یا

Persian

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) 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


Iranian Persian	یا
Dari	یا
Tajik	ё

یا • (yâ)

or
(more literary)
emruz yâ fardâ mi-ravid?

(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)
either
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


Iranian Persian	یا
Dari	یا
Tajik	ё

یا • (yâ)

(chiefly in religious set phrases) O
Synonym: ای (ey)

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

Southern Kurdish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /yaː/

Etymology 1

Pronoun

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یا (ya)

Alternative form of ئەۊ (eẅ)

Etymology 2

Northern Kurdish	yan
Central Kurdish	یان (yan)

From Arabic يَا (yā).

Preposition

یا (ya)

or
neither

Urdu

Pronunciation

(Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /jɑː/

Etymology 1

From Classical Persian (yā).

Conjunction

یا • (yā) (Hindi spelling या)

or

Etymology 2

From Arabic يَا (yā).

Interjection

یا • (yā)

oh!