sa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sa"

Languages (111)

Translingual

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Abau • Acehnese • Ainu • Akan • Albanian • Ama • Atong (India) • Babine-Witsuwit'en • Bahnar • Balinese • Banjarese • Bole • Catalan • Cebuano • Chipewyan • Dogrib • Drung • Duriankere • Duun • Eastern Cham • Estonian • Finnish • Franco-Provençal • French • Futuna-Aniwa • Galician • Garo • Gothic • Hadza • Haitian Creole • Hanunoo • Haroi • Hausa • Higaonon • Iban • Ido • Igbo • Indonesian • Irish • Italian • Japanese • Jarai • Kabyle • Kamakan • Kapampangan • Kokborok • Lhao Vo • Ligurian • Lingala • Livonian • Lotha Naga • Louisiana Creole • Lower Sorbian • Macanese • Malay • Maltese • Mandarin • Maranao • Masalit • Matal • Mauritian Creole • Michif • Middle English • Minangkabau • Mizo • Northern Roglai • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Ojibwe • Old French • Old Frisian • Old Galician-Portuguese • Old Irish • Pali • Palu'e • Papiamentu • Paraguayan Guarani • Pawaia • Polish • Rade • Rawang • Romani • Romanian • Sardinian • Scottish Gaelic • Serbo-Croatian • Slovak • South Slavey • Southern Ndebele • Sranan Tongo • Sumerian • Swazi • Swedish • Tagalog • Talysh • Tashelhit • Tooro • Tunica • Turkish • Vietnamese • Welsh • West Frisian • West Makian • Western Cham • Xârâgurè • Xhosa • Yámana • Zhuang • Zou • Zulu

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Sanskrit or Sanskrit संस्कृत (saṃskṛtá).

Symbol

sa

1. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Sanskrit.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Sanskrit terms

Abau

Noun

sa class I gender f

1. woman

References

• transnewguinea.org, citing D. C. Laycock, Languages of the Lumi Subdistrict (West Sepik District), New Guinea (1968), Oceanic Linguistics, 7 (1): 36-66

Acehnese

Acehnese numbers ^(edit)

		10
	←  0	1	2  →	10  →
Cardinal: sa     Ordinal: phôn

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

Numeral

sa

1. one

References

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Ainu

Noun

sa (Kana spelling サ)

1. elder sister

   Synonym: nanna

References

• John Batchelor (1905), An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language)‎^[5], Tokyo; London: Methodist Publishing House; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner Co., page 385
• Vovin, Alexander V. (2016), “On the Linguistic Prehistory of Hokkaidō”, in Gruzdeva Ekaterina, Janhunen Juha, editors, Crosslinguistics and Linguistic Crossings in Northeast Asia. Papers on the Languages of Sakhalin and Adjacent Regions (Studia Orientalia; 117), Helsinki, pages 29–38

Akan

Verb

sa (Twi)

1. to dance
2. to fetch
3. to castrate

Derived terms

• sa mu

Albanian

Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *si-a, a combination of two pronominal members, Proto-Indo-European *kʷih₂ and *h₂ew-/*h₂en-. Alternatively from Proto-Albanian *tšja or, as per Meyer, from Greek σαν (san, “when, whenever”).

Pronoun

sa

1. how much

Derived terms

• sasi

Ama

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Noun

sa

1. rain

Atong (India)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʰa/

Numeral

sa (Bengali script সা)

1. one

Synonyms

• rongsa
• wan
• eek

References

• van Breugel, Seino. 2015. Atong-English dictionary, second edition. Available online: https://www.academia.edu/487044/Atong_English_Dictionary.

Babine-Witsuwit'en

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *šʷaˑ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Noun

sa

1. sun

References

• Sharon Hargus, Witsuwit’en Grammar: Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology (2007), page 739.

Bahnar

Etymology

From Proto-Bahnaric *caː, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *caʔ (“to eat”); cognate with Halang cha, Koho saa, Semai ca, Pacoh cha, Khmer ស៊ី (sii) and Mon စ (ca).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saː/

Verb

sa

1. to eat

Balinese

Etymology 1

Letter

sa (Balinese script ᬲ)

1. The name of the eigth Balinese letter ᬲ.

Etymology 2

Balinese cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa (Balinese script ᬲ)

1. one

Derived terms

• Kasa

References

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Further reading

• “sa”, in Balinese–Indonesian Dictionary [Kamus Bahasa Bali–Indonesia] (in Balinese), Denpasar, Indonesia: The Linguistic Center of Bali Province [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Bali].

Banjarese

Banjarese cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Numeral

sa

1. short for asa (“one”)

Bole

Etymology

Cognate with Karekare sa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sáː/

Verb

sā

1. (transitive) drink
2. (intransitive) smoke tobacco

References

• Gimba, Alhaji M.; Ali, Malam B.; Bah, Madu (2009), Schuh, Russell G., editor, Bole-English-Hausa Dictionary, 2nd edition, Potiskum: Ajami Press, page 127

Catalan

Etymology 1

From Old Catalan sa~san, from Latin sānus, from Proto-Indo-European *swā-n- (“healthy; whole; active; vigorous”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [sə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [sa]
• Homophone: ça

Adjective

sa (feminine sana, masculine plural sans, feminine plural sanes)

1. healthy

Derived terms

• sa i estalvi
• sanament
• sanejar

Related terms

• insà
• malsà
• sanitat

Etymology 2

From Latin ipsa.

Article

sa f

1. (Balearic) nominative feminine singular of es

References

• “sa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “sa”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “sa” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “sa”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• 's — contraction, informal

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sa. Compare Tagalog sa, Central Bikol sa, Hiligaynon sa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/ [s̪ɐ]

Preposition

sa

1. marks the indirect object or recipient of the verb: to

   Coordinate terms: kang, (colloquial) ni — used before personal names

   Gihatag na nako ang tanan sa akong amigo. ― I already gave everything to my friend.

2. refers to the location of something or some action: in; at; on

   Naa sa lamisa. ― On the table.

   Sa Pilipinas ko gipanganak. ― I was born in the Philippines.

3. refers to motion towards or away from a definite location:
   1. to the; towards the

      Synonym: padulong (sa)

      Moadto siya sa sinehan unya. ― He's going to the movies later.

   2. from the; away from the

      Synonym: gikan (sa)

      Mihawa ko sa balay. ― I went away from the house.

4. refers to a time period: at; on; in; during (of a year, month, day of the week, time of day, etc.)

   Synonyms: (colloquial) inig-, ig-

   Sa Lunes mi mouli. ― We're going home on Monday.

5. refers to accompaniment with a definite partner or object: with; together with; in company with

   Synonyms: uban (sa/ang), kuyog (sa/ang)

   Nikuyog si Juan sa iyang papa. ― Juan went with his father.

6. used in comparisons: than

   Synonym: kaysa (sa/kang)

   Mas paspas ang eroplano sa imong sakyanan. ― The airplane is faster than your car.

7. refers to the cause of action: due to; because of

   Synonyms: tungod sa, kay

   Namatay sila sa kagutom. ― They died of hunger.

8. refers to the definite tool or instrument used for doing: with, through, by

   Synonym: gamit (ang)

   Iyang gisagpa sa kamot. ― He slapped him with the hand.

9. refers to the basis of action: through, by, on the basis of

   Migawas ang estudyante sa pagsugot sa maestro. ― The student went out by the teacher's permission.

Usage notes

• Used in combination with other words to form more specific prepositional phrases:

  sa babaw (sa) ― on top (of)

  sa sulod (sa) ― within, inside (of)

  pinaagi sa ― by means of

  tungod sa ― due to, because of

• In senses where definiteness is encoded, sa is used in contrast with og, which refers to indefinite relations.

See also

Cebuano markers

		Direct		Indirect		Oblique
		Definite	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite
Common	Singular	ang	ing†, 'y	sa, sang†	og	sa
	Plural	ang mga	ing mga†, 'y mga	sa mga, sang mga†	og mga	sa mga
Personal	Singular	si		ni		kang*
	Plural	sila ni, silang sa†		nila ni, nilang na†		(kan)ila ni*, (kan)ilang* ka†
†Archaic *Indirect personal forms used instead in colloquial speech.

Etymology 2

From earlier sang, conflating with sa (“to, in, at”). Compare Hiligaynon sang, Waray-Waray han, Tagalog ng.

Article

sa

1. definite indirect marker for nouns other than personal names

   Coordinate term: og — for indefinite nouns

   Mikaon sa isda ang iring.

   The cat ate the fish.

   Gikaon sa iring ang isda.

   The cat ate the fish.

2. of, 's; marks possession

   luto sa inahan ― mother's cooking

   babaw sa lamisa ― on top of the table

   1. of the; with a definite possessor

      Coordinate term: og — see Usage notes

      anak sa hari ― son of the king

Usage notes

• In marking possession, the usage of sa is contrasted with that of og in certain possessive relations, such as kinship terms:

  inahan sa hari ― mother of the king

  inahan og hari ― mother of a king

• But this distinction does not apply to all possessive phrases:

  mga dahon sa punuan ― (a/the) tree's leaves

  mga dahon og punuan ― is ungrammatical

• However, the contrast is mostly unused in everyday speech, with sa used in all possessive phrases.

Etymology 3

Compare Tagalog sina, Tausug hinda, Kinaray-a sanday.

Article

sa

1. (archaic) direct marker for plural personal names

   Synonyms: sila ni, silang

Etymology 4

From usa, isa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaʔ/ [ˈs̪aʔ]

Noun

sà

1. shortened form of usa, isa (“for now, before doing”)

Etymology 5

Elision of the "l" in sala (“strain”), from Proto-Philippine *sáraʔ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsa(ː)/ [ˈs̪a(ː)]

Noun

sa

1. (Cebu) shortened form of sala (“strain”)

Etymology 6

Elision of the "l" in sala (“fault, sin”), from Inherited from Proto-Philippine *salaq.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsa(ː)ʔ/ [ˈs̪a(ː)ʔ]

Noun

sâ

1. (Cebu) shortened form of sala (“fault, sin”)

Chipewyan

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *šʷaˑ. Compare South Slavey sa.

