um

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See also: UM, .um, -um-, 'um, um-, -um, and Appendix:Variations of "um"

Contents

English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Onomatopoeic.

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Audio (US)
    		(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌm (when stressed, or as a verb)

Used in rhotic dialects. Compare to British English erm.

Interjection[edit]

um

  1. Expression of hesitation, uncertainty or space filler in conversation. See uh.
    Um, I don’t know.
    Let’s see... um... how about this?
    • 2002, Newsweek (volume 140, page lxxx)
      It's a great test of the claims of open-source gurus, who say that a self-motivated community can outcode any team working for a single employer—like, um, Microsoft.
  2. (chiefly US) Dated spelling of mmm.
    • 1963, Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle, Dell Publishing Co., Inc., page 65:
      "About the same, wherever you go," he agreed.
      "Um," I said.

Verb[edit]

um (third-person singular simple present ums, present participle umming, simple past and past participle ummed)

  1. (intransitive) To make the um sound to express uncertainty or hesitancy.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English um, from Old Norse um, umb (“around, about”), from Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”). Cognate with Old English ymbe (“around”), West Frisian om (“around”), Dutch om (“around”), German um (“around”). More at umbe.

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. Alternative form of umbe
Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

A Latin-script rendering of µm.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

um (plural um)

  1. Alternative spelling of µm

Etymology 4[edit]

Particle[edit]

um

  1. (representing broken English stereotypically or comically attributed to Native Americans; may be offensive) An undifferentiated determiner or article: a, the, some etc.; a miscellaneous linking word, or filler with nonspecific meaning.
    He um Growling Bear. He um heap big chief.

Anagrams[edit]

Czech[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

um m

  1. skill, art

See also[edit]

Further reading[edit]

East Makian[edit]

Noun[edit]

um

  1. house

References[edit]

  • C. L. Voorhoeve, The Makian Languages and Their Neighbours (1982)

Elfdalian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Norse um, from Proto-Germanic *umbi. Cognate with Swedish om.

Conjunction[edit]

um

  1. if

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. around
  2. about (a subject)

Faroese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Norse umb, from Proto-Germanic *umbi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. (with accusative) around
  2. (with accusative) about
  3. (with accusative) during
  4. (with accusative) through
  5. (with accusative) over

Conjunction[edit]

um

  1. whether, if

German[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle High German umbe, ümbe, from Old High German umbi, from Proto-Germanic *umbi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”). Central German dialects show regular umlaut; the standard form is from Upper German, where umlaut of -u- was often blocked before labials. Cognate with Luxembourgish ëm, Dutch om, English umbe.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

um (with accusative)

  1. about
    Es geht um den Kuchen. ― It's about the pie.
  2. around
    Um die Ecke
    around the corner
  3. at, by (when relating to time)
    Um acht Uhr reisen wir ab
    At eight o’clock we depart
  4. by (percentage difference)
    Die Verkaufsmengen gingen um 6% zurück. ― Sales in volume has decreased by 6%.

Derived terms[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

um (introduces a zu-clause)

  1. in order to, so as to
    Wir sind gekommen, um zu helfen.
    We’ve come (in order) to help.

Adjective[edit]

um (not comparable)

  1. (predicative, not attributive) up, in the sense of finished
    Werden dich in kurzem binden/ Erdgeist, deine Zeit ist um (Friedrich von Hardenberg, Novalis)
    We will shortly bind you/ Erdgeist, your time is up

Adverb[edit]

um

  1. around, about
  2. turned over, changed, from one state to another

Icelandic[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Norse um, from Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, about”).

Adverb[edit]

um

  1. used in set phrases
    Það er um að gera að sofa vel.
    The important thing to do is to sleep well.
    Hvað er um að vera?
    What's going on?
    Eins og um var talað.
    As was agreed.

Derived terms[edit]

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. (with accusative) about, concerning
    Um hvað ertu að tala?
    What are you talking about?
    Spurning um líf og dauða.
    A question of life and death.
  2. (with accusative) through, around, across
    Áin rennur um dalinn.
    The river runs through the valley.
    Að fara út um gluggann.
    To go out through the window.
    Vestur um haf.
    West across the sea.
  3. (with accusative) throughout, over, around
    Við förum um alla sveitina.
    We'll go throughout the district.
    Hann var breiður um herðar.
    He was broad across the shoulders.
    Hún hafði klút um hálsinn.
    She had a scarf around her neck.
  4. (with accusative) during, for, in, at
    Hvenær gerðist þetta? - Þetta gerðist um sumarið.
    When did this happen? - It happened during the summer.
    Ég fór um nóttina.
    I went during the night.
  5. (with accusative) approximately, about, around
    Pokinn er um fjórir kíló.
    The bag around four kilos.

Usage notes[edit]

  • Often used with phrases such as "brjóta heilann um".
    Ég er búinn að brjóta heilann um þetta alla nótt!
    I've been racking my brain about this all night!

Derived terms[edit]

Indo-Portuguese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Portuguese um (“a”), from Old Portuguese ũu, from Latin ūnus, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos.

