یا

See also: يا and ئا

Persian

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [jɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [jɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [jɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [jɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [jɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [jɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [jɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?	yā
Dari reading?	yā
Iranian reading?	yâ
Tajik reading?	yo

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (ʾywp /⁠ayāb⁠/), Manichaean script: 𐫀𐫏𐫀𐫁 (ʾyʾb /⁠ayāb⁠/). Cognate with Parthian 𐫀𐫃𐫀𐫖 (ʾgʾm /⁠āgām⁠/). Further etymology unclear; not found in Old Persian.

Conjunction

Dari	یا
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ё

یا • (yâ)

1. or

   امروز یا فردا می‌روید؟ (more literary)

   emruz yâ fardâ mi-ravid?

   امرو یا فردا می‌رین؟ (more colloquial)

   emru yâ fardâ mi-rin?

   Are you going today or tomorrow?

   • c. 1390, Hafez, “Ghazal 12”, in دیوان حافظ [The Divān of Hafez]‎^[1]:

     عزم دیدار تو دارد جانِ بر لب آمده
     باز گردد یا برآید؟ چیست فرمان شما؟

     azm-i dîdâr-i tu dârad jân-i bar lab âmada
     bâz gardad yâ bar-âyad? čî-st farmân-i šumâ?

     My soul, resolved to see you, has come to the edge;
     Shall it go back, or come forth? Which do you command?

     (romanization in Classical Persian)

2. either

   یا امروز یا فردا

   yâ emruz yâ fardâ

   either today or tomorrow

Descendants

• → Arabic:
  • Egyptian Arabic: يا (ya)
  • Gulf Arabic: يا ... يا (yā ... yā)
  • South Levantine Arabic: يا (ya)
• → Azerbaijani: ya
• → Bashkir: йә (yə)
• → Hindustani:

  Hindi: या (yā)

  Urdu: یا (yā)

  • → Phalura: yaá/یا

• → Kannada: ಯಾ (yā)
• → Ottoman Turkish: یا (ya)
  • Turkish: ya
• → Turkmen: ýa

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic يَا (yā).

Interjection

Dari	یا
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ё

یا • (yâ)

1. (chiefly in religious set phrases) O

   Synonym: ای (ey)

   یا علی ― yâ 'ali ― O Ali (common religious phrase among Shia Muslims)

Southern Kurdish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /yaː/

Etymology 1

Pronoun

یا (ya)

1. Alternative form of ئەۊ (eẅ)

Etymology 2

Northern Kurdish	yan
Central Kurdish	یان (yan)

Compare Persian يا.

Preposition

یا (ya)

1. or
2. neither

Urdu

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /jɑː/

Etymology 1

From Classical Persian یا (yā).

Conjunction

یا • (yā) (Hindi spelling या)

1. or

Etymology 2

From Arabic يَا (yā).

Interjection

یا • (yā)

1. oh!