Noun

sa

1. sun
2. watch

Dogrib

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *šʷaˑ. Cognate with Ahtna saa.

Noun

sa

1. sun

References

• Dogrib Divisional Board of Education (1996), A Dogrib Dictionary, Rae-Edzo, Northwest Territories, Canada: Dogrib Divisional Board of Education, →ISBN, page 217

Drung

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-wa.

Noun

sa

1. tooth

References

Ross Perlin (2019), A Grammar of Trung‎^[6], Santa Barbara: University of California

Duriankere

Noun

sa

1. water

Further reading

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1975), Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, →DOI

Duun

Noun

sa

1. fire

Further reading

• Duungooma ABC (alphabet duun), page 26

Eastern Cham

Eastern Cham cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saː/

Numeral

sa (Akhar Thrah spelling ꨧ, Cham symbol ꩑)

1. one

References

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Estonian

Alternative forms

• Sa (optional capitalization)

Etymology

Short form of sina

Pronoun

sa (genitive su, partitive sind, long form sina)

1. you, thou (in unstressed positions)

   Mis sa teed seal? ― What are you doing there?

Declension

Declension of the Estonian personal pronouns

	singular						plural
	1st person		2nd person		3rd person		1st person		2nd person		3rd person
	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short	long	short
nominative	mina	ma	sina	sa	tema	ta	meie	me	teie	te	nemad	nad
genitive1	minu	mu	sinu	su	tema	ta	meie	me	teie	te	nende
partitive	mind		sind		teda		meid		teid		neid
illative	minusse	musse	sinusse	susse	temasse	tasse	–	meisse	–	teisse	nendesse	neisse
inessive	minus	mus	sinus	sus	temas	tas	–	meis	–	teis	nendes	neis
elative	minust	must	sinust	sust	temast	tast	–	meist	–	teist	nendest	neist
allative	minule	mulle	sinule	sulle	temale	talle	–	meile	–	teile	nendele	neile
adessive	minul	mul	sinul	sul	temal	tal	–	meil	–	teil	nendel	neil
ablative	minult	mult	sinult	sult	temalt	talt	–	meilt	–	teilt	nendelt	neilt
translative	minuks	–	sinuks	–	temaks	–	meieks	meiks	teieks	teiks	nendeks	neiks
terminative	minuni	–	sinuni	–	temani	–	meieni	–	teieni	–	nendeni	–
essive	minuna	–	sinuna	–	temana	–	meiena	–	teiena	–	nendena	–
abessive	minuta	–	sinuta	–	temata	–	meieta	–	teieta	–	nendeta	–
comitative	minuga	muga	sinuga	suga	temaga	taga	meiega	–	teiega	–	nendega	–

1) Also used possessively.
Forms in italics are nonstandard.

Further reading

• “sa”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009
• “sa”, in [ÕS] Eesti õigekeelsussõnaraamat ÕS 2018 [Estonian Spelling Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2018, →ISBN
• sa in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)

Finnish

Etymology

See sinä; developed through contraction.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑ/, [ˈs̠ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑ
• Syllabification^(key): sa
• Hyphenation^(key): sa

Pronoun

sa

1. (personal, archaic, poetic) you (second-person singular pronoun)

Declension

Other forms than the nominative generally align with sä.

Synonyms

• sinä (standard Finnish; see it for full list)

Further reading

• “sa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[7] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Anagrams

• -as, as

Franco-Provençal

Determiner

sa

1. feminine singular of son

French

Etymology

From Old French sa, from Latin sua feminine form of suus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

Determiner

sa f sg

1. (possessive) his, her, its, their, one's

   Emma est allée chez sa sœur.

   Emma went to her sister's house.

   Pierre a perdu sa carte d'identité.

   Pierre has lost his identity card.

   Sa voiture est blanche.

   Their car is white.

Usage notes

Sa can only be used before feminine singular nouns and adjectives that begin with either a consonant or an aspirated H. The masculine form son is used before feminine singular nouns and adjectives that begin with either a vowel or muted H.

Related terms

French possessive determiners

			possessee
			singular		plural
			m	f
possessor	singular	1st	mon1	ma	mes
		2nd	ton1	ta	tes
		3rd	son1	sa	ses
	plural	1st	notre		nos
		2nd	votre2		vos2
		3rd	leur		leurs

¹ Also used before feminine adjectives and nouns beginning with a vowel or mute h.
² Also used as the polite singular form.
For the singular persons there are gender-neutral neologisms man, tan, san. These are extremely rare.

Further reading

• “sa”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Anagrams

• as

Futuna-Aniwa

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *saqa.

Adjective

sa

1. bad
2. ugly

References

• Capell, Arthur (1984), “sa”, in Futuna-Aniwa dictionary, with grammatical introduction, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Australian National University, →ISBN, page 159

Galician

Etymology

Either from Proto-Germanic *saliz (“house, hall”), or from Proto-Germanic *sēaną (“to sow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaː/

Noun

sa f (plural sas)

1. generation, litter
2. sowing season

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “sa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Garo

Garo cardinal numbers

	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tjak ~ g-t(j)ik. Cognate with Tibetan གཅིག (gcig), Burmese တစ် (tac).

Numeral

sa

1. one

Gothic

Romanization

sa

1. romanization of 𐍃𐌰

Hadza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Verb

sa

1. to rain

Noun

sa

1. the form of sako or its inflections after a determiner

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French ça.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Verb

sa

1. can, to be able to

Determiner

sa

1. this
2. these
   • 2019 March 19, “Rankont ann Itali ant Anvwaye Espesyal Etazini ak Larisi sou Kriz Venezuela a”, in Lavwadlamerik‎^[8], archived from the original on 28 December 2025:

     Dapre Misey Guaido, 2 peyi sa yo ap defann sèlman enterè biznis yo ak Venezuela.

     According to Mr. Guaido, these two countries are only defending their business interests in Venezuela.

3. that
4. those

Pronoun

sa

1. (demonstrative) this
2. (demonstrative) these
3. (demonstrative) that
4. (demonstrative) those
5. (interrogative) what
6. (relative) what

Derived terms

• kisa

References

• Targète, Jean; Urciolo, Raphael (1993), Haitian Creole-English Dictionary‎^[9], Dunwoody Press, →ISBN, page 172

Hanunoo

Etymology

From Proto-Austronesian *sa (locative marker).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsa/ [ˈsa]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa

Preposition

sa (Hanunoo spelling ᜰ)

1. to

   Synonym: (literary) kan

2. on; at; in
3. by
4. for
5. from

Usage notes

• For personal names, kan (or kana if plural) is used instead.

Further reading

• Conklin, Harold C. (1953), Hanunóo-English Vocabulary (University of California Publications in Linguistics), volume 9, London, England: University of California Press, →OCLC, page 232
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*sa₂”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Haroi

Haroi cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

References

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Hausa

Etymology

Generally thought to be from Proto-Chadic (compare Proto-Central Chadic *ɬa, whence Mbuko slā, Uldeme slà, Bana slá, Muyang ɬà, Moloko ɬa, Zulgo-Gemzek sla, Podoko sla, Daba zlà, Lagwan nsla), Ngizim tla. possibly cognate with Somali sac

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sâː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [sâː]

Noun

sâ m (feminine sānìyā, plural shānū, possessed form sân)

1. bull, ox, cattle

Higaonon

Preposition

sa

1. of

Iban

Affix

sa

1. short form for satu, often pronounced as se-.
2. combine with a verb in nasal form e.g. se +‎ kayoh (kayoh means "paddle") to form a noun sengayoh (a paddle).
3. combine with a verb in nasal form and a prefix pe- e.g. sa +‎ pe +‎ san (san means "a load") to form a noun sapenyan (as much as one can carry) and sa +‎ pe +‎ temu (temu means "opinion") to form sapenemu (as much as one knows).

References

• Richards, Anthony. An Iban-English Dictionary, Volume 1 Clarendon Press. 1981.

Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Determiner

sa

1. archaic form of sua
   • 1909-1910, Progreso – duesma yaro, page 40:

     Segun sa opiniono la max (maxim) importanta neceso por I.L. esas la max granda perfekteso, e ne la amaso di adheranti, [...]

     According to his opionion the most important necessity for an I.L. is the perfection, and not the amount of adherents, [...]

Igbo

Pronunciation

• (inherent tone): IPA^(key): /sá/

Verb

sá

1. to wash, to scrub.

   Ana m asa efere.

   I am washing plates.

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈsa/ [ˈsa]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa

Etymology 1

Pronoun

sa

1. (Papuan) apocopic form of saya (“I (first person singular prononun)”)

Adverb

sa

1. (Kupang) apocopic form of saja

Noun

sa

1. abbreviation of satuan astronomi

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Sawai [Term?].

Noun

sa (plural sa-sa)

1. a pile of coral reefs that looks like a mountain and is located in the middle of the sea

Further reading

• “sa”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish (i)sind, (i)sin, from various Old Irish forms:

• Masculine and neuter singular dative: isin(d/t), from Proto-Celtic *in sindū.
• Feminine singular dative: isin(d/t), from Proto-Celtic *in sindai.
• Masculine singular accusative: isin, from Proto-Celtic *in sindom.
• Feminine singular accusative: isin, from Proto-Celtic *in sindam.
• Neuter singular accusative: isa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sˠə/

Contraction

sa

1. contraction of i +‎ an

   Tá an fear sa bhád. ― The man is in the boat

   Tá na páistí ag súgradh sa tsráid. ― The children are playing in the street.

   Táimid inár suí sa seomra (or) tseomra. ― We are sitting in the room.

Usage notes

This contraction is obligatory, i.e. *i an never appears uncontracted. Used before consonant sounds only; otherwise, san is used. Triggers:

• lenition of b, c, f, g, m, p and changes initial s to ts in Ulster varieties,
• lenition of b, c, g, m, p, changes initial s to ts, and triggers eclipsis of f in Munster varieties,
• eclipsis and changes initial s to ts in feminine nouns while not affecting s in masculine nouns in Connacht varieties, with the exception of North Mayo which follows the convention in Munster and Ulster dialects
• in An Caighdeán Oifigiúil causes lenition of b, c, f, g, m, p and changes initial s to ts in feminine nouns (An Córas Lárnach) or all nouns (Córas an tSéimhithe).

