tüwü	—				kün-, kun-, kin-, ken-, küm-, kum-, kim-, kini-
coreferential/reflexive	—	t-, tü-, tu-, ti-, te-				—
reciprocal	—	—	öö-

With following vowel lengthened if in an unreduced open syllable.

	series I verb argument: transitive agent and transitive patient
1st person > 2nd person	mön-, man-, mon-, möm-, möni-
1st person dual exclusive > 2nd person	mön-, man-, mon-, möm-, möni-
2nd person > 1st person	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-
2nd person > 1st person dual exclusive	k-, kü-, ku-, ki-
3rd person > any person X …or… any person X > 3rd person	see person X in the chart above

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

ì-

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ù/

Prefix

ù-

(CY, SEY) abstract or instrument nominalizing prefix

Usage notes

Forms both abstract and concrete nouns:

ù + gwẹ̀ "to swim" → ùgwẹ̀ "swimming"
ù + gbálẹ̀ "to sweep floor" → ùgbálẹ̀ "broom"

Derived terms

uko

upe

uwe

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

i-

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ū/

Prefix

u-

(CY, SEY) non-gerundive nominalizing prefix
‎u- + ‎kú (“to die”) → ‎ukú (“death”)

Derived terms

Yoruba terms prefixed with u-

uku

ulu

uta

uwọ

Zulu

Etymology 1

Prefix

u- (medial wu-)

you, thou; second-person singular subject concord.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Bantu *ʊ́-. This noun class is marked simply with the class 1 augment and a null prefix.

Prefix

ú-

Class 1a noun prefix.

Etymology 3

Prefix

ú- (medial ká-)

he, she, it; class 1 subject concord.

Etymology 4