Article[edit]

um

  1. a (the indefinite article)
    • 1883, Hugo Schuchardt, Kreolische Studien, volume 3:
      Um homm tinh doiz filh:
      A man had two sons:

Irish[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Celtic *ambi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

um (plus dative, triggers lenition, except of b, m, and p)

  1. about
  2. at

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of um
Person Normal Emphatic
1st person sing. umam umamsa
2d person sing. umat umatsa
3d sing. masc. uime uimesean
3d sing. fem. uimpi uimpise
1st person pl. umainn umainne
2d person pl. umaibh umaibhse
3d person pl. umpu umpusan

Further reading[edit]

Khasi[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Probably cognate to U ʔóm.

Noun[edit]

um

  1. water

References[edit]

  • H. Roberts, A Grammar of the Khasi Language

Latin[edit]

Verb[edit]

um

  1. accusative supine of aegreō

Livonian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

u'm

  1. 1st person singular present indicative form of vȱlda
  2. 3rd person singular present indicative form of vȱlda

Lote[edit]

Noun[edit]

um

  1. stone

References[edit]

Luxembourgish[edit]

Contraction[edit]

um

  1. contraction of op + dem; on the, at the, to the
  2. contraction of un + dem

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. form removed with the spelling reform of 1938; superseded by om

Old Norse[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, about”). Cognate with Old English ymbe, Old Frisian umbe, ombe, Old Saxon umbi, Old High German umbi.

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. (with accusative) about, concerning
  2. (with accusative) round, past, beyond
  3. (with accusative) over, across, along
  4. (with accusative) during, at a point in time
  5. (with accusative) because of, for

Descendants[edit]

  • Danish: om
  • Elfdalian: um
  • Faroese: um
  • Icelandic: um
  • Norwegian: om
  • Swedish: om

References[edit]

  • um in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Pennsylvania German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Compare German um, Dutch om, Old English ymb.

Preposition[edit]

um

  1. around

Portuguese[edit]

Portuguese cardinal numbers
 <  0 1 2  > 
    Cardinal : um
    Ordinal : primeiro
Portuguese Wikipedia article on um

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Portuguese ũu (“one; a”), from Latin ūnus (“one”), from Old Latin oinos, from Proto-Italic *oinos, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Numeral[edit]

um m (feminine uma)

  2. one
    Uma xícara de café ― One cup of coffee

Quotations[edit]

For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:um.

Article[edit]

um m (feminine uma, masculine plural uns, feminine plural umas)

  2. (indefinite) a, an
    Um carro, uma casa. ― A car, a house.
    • 2005, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rocco, page 186:
      Tenho um recado para você.
      I have a message for you.
    • 2005, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rocco, page 361:
      […] disse o professor com um sorrisinho […]
      […] the teacher said with a little smile […]
    2. (in the plural) some; a few (a small number of)
      Uns carros, umas casas. ― A few cars, a few houses.
      Synonym: alguns
    4. (with uncountable nouns) a bit of
      Comi uma pipoca antes de dormir.
      I ate a bit of popcorn before going to sleep.
      Synonym: um pouco de
    6. (usually in the feminine, pronounced slowly, emphatically and with a high intonation) indicates that what follows is exceptional; quite a; quite the
      Ontem de noite caiu uma chuva.
      We had quite a rain last night.
      Estamos comendo um churrasco.
      We are having the barbecue.
      Synonym: aquele

Quotations[edit]

For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:um.

See also[edit]

Portuguese articles (edit)
Singular Plural
Masculine Feminine Masculine Feminine
Definite articles
(the) 		o a os as
Indefinite articles
(a, an; some) 		um uma uns umas

Noun[edit]

um m (plural uns)

  2. The figure or digit "1": one.
    O um parece o sete sem gravata no pescoço. ― The one looks like the seven with no tie at its neck.

Quotations[edit]

For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:um.

Pronoun[edit]

um

  2. a person; one; someone
    Chegou-me um e disse: "Olá!" ― One came to me and said: "Hello!"
  4. Element(s) of a previously mentioned class: one; some (in plural).
    Comprei uns e me decepcionei. ― I bought some and got disappointed.

Quotations[edit]

For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:um.

Romansch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin homō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰmṓ (“earthling”)

Noun[edit]

um m (plural umens)

  1. man
  2. husband

Coordinate terms[edit]

Sawai[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

um

  1. house

Further reading[edit]

  • Donald A. Burquest, Wyn D. Laidig, Phonological Studies in Four Languages of Maluku (1992)

Scots[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

um

  1. (South Scots, personal) him

See also[edit]

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *umъ.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

ȗm m (Cyrillic spelling у̑м)

  1. mind
  2. intellect
  3. wit

Declension[edit]

Declension of um
singular plural
nominative ȗm úmovi
genitive uma umova
dative umu umovima
accusative um umove
vocative ume umovi
locative umu umovima
instrumental umom umovima

Slovak[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *umъ.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

um m (genitive singular umu, nominative plural umy, genitive plural umov, declension pattern of dub)

  1. mind
  2. intellect
  3. wit

Declension[edit]

Declension of um
singular plural
nominative um umy
genitive umu umov
dative umu umom
accusative um umy
locative ume umoch
instrumental umom umami

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

  • um in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk
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