Often understood to be a contraction of ins an, but the forms san, sa were in common use by the 12th century and accepted in Classical Gaelic poetry while ins is a later innovation with the -n- reintroduced by analogy.

Related terms

Irish preposition contractions

	contracted with							copular forms
base form	an (“the sg”)	na (“the pl”)	mo (“my”)	do (“your”)	a (“his, her, their; which (present)”)	ár (“our”)	ar (“which (past)”)	before a consonant	before a vowel
									present/future	past/conditional
de (“from”)	den	de na desna*	de mo dem*	de do ded*, det*	dá	dár		dar	darb	darbh
do (“to, for”)	don	do na dosna*	do mo dom*	do do dod*, dot*	dá	dár		dar	darb	darbh
faoi (“under, about”)	faoin	faoi na	faoi mo	faoi do	faoina	faoinár	faoinar		faoinarb	faoinarbh
i (“in”)	sa, san	sna	i mo im*	i do id*, it*	ina	inár	inar		inarb	inarbh
le (“with”)	leis an	leis na	le mo lem*	le do led*, let*	lena	lenár	lenar		lenarb	lenarbh
ó (“from, since”)	ón	ó na ósna*	ó mo óm*	ó do ód*, ót*	óna	ónár	ónar		ónarb	ónarbh
trí (“through”)	tríd an	trí na	trí mo	trí do	trína	trínár	trínar		trínarb	trínarbh

*dialectal

References

• Osborn Bergin (1916), “Irish Grammatical Tracts (Introductory)”, in Ériu, volume 8, Supplement, Royal Irish Academy, →DOI, →JSTOR, §67, page 17
• McKenna, Lambert, editor (1944), Bardic Syntactical Tracts, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, page 113: “Before pl. art. i n- gives is na, ’sna; in such cases a h- gives as na. (…) Before sg. art. i n- is isin, san (often sa before consonants).”
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “i”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gramadach na Gaeilge: An Caighdeán Oifigiúil‎^[10], Seirbhís Thithe an Oireachtais, 2017, pages 8–10, 15–18

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “sa”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “sa”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “sa”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Italian

Alternative forms

• sà (misspelling)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsa/^*
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: sà

Verb

sa

1. third-person singular present indicative of sapere (“to know”)

   Giovanni sa dov'è Laura. ― Giovanni knows where Laura is.

Japanese

Romanization

sa

1. The hiragana syllable さ (sa) or the katakana syllable サ (sa) in Hepburn romanization.

Jarai

Jarai cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *əsa, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

Kabyle

Kabyle numbers ^(edit)

←  6	7	8  →
Cardinal: sebɛa     Learned cardinal: sa

Etymology

Learned borrowing from another Berber language. Compare Tashelhit sa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Numeral

sa m (feminine sat)

1. (neologism) seven

   Synonym: sebɛa

Kamakan

Alternative forms

• zan (Kamakan)

Noun

sa

1. (Kotoxo) water

References

• Chestmir Loukotka, La família lingüística Kamakan del Brasil
• Márcio Silva Martins Andérbio, Revisão da família lingüística Kamakã proposta por Chestmir Loukotka (thesis, Université de Brasilia, 2007 page 52)

Kapampangan

Etymology 1

clipping of sana.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈsa/ [ˈsaː]

Particle

sá

1. (after the verb) particle used to express an unrealized intention or situation

   Manyambut lasa king pulayian, oneng misakab ya katawli. ― He would have won the race, but he tripped at the very end.

   Munta kusa bale mu, oneng menibayu ku isip. ― I originally intended to go to your house, but I changed my mind.

2. (after the verb + na or pa) used to express disappointment in a desired but unrealized result, especially due to an unfulfilled condition

   Magaral kupasa ngeni king pipagaralan nung alikumu migkasakit. ― I would have still been studying in school right now, if only I hadn't gotten sick.

3. sentence-final particle indicating emphasis

   Alisa! ― No, it's really not!

   Aa, balakusa... ― Ah, I almost thought that...

4. sentence-ending particle indicating familiarity or assertion

   Ayus yasa, paburen mune. ― It's totally fine, just let it be.

   Aliyasa. Pota makanita yamu. ― I hope it's really not. Maybe s/he's just like that.

5. (informal) a filler particle similar to na; ya; ne, kase

   Nokarin nakusa? ― Remind me, where am I again?

   Mayari nasa. ― I'm about to be finished.

Derived terms

• nunsa
• saman
• samo
• yanasa

Etymology 2

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sa. Compare Tagalog sa, Cebuano sa, Hanunoo sa.

Preposition

sa

1. (uncommon) sentence-final indirect object marker

   Synonyms: king, keng, panga-

   Mama sa awusan ke. ― I'm going to call mom.

   Nonka? Menila sa. ― Where are you? In Manila.

Derived terms

• kesa
• kingsa

Kokborok

Alternative forms

• sah

Etymology

Cognate with Atong (India) sa, Bodo (India) से (se), Dimasa se, Garo sa, Rabha ছা

Numeral

sa

1. one

References

• Binoy Debbarma, Concise Kokborok-English-Bengali Dictionary (2001)

Lhao Vo

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *swiʔ (“water; liquid; body fluid”). Cognate with Burmese သွေး (swe:).

Noun

sa

1. blood

References

• Dr. Ola Hanson, "A Dictionary of the Kachin Language" (1906).

Ligurian

Verb

sa

1. third-person singular present indicative of savéi

Lingala

Etymology

Borrowed from Swahili saa.

Noun

sa

1. watch (timepiece)

Livonian

Alternative forms

• sinā

Etymology

A shorter form of sinā.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑ/, [ˈsɑ]

Pronoun

sa

1. you; second-person pronoun, referring to the addressee

Declension

Declension of sa (7)

	singular (ikšlu’g)	plural (pǟgiņlu’g)
nominative (nominatīv)	sinā sa	tēg teg
genitive (genitīv)	si’n	tä’d
partitive (partitīv)	sīnda	tēḑi
dative (datīv)	si’nnõn si’n	tä’ddõn tä’n
instrumental (instrumentāl)	si’nkõks	tä’dkõks
illative (illatīv)	si’nnõ si’nnõz	tē’ži
inessive (inesīv)	si’nsõ	tēši
elative (elatīv)	si’nstõ	tēšti

See also

• minā, ma
• tämā, ta

References

• Renāte Blumberga, Tapio Mäkeläinen, Karl Pajusalu (2013), Lībieši: vēsture, valoda un kultūra (in Livonian), Riga: Līvõ Kultūr sidām, →ISBN
• Tiit-Rein Viitso; Valts Ernštreits (2012–2013), “sa”, in Līvõkīel-ēstikīel-lețkīel sõnārōntõz [Livonian-Estonian-Latvian Dictionary]‎^[11] (in Estonian and Latvian), Tartu, Rīga: Tartu Ülikool, Latviešu valodas aģentūra

Lotha Naga

Verb

sa

1. to beat (by striking another person)

Inflection

Inflection of sa

Formation	Tense			Imperative
	Present	Past	Future
Simple	sala	sacho	sav	sa
Causative	satokala	satokcho	satokvü	satoka
Perfect	sathaka	sathakcho	sathakvü	—
Abilitative	sakhoka	sakhokcho	sakhokvü	—

Further reading

• Murry, K. R.; Yanthan, J. T.; Patton, Alumo (1978), Anglo-Lotha Vocabulary, Wokha, Nagaland: Kyong Academy, page 16
• Department of Art & Culture, Government of Nagaland (2020), Lotha Bilingual Dictionary‎^[12], archived from the original on 15 August 2022, page 20

Louisiana Creole

Etymology

Inherited from French sera (“will be”) or similar (e.g., seras), an inflection of French être (“to be”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/
• Rhymes: -a
• Homophones: ça, sâ

Verb

sa

1. (auxiliary, copulative) will be

Related terms

• çé
• çé té
• dèt

Lower Sorbian

Preposition

sa

1. obsolete spelling of za

Macanese

Etymology 1

Reduced form of sua. Semantically derived from Cantonese 嘅 (ge³, possessive marker).

Alternative forms

• sua

Particle

sa

1. particle appended after pronouns to denote ownership: -'s

   iou-sa filo ― my child

   êle-sa ― his; her; their (sg.)

   ilôtro-sa casa ― their (pl.) house

   uví mai-sa ladínha ― to listen to mother's scolding

Usage notes

• According to native speakers, sa is more commonly used than sua.
• The particle is not inflected for gender.
• Almost always spelt connected using a hyphen in the vast majority of writings, but not mandatory.

Related terms

• su

See also

Macanese personal pronouns and possessives

	person	pronoun	possessive
singular	first	iou, io, mi*, ieu*	iou-sa, iou-sua#, minha, io-sa, io-sua#
	second	vôs	vôs-sa, vôsso, su, vôs-sua#
	third	êle, êla*	êle-sa, su, êle-sua#
plural	first	nôs, nosôtro*	nôs-sa, nôsso, nôs-sua#
	second	vosôtro	vosôtro-sa, su, vosôtro-sua#
	third	ilôtro, elôtro*, olôtro*, ulôtro*	ilôtro-sa, su, ilôtro-sua#
reflexive (all persons)		onçóm	su, onçóm-sa*, onçóm-sua#

# Dated.   * Rare.

Etymology 2

Uncertain. Possibly from Portuguese sabe (“know”), thus a doublet of sábi.

Alternative forms

• sa', sá

Particle

sa

1. expletive particle expressing confirmation or explanation

   Sâm diabo? Nunca, sâm tacho-sa!

   Is it the devil? No, it's a pot!

References

• “sa”, in “Lexicon”, in Macanese Heritage, 2024–2026
• Batalha, Graciete Nogueira (1988), “sa”, in Glossário do dialecto macaense: notas linguísticas, etnográficas e folclóricas [Glossary of the Macanese dialect: linguistic, ethnographic and folkloric notes], Macau: Instituto Cultural de Macau, page 525

Malay

Numeral

sa

1. (1924-1972) obsolete spelling of se

Noun

sa (uncountable)

1. (mathematics) denomination of single units

   Angka 47 terdiri daripada empat puluh dan tujuh sa. ― The number 47 is made of four tens and seven ones.

