Definify.com

Definition 2024


jau

jau

See also: Jaú and ja'u

Catalan

Verb

jau

  1. third-person singular present indicative form of jaure
  2. second-person singular imperative form of jaure

Gothic

Romanization

jau

  1. Romanization of 𐌾𐌰𐌿

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *jau, from Proto-Indo-European *you-, from the stem *i- (that; he) (whence also Latvian it, q.v.). Cognates include Lithuanian jaũ (already), Old Prussian iau (ever), Old Church Slavonic уже (uže), юже (juže), Russian уже́ (užé, already), Gothic 𐌾𐌿 (ju, already), Old High German ju (already).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [jàw]

Adverb

jau

  1. used to indicate that an action or event has started, happened before the time of speaking; already
    saule jau aust ― the sun is already up
    viņš jau atnāca ― he has already arrived
    es šo grāmatu jau esmu lasījis ― I have already read this book
    viņi jau bija izbraukuši no pilsētas, kad tēvocis atkal ierunājās ― they had already left the city when (their) uncle spoke again
  2. used to indicate that an action or event is happening before its due time, earlier than expected or planned; already
    plāns jānodod jau šodien ― the plan must be carried out already today
    jau rīt viņš aizceļos ― he will set off tomorrow already
    jau pēc stundasalready in an hour (earlier than expected)

Particle

jau

  1. used to reinforce the meaning of a word, phrase or sentence; really, indeed
    žēl jau bija, ka tā iznāca ― it is really a pity that it came out like that
    tas jau tāpat saprotams ― that is really self-evident
    jau ir ― it is indeed so
    jau viņš neteicathat he didn't say
    labi jau tas nebijagood that was not
    jau nu irthat is true... (said when reluctantly agreeing)
  2. (usually with ) used to reinforce what is affirmed in a sentence, to give it more credibility, more generality
    viņš bija naivs, kā jau bērns ― he was naive, like a child
    bija jautri, kā jau viesībās ― it was fun, like in a party
    gandrīz katru dienu līst, kā jau rudenī ― almost every day it rains, as if it were autumn

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), jau”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7

Lithuanian

Etymology

Adverb

jaũ [2]

  1. already
    Jau grįžo.[2] - He/she has already returned.

Antonyms

References

  1. 1 2 3 Derksen, Rick (2008) Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden, Boston: Brill, ISBN 978 90 04 15504 6, page 207.
  2. 1 2 “jau” in Juozas Balčikonis [et al.] (1954), Dabartinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas. Vilnius: Valstybinė politinės ir mokslinės literatūros leidykla.

Lojban

Cmavo

jau

  1. (cardinal, hexadecimal digit and number) thirteen

Rafsi

jau

  1. rafsi of djacu.

Portuguese

Noun

jau m (plural jaus)

  1. Javanese (person from Java)

Synonyms


Romansch

Alternative forms

  • (Sursilvan) jeu
  • (Sutsilvan) jou
  • (Surmiran) ia
  • (Puter) eau
  • (Vallader) eu

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *eo, from Latin ego, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.

Pronoun

jau

  1. (Rumantsch Grischun) I