Maltese

Etymology

Probably from Arabic حَتَّى (ḥattā, “until; as far as; even”). The form, though without doubt unusual, might be explained from earlier *ħta by assimilation in fast speech. Compare Moroccan Arabic حتى (ḥta). Compare also Spanish hasta, which, if related, might point to the existence of an obsolete Maghrebi variant [script needed] (*ḥastā). Joseph Aquilina preferred to derive the Maltese form from a contraction of Italian sino a, variant of fino a (“until; as far as”). Both may also have reinforced each other.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Preposition

sa

1. until

   Se nħobbok sal-aħħar nifs ta’ ħajti. ― I’ll love you until the last breath of my life.

2. as far as

Derived terms

• sabiex
• sadanittant
• sadattant
• safejn
• sakemm
• sissa

Mandarin

Romanization

sa (sa⁵ / sa⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄙㄚ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 𠮿

sa

1. nonstandard spelling of sā
2. nonstandard spelling of sǎ
3. nonstandard spelling of sà

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Maranao

Noun

sa

1. tea

References

• Howard P. McKaughan, Batua A. Macaraya (1967), A Maranao Dictionary‎^[13] (overall work in Maranao and English), University of Hawaii Press

Masalit

Noun

sa

1. water

References

• Timothy Leffel, Focus constructions in Masalit (New York University, 05/31/2011)

Matal

Etymology 1

Likely from Proto-Chadic *sa (“to drink”). Cognate with Mpade se (“to drink”).

Verb

sa

1. to drink

   Kà uwana may azà à gi, kavàw à gi tatak may, nəlay akə̀s à gi, katə̀ɗàw gi iyaw gəsà, gəgà məlok gà, kakə̀sàw gi la ahàl səla. (Mata 25:35)

   For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink (literally, “so I drank”), I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest. (Matthew 25:35)

   Kəla uwabeyuwi uwana asà iyaw aŋa suwa uwanay, nəlay adàkəsay aya (Yuhana 4:13)

   Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again.(John 4:13)

Etymology 2

Likely from Proto-Chadic *(-)sə (“to come”).

Verb

sa

1. to come

   La kità Yuhana asà à waŋ, azùw aw, asà aw, ŋgaha azladza tagòɗ kà: 'Masla la masasəɗok mawisiga.' (Mata 11:18)

   For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ (Matthew 11:18)

   La mavakay uwatà Yesu asà à uda la kay, ŋgaha ahàd adzà madzay la gay dərəv kà matapla tatak à azladza. (Matthew 13:1)

   On that day Jesus came out of the house and was sitting by the sea. (Matthew 13:1)

   "Sà à waŋ, sà à waŋ", tagòɗ à mamətsay, ama mamətsay ahòy atà à ahàl. (Mafətala 9:6)

   Come here, come here, they said to the death, but the death flew from them (Revelation 9:6)

Mauritian Creole

Etymology

From French ça.

Determiner

sa

1. this, that, these, those (the thing(s) here or nearby)

   sa pwason-la ― this fish

Usage notes

• Always used with the definite article -la.

Pronoun

sa

1. this, that, it (the thing indicated)

References

• Baker, Philip; Hookoomsing, Vinesh Y. (1987), Diksiyoner kreol morisyeṅ [Mauritian Creole Dictionary] (in French and English), Paris: L'Harmattan, →ISBN, page 281
• Carpooran, Arnaud (2011), Diksioner Morisien [Mauritian Dictionary] (in Mauritian Creole), second edition, Éditions Le Printemps, →ISBN, page 931

Michif

Etymology

From Canadian French sa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sa]

Determiner

sa f (masculine soñ, plural sii)

1. his, her

Middle English

Noun

sa

1. alternative form of sawe

Minangkabau

Minangkabau cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

Synonyms

• ciek

Derived terms

• sa-

Mizo

Etymology 1

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *saa.

Verb

sa (stem II sak)

1. to make, prepare
   • Vanglaini, 22 March 2025

     WhatsApp chuan January 1, 2025 aṭanga January 30, 2025 inkar khan India ramah WhatsApp account 9,967,000 bawr vel an ban sak tawh.

     During a period from January 1, 2025 to January 30, 2025, WhatsApp banned [lit. made a ban of] a total of around 9,967,000 WhatsApp accounts in India.

   1. to build
   2. to brew
   3. to sing a song or play music
   4. to knit together

Derived terms

• hausa
• khawsa

Etymology 2

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *saa, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsə (“to be hot”).

Adjective

sa (stem II sat)

1. hot

Etymology 3

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *shaa, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sja-n (“meat, flesh”).

Noun

sa

1. animal
2. meat, flesh

Derived terms

• sakawr
• sakei
• samak
• sava
• savawm

Northern Roglai

Northern Roglai cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

Further reading

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

sa

1. simple past of si

Norwegian Nynorsk

Verb

sa

1. past of seia

Ojibwe

Particle

sa

1. emphasis marker

   Mii sa go ozhiitaawaad igo.

   They were getting ready.

References

• The Ojibwe People's Dictionary https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/main-entry/sa-pc-disc

Old French

Etymology

From Latin sua, feminine of suus.

Determiner

sa f (masculine son, plural ses)

1. his/hers/its (third-person singular possessive)

Descendants

• French: sa

Old Frisian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *swa.

Conjunction

sā

1. so
2. as
3. or

Old Galician-Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Determiner

sa

1. feminine singular of seu

Pronoun

sa

1. feminine singular of seu

Old Irish

Determiner

sa

1. alternative spelling of so

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀲 (Brahmi script)
• स (Devanagari script)
• স (Bengali script)
• ස (Sinhalese script)
• သ (Burmese script)
• ส or สะ (Thai script)
• ᩈ (Tai Tham script)
• ສ or ສະ (Lao script)
• ស (Khmer script)
• 𑄥 (Chakma script)

Alternative scripts

• so (Latin script)
• 𑀲𑁄 (Brahmi script)
• सो (Devanagari script)
• সো (Bengali script)
• සො (Sinhalese script)
• သော or သေႃ (Burmese script)
• โส (Thai script)
• ᩈᩮᩣ (Tai Tham script)
• ໂສ (Lao script)
• សោ (Khmer script)
• 𑄥𑄮 (Chakma script)

Pronoun

sa

1. he, it

Adjective

sa

1. masculine nominative singular of ta (“that”)

Noun

sa

1. vocative singular of san (“dog”)

Palu'e

Palu'e cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *isa, *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *isa, *əsa, *asa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

Papiamentu

Alternative forms

• sabi (synonym)

Etymology

From Portuguese saber and Spanish saber and Kabuverdianu sabe.

Verb

sa

1. to know

Paraguayan Guarani

Etymology

From rasa (“very”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a

Adjective

sa

1. (cardinal number) one hundred

Derived terms

• saha

References

• Canese, Natalia Krivoshein de; Alcaraz, Feliciano Acosta (2016), “sa”, in Ñe’ẽryru [Dictionary] (overall work in Spanish), Asunción: Instituto Superior de Lenguas, →ISBN, page 100, column 1
• Britton, A. Scott (2005), “sa”, in Guaraní Concise Dictionary (overall work in English), New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc., →ISBN, page 98

Pawaia

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sá/, [sá]

Noun

sa

1. water

References

• Phonological Considerations of Pawaia, in Oceania Linguistic Monographs, issues 14-15 (1971)
• Transnewguinea.org, citing both D. Trefry, A comparative study of Kuman and Pawaian (1969) and G. E. MacDonald, The Teberan Language Family, pages 111-121, in The Linguistic Situation in the Gulf District and Adjacent Area, Papua New Guinea (editor K. J. Franklin) (1973)

Polish

Pronunciation

• (Greater Poland):
  • (Kuyavia) IPA^(key): [ˈsa]
  • (Northern Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈsa]
  • (Eastern Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈsa]

Adverb

sa (not comparable)

1. (Northern Greater Poland, Eastern Greater Poland, Kuyavia) alternative form of sam (“here”)

Further reading

• Oskar Kolberg (1867), “sa”, in Dzieła wszystkie: Kujawy (in Polish), page 276
• Oskar Kolberg (1877), “sa”, in “Rzecz o mowie ludu wielkopolskiego”, in Zbiór wiadomości do antropologii krajowéj (in Polish), volume 1, III (Materyjały etnologiczne), page 35

Rade

Rade cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Numeral

sa

1. one

Further reading

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Rawang

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɑ˧/

Etymology 1

Verb

sa

1. to wait.

Etymology 2

Noun

sa

1. bird; fowl.

Romani

Pronoun

sa

1. all

Romanian

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *sa, from Latin sua, the feminine form of suus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a

Determiner

sa f

1. feminine singular of său: his/her

Pronoun

sa f (possessive pronouns)

1. (preceded by "a") his/hers (that which is his or hers)

Sardinian

Alternative forms

• s' (apocopated, used before vowels)

Etymology

From Latin ipsa (“herself”), feminine of ipse (“himself”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /su/

Article

sa f (plural (Logudorese, Nuorese) sas or (Campidanese) is, masculine su)

1. (Logudorese, Campidanese, Nuorese) the (feminine singular definite article)

References

• Rubattu, Antoninu (2006), Dizionario universale della lingua di Sardegna, 2nd edition, Sassari: Edes
• Wagner, Max Leopold (1960–1964), “ísse”, in Dizionario etimologico sardo, Heidelberg

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• sa'

Etymology

From Middle Irish (i)sind, (i)sin, from Old Irish isin(d/t) (“in the m or f or n sg dative”), isin (“into the m or f sg accusative”), isa (“into the n sg accusative”).

Preposition

sa

1. in the

   sa bhliadhna de dh'aois Chrìost ― in the year of our Lord, anno domini

Usage notes

• Triggers lenition.
• This form is used before nouns beginning with b, c, g, m or p; otherwise san is used instead.
• Often understood to be a contraction of anns a', but the forms san, sa were in common use by the 12th century and accepted in Classical Gaelic poetry while anns is a later innovation with the -n- reintroduced by analogy.

Related terms

• ann an
• anns

References

• Osborn Bergin (1916), “Irish Grammatical Tracts (Introductory)”, in Ériu, volume 8, Supplement, Royal Irish Academy, →DOI, →JSTOR, §67, page 17
• McKenna, Lambert, editor (1944), Bardic Syntactical Tracts, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, page 113: “Before pl. art. i n- gives is na, ’sna; in such cases a h- gives as na. (…) Before sg. art. i n- is isin, san (often sa before consonants).”
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “i”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Serbo-Croatian

Preposition

sa (Cyrillic spelling са)

1. alternative form of s; used instead of s when the following word or group of words start with sibilants s, z, š or ž and before instrumental form of first-person pronoun ja (mnom)

Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *swé

Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen

Proto-Slavic *sę

Slovak sa

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *sę, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen, from Proto-Indo-European *swé.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/, [sa]
• Rhymes: -a

Pronoun

sa

1. accusative of seba

   Vidím sa v zrkadle. ― I see myself in the mirror.

   Koho vidíš v zrkadle? Seba. ― Whom do you see in the mirror? Myself.

Usage notes

• In regular sentences, it must take the 2nd position.

  Modlím sa. ― I am praying.

• In the past tense, it takes the third 3rd while the inflected form of the verb byť takes the 2nd position.

  Modlil som sa. ― I was praying.

• In the conditional mood, it takes the 4th position of the sentences with the inflected form of byť occupying the 3rd position and the pronoun by taking the 2nd position.

  Modlil by som sa, keby... ― I would pray, if ...

Related terms

Slovak personal pronouns

		substantive		possessive
		singular	plural	singular	plural
1st person		ja	my	môj	náš
2nd person	familiar	ty	vy	tvoj	váš
	polite	vy		váš
3rd person	m	on	oni* / ony	jeho	ich
	f	ona		jej
	n	ono		jeho
reflexive		seba, sa (clitic)		svoj

* masculine animate only, ony otherwise

Further reading

• “sa”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

South Slavey

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *šʷaˑ. Cognates include Navajo shá and Dogrib sa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sà(ʔ)]
• Hyphenation: sa

Noun

sa (stem -za-)

1. sun
2. month

Declension

Possessive inflection of sa (-zaá)

		singular	plural
1st person		sezaá	naxezaá
2nd person		nezaá
3rd person	1)	—	gizaá
	2)	mezaá	gozaá
4th person		yezaá
reflexive	sp.	ɂedezaá	kedezaá
	unsp.	dezaá
reciprocal		—	ɂełezaá
indefinite		ɂezaá
areal		gozaá

¹⁾ Used when the subject is a group of human beings
and the object is singular.
²⁾ Used when the previous condition does not apply.

Derived terms

• sadzee

References

• Keren Rice (1989), A Grammar of Slave, Berlin, West Germany: Mouton de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 215

Southern Ndebele

Verb

-sa^?

1. to take

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Sranan Tongo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Etymology 1

From English shall or borrowed from Dutch zal.

Particle

sa

1. Verbal marker for modal aspect.
2. Verbal marker for the future tense.

   Synonym: o

   • 1975, “Basya Adyuku koni”, in Ursy M. Lichtveld, Jan Voorhoeve, editors, Creole drum. An Anthology of Creole Literature in Surinam‎^[14], New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 86:

     A krabdagu taki: - Angri e kiri mi ba. A di mi si yu e nyan, ne mi kon.
     Adyuku taki: - We san mi e nyan, mi no sabi efu yu sa nyan en. Na kasaba dokun mi tyari. Efu yu sa nyan en, dan mi sa gi yu.

     The crab-eating raccoon said: 'I'm starving, brother. When I saw that you're eating, I came over immediately.
     Adyuku said: 'I say, I don't know whether you'll [want to] eat what I'm eating. I brought cassava duckanoo. If you'll eat it, then I'll give it to you.

   • 1999, Hillary de Bruin, “Liederen uit de praktijk van de duman [Songs from the Winti priest's practice]”, in OSO. Tijdschrift voor Surinaamse taalkunde, letterkunde en geschiedenis‎^[15], Instituut ter Bevordering van de Surinamistiek, →ISSN, page 152:

     Blesi sa kon bogobogo, Masra pramis' m'anga yu, Lek'wan alen a sa wiki, Kraf' den di bribi fu tru, Sula fu seigi, wan dei sa was' kon na gron, now wan tu dropu de spiti, ma sibibusi sa kon

     Blessing will come abundantly / the Lord promised to me and you / like a rainshower it will awaken / strengthen those who truly believe / With cataracts of blessing / one day the ground will be awash / now a few droplets are spitting / but torrential rains will come

Etymology 2

From English saw.

Noun

sa

1. A saw (tool with a serrated blade, used for sawing).

Sumerian

Romanization

sa

1. romanization of 𒊓 (sa)

Swazi

Verb

-sá

1. to dawn

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Swedish

Etymology

Apocopic form of sade.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑː/
• Rhymes: -ɑː

Verb

sa

1. (somewhat informal) past indicative of säga

Anagrams

• -as, as

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *sa

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sa

Tagalog sa

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sa, from Proto-Austronesian *sa. Compare Central Bikol sa, Cebuano sa, Hiligaynon sa, Waray-Waray ha, Tausug ha, and Gorontalo ta.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /sa/ [sɐ]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa

Preposition

sa (Baybayin spelling ᜐ)

1. (non-focused oblique case marker for nouns other than personal names): marks oblique participant/s within a clause that are not otherwise focused using the case marker "ang." This includes:
   1. the recipient or beneficiary of an action: to, for

      Binigay ko na ang lahat sa mga kaibigan ko. ― I already gave everything to my friends.

   2. the location of an entity or action: in; at; on (not used in a positive equational sentence)

      Wala siya sa opisina. ― He's not at the office.

      Sa Pilipinas ako ipinanganak. ― I was born in the Philippines.

   3. the place of origin or where one is a native of: from, of (usually with galing or tubo)

      Tubo siya sa Cebu. ― He is a native of Cebu.

   4. the time of occurence: at; on; in; during (of a year, month, day of the week, time of day, etc.)

      Sa Lunes kami uuwi. ― We're going home on Monday.

   5. (with verbs indicating motion towards something): movement or direction towards a location: to, toward

      Pupunta siya sa sinehan mamaya. ― He's going to the movies later.

   6. (with verbs indicating social/shared activities): accompaniment or association: with; together with; in company with

      Sumama si Juan sa tatay niya. ― Juan went with his father.

      Nakikisabay lang ako sa uso. ― I am just keeping up with the trend.

   7. (marking verbal nouns prefixed with pag- or pagka-): a prescribed point in time when something occurred: upon; on; at the time of

      Sa pagpasok niya sa bahay, tumunog ang telepono. ― Upon his entrance to the house, the telephone rang.

   8. the cause of an occurence: due to; from; of

      Namatay sila sa gutom. ― They died of hunger.

   9. the basis for an action to happen: on the basis of; on

      Lumabas ang estudyante sa pahintulot ng guro. ― The student went out based on the permission from the teacher.

   10. the utilization and dependence on something: on; through the use of

       Nabuhay sila sa tubig at tinapay lamang. ― They lived only on water and bread.

2. used in comparisons: than

   Synonym: kaysa

   Mas mabilis ang eroplano sa kotse mo. ― The airplane is faster than your car.

3. used in combination with other words to form more specific prepositional phrases

   sa pamamagitan ng ― by means of

   mula sa ― from

Usage notes

• For names of people or other living beings, kay or kina are used instead.
• For positive equational sentences (to indicate that an entity or action is present or held in a location), the word nasa is used instead.

  Nasa Pilipinas siya. ― He/she is in the Philippines.

Alternative forms

• s — text messaging

Derived terms

• ayon sa
• kaysa
• laban sa
• nasa
• para sa
• sa aba ko
• sa aba mo
• sa bagay
• sa kabila ng
• sa kabilang banda
• sa kabutihang palad
• sa kasamaang palad
• sa katunayan
• sa madaling sabi
• sa madaling salita
• sa may
• sa una
• sa wakas
• sumasa

See also

Tagalog markers

		pivot1 (ang)	non-pivot1
			core (ng)	oblique (sa)
common	singular	ang	ng	sa
	plural	ang mga	ng mga	sa mga
personal	singular	si	ni	kay
	plural / polite	sina	nina	kina

¹ Also known as the direct or focus.

• sa-

Etymology 2

Influenced by Baybayin character ᜐ (sa).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /sa/ [sɐ]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa

Noun

sa (Baybayin spelling ᜐ)

1. the name of the Latin script letter S/s, in the Abakada alphabet

   Synonyms: (in the Filipino alphabet) es, (in the Abecedario) ese

See also

• sasa

Etymology 3

See tsaa.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsa/ [ˈsa]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sa

Noun

sa (Baybayin spelling ᜐ)

1. obsolete form of tsa

Further reading

• “sa”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Talysh

Etymology

Cognate with Persian صد (sad).

Numeral

sa

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Tashelhit

Tashelhit numbers ^(edit)

	70
←  6	7	8  →
Cardinal: sa     Ordinal: wiss sa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Berber. Cognate with Zenaga iššäh (“seven”), Ghadames sá (“seven”), Tuareg əssa (“seven”), Northern Saharan Berber sa (“seven”) and Guanche satti (“seven”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Numeral

sa m (feminine sat, Tifinagh spelling ⵙⴰ, Arabic spelling سا)

1. seven

   نڭا كولّوياغ سا. ― nga kulluyaġ sa. ― we are seven in total.

   سات تمغارين. ― sat tmġarin. ― seven women.

See also

Tashelhit cardinal numbers from 0 to 99

	—0	—1	—2	—3	—4	—5	—6	—7	—8	—9
0—	ṣifr	yan	sin	kraḍ	kkuẓ	smmus	sḍis	sa	tam	tẓa
10—	mraw	yan d mraw	sin d mraw	kraḍ d mraw	kkuẓ d mraw	smmus d mraw	sḍis d mraw	sa d mraw	tam d mraw	tẓa d mraw
20—	ɛcrin	ɛcrin d yan	ɛcrin d sin	ɛcrin d kraḍ	ɛcrin d kkuẓ	ɛcrin d smmus	ɛcrin d sḍis	ɛcrin d sa	ɛcrin d tam	ɛcrin d tẓa
30—	ɛcrin d mraw	ɛcrin d yan d mraw	ɛcrin d sin d mraw	ɛcrin d kraḍ d mraw	ɛcrin d kkuẓ d mraw	ɛcrin d smmus d mraw	ɛcrin d sḍis d mraw	ɛcrin d sa d mraw	ɛcrin d tam d mraw	ɛcrin d tẓa d mraw
40—	sin idaw ɛcrin	sin idaw ɛcrin d yan	sin idaw ɛcrin d sin	sin idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ	sin idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ	sin idaw ɛcrin d smmus	sin idaw ɛcrin d sḍis	sin idaw ɛcrin d sa	sin idaw ɛcrin d tam	sin idaw ɛcrin d tẓa
50—	sin idaw ɛcrin d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d yan d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d sin d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d smmus d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d sḍis d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d sa d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d tam d mraw	sin idaw ɛcrin d tẓa d mraw
60—	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d yan	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sin	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d smmus	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sḍis	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sa	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d tam	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d tẓa
70—	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d yan d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sin d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d smmus d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sḍis d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d sa d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d tam d mraw	kraḍ idaw ɛcrin d tẓa d mraw
80—	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d yan	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sin	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d smmus	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sḍis	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sa	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d tam	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d tẓa
90—	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d yan d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sin d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d kraḍ d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d kkuẓ d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d smmus d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sḍis d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d sa d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d tam d mraw	kkuẓ idaw ɛcrin d tẓa d mraw

References

• Stroomer, Harry (2025), Dictionnaire berbère tachelḥiyt-français — Tome 3 M–Š (Handbook of Oriental Studies – Handbuch der Orientalistik; 188/3) (in French), Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, →DOI, →ISBN, page 1926b

Tooro

Etymology

Inherited from Common Bantu *-ca (“empty”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Adjective

-sa (declinable)

1. (rare) empty, bare

   Near-synonym: -onka

   bigere bisa ― barefoot

Declension

Inflected forms of -sa

Noun class	indefinite		definite
	singular	plural	singular	plural
1/2	musa	basa	omusa	abasa
3/4	musa	misa	omusa	emisa
5/6	lisa	masa	erisa	amasa
7/8	kisa	bisa	ekisa	ebisa
9/10	nsa	nsa	ensa	ensa
11/10	rusa		orusa
12/14	kasa	busa	akasa	obusa
13	—	tusa	—	otusa
14/6	busa	masa	obusa	amasa
15/6	kusa		okusa
16	hasa	—	ahasa	—

Derived terms

• busa (“naked; nothing”)

References

• Kaji, Shigeki (2007), A Rutooro Vocabulary‎^[16], Tokyo: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), →ISBN, page 349
• Rubongoya, L. T. (2013), Katondogorozi y'Orunyoro-Rutooro n'Orungereza [Runyoro–Rutooro-English and English-Runyoro–Rutooro dictionary]‎^[17], Kampala: Modrug Publishers, →ISBN, page 352
• Entry 9239 at Bantu Lexical Reconstructions 3

Tunica

Noun

sa

1. dog

Turkish

Phrase

sa

1. (Internet) initialism of selamünaleyküm

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [saː˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʂaː˧˧] ~ [saː˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʂaː˧˧] ~ [saː˧˧]

• Audio (Hà Nội):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Verb

sa • (蹉, 沙, 莎)

1. to fall (especially from the sky); to drop down; to prolapse
2. to be caught (in a trap)
   • 2022, Trường Mai, “Trường Giang hai đầu về biển”, in báo Thời Nay‎^[18]:

     Điều lạ của rớ quay là phải dùng ánh sáng điện dẫn dụ mới đưa bầy cá sa lưới.

     The strange thing about the rotary net is that one needs to use electric light as a lure to get schools of fish to get caught in the net.

Derived terms

• bút sa gà chết
• chim sa cá lặn
• chuột sa chĩnh gạo
• sa búi trĩ
• sa cơ
• sa đà
• sa đắm
• sa đì
• sa đọa
• sa ngã
• sa sút

Related terms

• sà
• sạ

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 紗.

Noun

sa

1. gauze

Derived terms

• sa trơn
• song sa

Etymology 3

Romanization

sa

1. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 沙 (“sand”)
2. Sino-Vietnamese reading of 砂 (“sand”)

Derived terms

• chu sa
• hằng hà sa số
• sa bồi
• sa mạc
• sa trường

Welsh

Verb

sa (not mutable)

1. (South Wales) first-person singular present negative colloquial of bod

   Sa i’n gwybod.

   I don’t know.

2. (colloquial) contraction of basai

Usage notes

Unlike other negative verb forms, the present negative form—and so, which is used for all other persons—is not complemented by ddim after the subject.

West Frisian

Conjunction

sa

1. so

Further reading

• “sa (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s̪a/

Verb

sa

1. (stative) to be bad
2. (stative) to be rotten

Conjugation

Conjugation of sa (stative verb)

		singular	plural
			inclusive	exclusive
1st person		tisa	misa	asa
2nd person		nisa	fisa
3rd person	inanimate	isa	disa
	animate	masa
imperative		—, sa	—, sa

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[19], Pacific linguistics

Western Cham

Western Cham cardinal numbers

<  0	1	2  >
Cardinal : sa

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *sa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əsa, from Proto-Austronesian *əsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa/

Numeral

sa

1. one

References

• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*esa”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Xârâgurè

Etymology

Compare Drehu xe (“smack”).

Verb

sa

1. hit

References

• Moyse-Faurie, Claire (2023), “sa”, in Dictionnaire xârâgurè - français‎^[20] (in French), Lyon, France: HAL, page 118
• Claire Moyse-Faurie, Constructions expressing middle, reflexive and reciprocal situations in some Oceanic languages, in Reciprocals and Reflexives: Theoretical and Typological Explorations

Xhosa

Etymology 1

Verb

-sa^?

1. to take

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sâː]

Ideophone

sâ

1. Signifies scattering.

Yámana

Pronoun

sa

1. you

Zhuang

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /θa˨˦/
• Tone numbers: sa¹
• Hyphenation: sa

Noun

sa (Sawndip form 砟, 1957–1982 spelling sa)

1. sand

Adjective

sa (1957–1982 spelling sa)

1. sandy

Zou

Etymology 1

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *saa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sāː]
• Hyphenation: sa

Verb

sâ (stem II sàt)

1. (stative) to be hot

Etymology 2

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *shaa, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sja-n.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʌ́]
• Hyphenation: sa

Noun

sá

1. meat
2. flesh

Derived terms

• bawngsa̋
• savún
• âhsá

Etymology 3

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *saa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʌ̀]
• Hyphenation: sa

Verb

sà (stem II [please provide])

1. (intransitive) to sing

Etymology 4

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʌ̀]
• Hyphenation: sa

Verb

sà (stem II sah)

1. (intransitive) to feel

Etymology 5

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *tshaʔ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sâː]
• Hyphenation: sa

Verb

sȁ (stem II [please provide])

1. (stative) to be dense, thick

Etymology 6

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʌ̀]
• Hyphenation: sa

Verb

sà (stem II [please provide])

1. (intransitive) to prepare
2. (intransitive) to get ready

References

• Philip Thangliènmâng (2010), Minimal dictionary and Self-tutor Functional Grammar in Zo-English-Hindi, New Delhi: Zoculsin, →ISBN, pages 26, 77, 91
• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013), A Descriptive Grammar of Zou (PhD thesis), Canchipur: Manipur University, page 62

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *-kéa.

Verb

-sá

1. (intransitive) to dawn

Inflection

tone H (infinitive ukusa)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukusa	ukungasi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	yisa	-se
plural	yisani	-seni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyasa, ngisa	engisayo, engisa	ngisa	angisi	engingasi	ngingasi
2nd singular	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	usa	awusi	ongasi	ungasi
1st plural	siyasa, sisa	esisayo, esisa	sisa	asisi	esingasi	singasi
2nd plural	niyasa, nisa	enisayo, enisa	nisa	anisi	eningasi	ningasi
class 1	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	esa	akasi	ongasi	engasi
class 2	bayasa, basa	abasayo, abasa	besa	abasi	abangasi	bengasi
class 3	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	usa	awusi	ongasi	ungasi
class 4	iyasa, isa	esayo, esa	isa	ayisi	engasi	ingasi
class 5	liyasa, lisa	elisayo, elisa	lisa	alisi	elingasi	lingasi
class 6	ayasa, asa	asayo, asa	esa	awasi	angasi	engasi
class 7	siyasa, sisa	esisayo, esisa	sisa	asisi	esingasi	singasi
class 8	ziyasa, zisa	ezisayo, ezisa	zisa	azisi	ezingasi	zingasi
class 9	iyasa, isa	esayo, esa	isa	ayisi	engasi	ingasi
class 10	ziyasa, zisa	ezisayo, ezisa	zisa	azisi	ezingasi	zingasi
class 11	luyasa, lusa	olusayo, olusa	lusa	alusi	olungasi	lungasi
class 14	buyasa, busa	obusayo, obusa	busa	abusi	obungasi	bungasi
class 15	kuyasa, kusa	okusayo, okusa	kusa	akusi	okungasi	kungasi
class 17	kuyasa, kusa	okusayo, okusa	kusa	akusi	okungasi	kungasi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngisile, ngisē	engisile, engisē	ngisile, ngisē	angisanga	engingasanga	ngingasanga
2nd singular	usile, usē	osile, osē	usile, usē	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
1st plural	sisile, sisē	esisile, esisē	sisile, sisē	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
2nd plural	nisile, nisē	enisile, enisē	nisile, nisē	anisanga	eningasanga	ningasanga
class 1	usile, usē	osile, osē	esile, esē	akasanga	ongasanga	engasanga
class 2	basile, basē	abasile, abasē	besile, besē	abasanga	abangasanga	bengasanga
class 3	usile, usē	osile, osē	usile, usē	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
class 4	isile, isē	esile, esē	isile, isē	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 5	lisile, lisē	elisile, elisē	lisile, lisē	alisanga	elingasanga	lingasanga
class 6	asile, asē	asile, asē	esile, esē	awasanga	angasanga	engasanga
class 7	sisile, sisē	esisile, esisē	sisile, sisē	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
class 8	zisile, zisē	ezisile, ezisē	zisile, zisē	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 9	isile, isē	esile, esē	isile, isē	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 10	zisile, zisē	ezisile, ezisē	zisile, zisē	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 11	lusile, lusē	olusile, olusē	lusile, lusē	alusanga	olungasanga	lungasanga
class 14	busile, busē	obusile, obusē	busile, busē	abusanga	obungasanga	bungasanga
class 15	kusile, kusē	okusile, okusē	kusile, kusē	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
class 17	kusile, kusē	okusile, okusē	kusile, kusē	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngāsa	engāsa	ngāsa	angisanga	engingasanga	ngingasanga
2nd singular	wāsa	owāsa	wāsa	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
1st plural	sāsa	esāsa	sāsa	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
2nd plural	nāsa	enāsa	nāsa	anisanga	eningasanga	ningasanga
class 1	wāsa	owāsa	āsa	akasanga	ongasanga	engasanga
class 2	bāsa	abāsa	bāsa	abasanga	abangasanga	bengasanga
class 3	wāsa	owāsa	wāsa	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
class 4	yāsa	eyāsa	yāsa	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 5	lāsa	elāsa	lāsa	alisanga	elingasanga	lingasanga
class 6	āsa	āsa	āsa	awasanga	angasanga	engasanga
class 7	sāsa	esāsa	sāsa	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
class 8	zāsa	ezāsa	zāsa	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 9	yāsa	eyāsa	yāsa	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 10	zāsa	ezāsa	zāsa	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 11	lwāsa	olwāsa	lwāsa	alusanga	olungasanga	lungasanga
class 14	bāsa	obāsa	bāsa	abusanga	obungasanga	bungasanga
class 15	kwāsa	okwāsa	kwāsa	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
class 17	kwāsa	okwāsa	kwāsa	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingasa	—	ngingasa	ngingese	—	ngingese
2nd singular	ungasa	—	ungasa	ungese	—	ungese
1st plural	singasa	—	singasa	singese	—	singese
2nd plural	ningasa	—	ningasa	ningese	—	ningese
class 1	angasa	—	engasa	angese	—	engese
class 2	bangasa	—	bengasa	bangese	—	bengese
class 3	ungasa	—	ungasa	ungese	—	ungese
class 4	ingasa	—	ingasa	ingese	—	ingese
class 5	lingasa	—	lingasa	lingese	—	lingese
class 6	angasa	—	engasa	angese	—	engese
class 7	singasa	—	singasa	singese	—	singese
class 8	zingasa	—	zingasa	zingese	—	zingese
class 9	ingasa	—	ingasa	ingese	—	ingese
class 10	zingasa	—	zingasa	zingese	—	zingese
class 11	lungasa	—	lungasa	lungese	—	lungese
class 14	bungasa	—	bungasa	bungese	—	bungese
class 15	kungasa	—	kungasa	kungese	—	kungese
class 17	kungasa	—	kungasa	kungese	—	kungese
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizokusa	engizokusa	ngizokusa	angizukusa	engingezukusa	ngingezukusa
2nd singular	uzokusa	ozokusa	uzokusa	awuzukusa	ongezukusa	ungezukusa
1st plural	sizokusa	esizokusa	sizokusa	asizukusa	esingezukusa	singezukusa
2nd plural	nizokusa	enizokusa	nizokusa	anizukusa	eningezukusa	ningezukusa
class 1	uzokusa	ozokusa	ezokusa	akazukusa	ongezukusa	engezukusa
class 2	bazokusa	abazokusa	bezokusa	abazukusa	abangezukusa	bengezukusa
class 3	uzokusa	ozokusa	uzokusa	awuzukusa	ongezukusa	ungezukusa
class 4	izokusa	ezokusa	izokusa	ayizukusa	engezukusa	ingezukusa
class 5	lizokusa	elizokusa	lizokusa	alizukusa	elingezukusa	lingezukusa
class 6	azokusa	azokusa	ezokusa	awazukusa	angezukusa	engezukusa
class 7	sizokusa	esizokusa	sizokusa	asizukusa	esingezukusa	singezukusa
class 8	zizokusa	ezizokusa	zizokusa	azizukusa	ezingezukusa	zingezukusa
class 9	izokusa	ezokusa	izokusa	ayizukusa	engezukusa	ingezukusa
class 10	zizokusa	ezizokusa	zizokusa	azizukusa	ezingezukusa	zingezukusa
class 11	luzokusa	oluzokusa	luzokusa	aluzukusa	olungezukusa	lungezukusa
class 14	buzokusa	obuzokusa	buzokusa	abuzukusa	obungezukusa	bungezukusa
class 15	kuzokusa	okuzokusa	kuzokusa	akuzukusa	okungezukusa	kungezukusa
class 17	kuzokusa	okuzokusa	kuzokusa	akuzukusa	okungezukusa	kungezukusa
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokusa	engiyokusa	ngiyokusa	angiyukusa	engingeyukusa	ngingeyukusa
2nd singular	uyokusa	oyokusa	uyokusa	awuyukusa	ongeyukusa	ungeyukusa
1st plural	siyokusa	esiyokusa	siyokusa	asiyukusa	esingeyukusa	singeyukusa
2nd plural	niyokusa	eniyokusa	niyokusa	aniyukusa	eningeyukusa	ningeyukusa
class 1	uyokusa	oyokusa	eyokusa	akayukusa	ongeyukusa	engeyukusa
class 2	bayokusa	abayokusa	beyokusa	abayukusa	abangeyukusa	bengeyukusa
class 3	uyokusa	oyokusa	uyokusa	awuyukusa	ongeyukusa	ungeyukusa
class 4	iyokusa	eyokusa	iyokusa	ayiyukusa	engeyukusa	ingeyukusa
class 5	liyokusa	eliyokusa	liyokusa	aliyukusa	elingeyukusa	lingeyukusa
class 6	ayokusa	ayokusa	eyokusa	awayukusa	angeyukusa	engeyukusa
class 7	siyokusa	esiyokusa	siyokusa	asiyukusa	esingeyukusa	singeyukusa
class 8	ziyokusa	eziyokusa	ziyokusa	aziyukusa	ezingeyukusa	zingeyukusa
class 9	iyokusa	eyokusa	iyokusa	ayiyukusa	engeyukusa	ingeyukusa
class 10	ziyokusa	eziyokusa	ziyokusa	aziyukusa	ezingeyukusa	zingeyukusa
class 11	luyokusa	oluyokusa	luyokusa	aluyukusa	olungeyukusa	lungeyukusa
class 14	buyokusa	obuyokusa	buyokusa	abuyukusa	obungeyukusa	bungeyukusa
class 15	kuyokusa	okuyokusa	kuyokusa	akuyukusa	okungeyukusa	kungeyukusa
class 17	kuyokusa	okuyokusa	kuyokusa	akuyukusa	okungeyukusa	kungeyukusa
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngise	ngingasi
2nd singular	use	ungasi
1st plural	sise	singasi
2nd plural	nise	ningasi
class 1	ase	angasi
class 2	base	bangasi
class 3	use	ungasi
class 4	ise	ingasi
class 5	lise	lingasi
class 6	ase	angasi
class 7	sise	singasi
class 8	zise	zingasi
class 9	ise	ingasi
class 10	zise	zingasi
class 11	luse	lungasi
class 14	buse	bungasi
class 15	kuse	kungasi
class 17	kuse	kungasi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngasa	ngangasa, angasa, angangasa
2nd singular	wasa	wangasa, awasa, awangasa
1st plural	sasa	sangasa, asasa, asangasa
2nd plural	nasa	nangasa, anasa, anangasa
class 1	wasa	wangasa, akasa, akangasa
class 2	basa	bangasa, abasa, abangasa
class 3	wasa	wangasa, awasa, awangasa
class 4	yasa	yangasa, ayasa, ayangasa
class 5	lasa	langasa, alasa, alangasa
class 6	asa	angasa, awasa, awangasa
class 7	sasa	sangasa, asasa, asangasa
class 8	zasa	zangasa, azasa, azangasa
class 9	yasa	yangasa, ayasa, ayangasa
class 10	zasa	zangasa, azasa, azangasa
class 11	lwasa	lwangasa, alwasa, alwangasa
class 14	basa	bangasa, abasa, abangasa
class 15	kwasa	kwangasa, akwasa, akwangasa
class 17	kwasa	kwangasa, akwasa, akwangasa

Etymology 2

Clipping of -yisa.

Verb

-sa

1. (transitive) to take to
2. (transitive) to convey, to send, to transfer

Inflection

tone L (infinitive ukusa)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukusa	ukungasi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	yisa	-se
plural	yisani	-seni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyasa, ngisa	engisayo, engisa	ngisa	angisi	engingasi	ngingasi
2nd singular	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	usa	awusi	ongasi	ungasi
1st plural	siyasa, sisa	esisayo, esisa	sisa	asisi	esingasi	singasi
2nd plural	niyasa, nisa	enisayo, enisa	nisa	anisi	eningasi	ningasi
class 1	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	esa	akasi	ongasi	engasi
class 2	bayasa, basa	abasayo, abasa	besa	abasi	abangasi	bengasi
class 3	uyasa, usa	osayo, osa	usa	awusi	ongasi	ungasi
class 4	iyasa, isa	esayo, esa	isa	ayisi	engasi	ingasi
class 5	liyasa, lisa	elisayo, elisa	lisa	alisi	elingasi	lingasi
class 6	ayasa, asa	asayo, asa	esa	awasi	angasi	engasi
class 7	siyasa, sisa	esisayo, esisa	sisa	asisi	esingasi	singasi
class 8	ziyasa, zisa	ezisayo, ezisa	zisa	azisi	ezingasi	zingasi
class 9	iyasa, isa	esayo, esa	isa	ayisi	engasi	ingasi
class 10	ziyasa, zisa	ezisayo, ezisa	zisa	azisi	ezingasi	zingasi
class 11	luyasa, lusa	olusayo, olusa	lusa	alusi	olungasi	lungasi
class 14	buyasa, busa	obusayo, obusa	busa	abusi	obungasi	bungasi
class 15	kuyasa, kusa	okusayo, okusa	kusa	akusi	okungasi	kungasi
class 17	kuyasa, kusa	okusayo, okusa	kusa	akusi	okungasi	kungasi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngisile, ngisē	engisile, engisē	ngisile, ngisē	angisanga	engingasanga	ngingasanga
2nd singular	usile, usē	osile, osē	usile, usē	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
1st plural	sisile, sisē	esisile, esisē	sisile, sisē	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
2nd plural	nisile, nisē	enisile, enisē	nisile, nisē	anisanga	eningasanga	ningasanga
class 1	usile, usē	osile, osē	esile, esē	akasanga	ongasanga	engasanga
class 2	basile, basē	abasile, abasē	besile, besē	abasanga	abangasanga	bengasanga
class 3	usile, usē	osile, osē	usile, usē	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
class 4	isile, isē	esile, esē	isile, isē	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 5	lisile, lisē	elisile, elisē	lisile, lisē	alisanga	elingasanga	lingasanga
class 6	asile, asē	asile, asē	esile, esē	awasanga	angasanga	engasanga
class 7	sisile, sisē	esisile, esisē	sisile, sisē	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
class 8	zisile, zisē	ezisile, ezisē	zisile, zisē	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 9	isile, isē	esile, esē	isile, isē	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 10	zisile, zisē	ezisile, ezisē	zisile, zisē	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 11	lusile, lusē	olusile, olusē	lusile, lusē	alusanga	olungasanga	lungasanga
class 14	busile, busē	obusile, obusē	busile, busē	abusanga	obungasanga	bungasanga
class 15	kusile, kusē	okusile, okusē	kusile, kusē	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
class 17	kusile, kusē	okusile, okusē	kusile, kusē	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngāsa	engāsa	ngāsa	angisanga	engingasanga	ngingasanga
2nd singular	wāsa	owāsa	wāsa	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
1st plural	sāsa	esāsa	sāsa	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
2nd plural	nāsa	enāsa	nāsa	anisanga	eningasanga	ningasanga
class 1	wāsa	owāsa	āsa	akasanga	ongasanga	engasanga
class 2	bāsa	abāsa	bāsa	abasanga	abangasanga	bengasanga
class 3	wāsa	owāsa	wāsa	awusanga	ongasanga	ungasanga
class 4	yāsa	eyāsa	yāsa	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 5	lāsa	elāsa	lāsa	alisanga	elingasanga	lingasanga
class 6	āsa	āsa	āsa	awasanga	angasanga	engasanga
class 7	sāsa	esāsa	sāsa	asisanga	esingasanga	singasanga
class 8	zāsa	ezāsa	zāsa	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 9	yāsa	eyāsa	yāsa	ayisanga	engasanga	ingasanga
class 10	zāsa	ezāsa	zāsa	azisanga	ezingasanga	zingasanga
class 11	lwāsa	olwāsa	lwāsa	alusanga	olungasanga	lungasanga
class 14	bāsa	obāsa	bāsa	abusanga	obungasanga	bungasanga
class 15	kwāsa	okwāsa	kwāsa	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
class 17	kwāsa	okwāsa	kwāsa	akusanga	okungasanga	kungasanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingasa	—	ngingasa	ngingese	—	ngingese
2nd singular	ungasa	—	ungasa	ungese	—	ungese
1st plural	singasa	—	singasa	singese	—	singese
2nd plural	ningasa	—	ningasa	ningese	—	ningese
class 1	angasa	—	engasa	angese	—	engese
class 2	bangasa	—	bengasa	bangese	—	bengese
class 3	ungasa	—	ungasa	ungese	—	ungese
class 4	ingasa	—	ingasa	ingese	—	ingese
class 5	lingasa	—	lingasa	lingese	—	lingese
class 6	angasa	—	engasa	angese	—	engese
class 7	singasa	—	singasa	singese	—	singese
class 8	zingasa	—	zingasa	zingese	—	zingese
class 9	ingasa	—	ingasa	ingese	—	ingese
class 10	zingasa	—	zingasa	zingese	—	zingese
class 11	lungasa	—	lungasa	lungese	—	lungese
class 14	bungasa	—	bungasa	bungese	—	bungese
class 15	kungasa	—	kungasa	kungese	—	kungese
class 17	kungasa	—	kungasa	kungese	—	kungese
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizokusa	engizokusa	ngizokusa	angizukusa	engingezukusa	ngingezukusa
2nd singular	uzokusa	ozokusa	uzokusa	awuzukusa	ongezukusa	ungezukusa
1st plural	sizokusa	esizokusa	sizokusa	asizukusa	esingezukusa	singezukusa
2nd plural	nizokusa	enizokusa	nizokusa	anizukusa	eningezukusa	ningezukusa
class 1	uzokusa	ozokusa	ezokusa	akazukusa	ongezukusa	engezukusa
class 2	bazokusa	abazokusa	bezokusa	abazukusa	abangezukusa	bengezukusa
class 3	uzokusa	ozokusa	uzokusa	awuzukusa	ongezukusa	ungezukusa
class 4	izokusa	ezokusa	izokusa	ayizukusa	engezukusa	ingezukusa
class 5	lizokusa	elizokusa	lizokusa	alizukusa	elingezukusa	lingezukusa
class 6	azokusa	azokusa	ezokusa	awazukusa	angezukusa	engezukusa
class 7	sizokusa	esizokusa	sizokusa	asizukusa	esingezukusa	singezukusa
class 8	zizokusa	ezizokusa	zizokusa	azizukusa	ezingezukusa	zingezukusa
class 9	izokusa	ezokusa	izokusa	ayizukusa	engezukusa	ingezukusa
class 10	zizokusa	ezizokusa	zizokusa	azizukusa	ezingezukusa	zingezukusa
class 11	luzokusa	oluzokusa	luzokusa	aluzukusa	olungezukusa	lungezukusa
class 14	buzokusa	obuzokusa	buzokusa	abuzukusa	obungezukusa	bungezukusa
class 15	kuzokusa	okuzokusa	kuzokusa	akuzukusa	okungezukusa	kungezukusa
class 17	kuzokusa	okuzokusa	kuzokusa	akuzukusa	okungezukusa	kungezukusa
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokusa	engiyokusa	ngiyokusa	angiyukusa	engingeyukusa	ngingeyukusa
2nd singular	uyokusa	oyokusa	uyokusa	awuyukusa	ongeyukusa	ungeyukusa
1st plural	siyokusa	esiyokusa	siyokusa	asiyukusa	esingeyukusa	singeyukusa
2nd plural	niyokusa	eniyokusa	niyokusa	aniyukusa	eningeyukusa	ningeyukusa
class 1	uyokusa	oyokusa	eyokusa	akayukusa	ongeyukusa	engeyukusa
class 2	bayokusa	abayokusa	beyokusa	abayukusa	abangeyukusa	bengeyukusa
class 3	uyokusa	oyokusa	uyokusa	awuyukusa	ongeyukusa	ungeyukusa
class 4	iyokusa	eyokusa	iyokusa	ayiyukusa	engeyukusa	ingeyukusa
class 5	liyokusa	eliyokusa	liyokusa	aliyukusa	elingeyukusa	lingeyukusa
class 6	ayokusa	ayokusa	eyokusa	awayukusa	angeyukusa	engeyukusa
class 7	siyokusa	esiyokusa	siyokusa	asiyukusa	esingeyukusa	singeyukusa
class 8	ziyokusa	eziyokusa	ziyokusa	aziyukusa	ezingeyukusa	zingeyukusa
class 9	iyokusa	eyokusa	iyokusa	ayiyukusa	engeyukusa	ingeyukusa
class 10	ziyokusa	eziyokusa	ziyokusa	aziyukusa	ezingeyukusa	zingeyukusa
class 11	luyokusa	oluyokusa	luyokusa	aluyukusa	olungeyukusa	lungeyukusa
class 14	buyokusa	obuyokusa	buyokusa	abuyukusa	obungeyukusa	bungeyukusa
class 15	kuyokusa	okuyokusa	kuyokusa	akuyukusa	okungeyukusa	kungeyukusa
class 17	kuyokusa	okuyokusa	kuyokusa	akuyukusa	okungeyukusa	kungeyukusa
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngise	ngingasi
2nd singular	use	ungasi
1st plural	sise	singasi
2nd plural	nise	ningasi
class 1	ase	angasi
class 2	base	bangasi
class 3	use	ungasi
class 4	ise	ingasi
class 5	lise	lingasi
class 6	ase	angasi
class 7	sise	singasi
class 8	zise	zingasi
class 9	ise	ingasi
class 10	zise	zingasi
class 11	luse	lungasi
class 14	buse	bungasi
class 15	kuse	kungasi
class 17	kuse	kungasi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngasa	ngangasa, angasa, angangasa
2nd singular	wasa	wangasa, awasa, awangasa
1st plural	sasa	sangasa, asasa, asangasa
2nd plural	nasa	nangasa, anasa, anangasa
class 1	wasa	wangasa, akasa, akangasa
class 2	basa	bangasa, abasa, abangasa
class 3	wasa	wangasa, awasa, awangasa
class 4	yasa	yangasa, ayasa, ayangasa
class 5	lasa	langasa, alasa, alangasa
class 6	asa	angasa, awasa, awangasa
class 7	sasa	sangasa, asasa, asangasa
class 8	zasa	zangasa, azasa, azangasa
class 9	yasa	yangasa, ayasa, ayangasa
class 10	zasa	zangasa, azasa, azangasa
class 11	lwasa	lwangasa, alwasa, alwangasa
class 14	basa	bangasa, abasa, abangasa
class 15	kwasa	kwangasa, akwasa, akwangasa
class 17	kwasa	kwangasa, akwasa, akwangasa

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “sa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “sa (inf. ukusa, 2.3-6.6-3)”
• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “sa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “sa (inf. ukusa, 3.2.9)”