vai

Symbol

vai

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Vai.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Vai terms

Etymology 1

Etymology 2

Transliteration of Bengali ভাই (bhai). Doublet of bhai; see there for more doublets.

Anagrams

• A-IV, AIV, AVI, Avi, IVA, Iva, Via, avi, avi-, via, viâ

Etymology

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

vai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
• Anuta: a Polynesian outlier in the Solomon Islands (1973)
• Oral Traditions of Anuta: A Polynesian Outlier in the Solomon Islands (1998)

Alternative forms

• vuai

Etymology

From Latin hodie. Compare Friulian vuê.

Adverb

vai

1. today

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

vai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

vai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Etymology

From Proto-Central Pacific *vai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih (compare Indonesian pari, Malay pari), from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

Noun

vai

1. ray (marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail)

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai. Probably ultimately from the same root as vajaa, possibly by analogy with tai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑi̯/, [ˈʋɑ̝i̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi
• Hyphenation^(key): vai

Conjunction

vai

1. (coordinating, in question clauses) or (exclusive or; either what comes before or what comes after)

   Onko se suuri vai pieni?

   Is it big or small?

Adverb

vai (colloquial)

1. (interrogative adverb) is that so? or what?

   Tulee vai?

   Oh, [he/she/it] is coming?

Further reading

• “vai”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-04

Anagrams

• AVI, avi, iva, via

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun

vai

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References

• William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaj/ [ˈba̠j]
• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: vai

Etymology

From Latin vādit (See vādō, vādere.) Usurped expected ed or í, from īt, third person singular of eō, īre

Verb

vai

1. goes; inflection of ir:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

   É a rapaza a que vai ao monte con ovellas e cabras

   It is the girl who goes to the mountain with sheep and goats

2. inflection of ir:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “ir”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “ir”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “ir”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “vai”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.ˈi/

Adjective

vai

1. ugly, unsightly
2. bad, evil, unpleasant

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai. Cognate with Finnish vai and Estonian või.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑi̯/, [ˈʋɑi̯]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑi̯/, [ˈʋɑi̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯
• Hyphenation: vai

Conjunction

vai

1. or
   • 1936, L. G. Terehova, V. G. Erdeli, translated by Mihailov and P. I. Maksimov, Geografia: oppikirja iƶoroin alkușkoulun kolmatta klaassaa vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 6:

     Kummaas poolees oppilapsist ovat ikkunat - oikiaas vai kuras?

     On which side of the students are the windows - on the right or on the left?

   • 1936, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 12:

     Onko se niin vai ei oo?

     Is that so or isn't it?

2. Used to introduce polar questions, especially rhetorical ones.
   • 1916, Volmari Porkka, “1576. [Soikkola]. III443b”, in Väinö Salminen, V. Alava, editor, Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot. Länsi-Inkerin runot‎, volume III2, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, lines 16-18:

     Itse käin kyselömmää: // »Mitä vessät velvyeen, // Vai vessät sotivennooja?»

     Myself I started to ask him: // »What are you carving, my brother dear, // Are you carving a warship?»

   • 1937, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (toin osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 86:

     Vai siis siulle syyvvä, juuvva ei annettu?

     Then they didn't give you anything to eat, to drink?

   • 1937, N. A. Iljin, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (kolmas osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 46:

     Hää mörnää: „Mitä lykit siä?
     Vai maistaa tahot pleettiä?“

     He shouts: „Why are you pushing?
     Do you want to taste the whip, perchance?“

References

• V. I. Junus (1936) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka‎, Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 136
• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 630
• Olga I. Konkova, Nikita A. Dyachkov (2014) Inkeroin Keel: Пособие по Ижорскому Языку‎, →ISBN, page 79

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaj/
• Rhymes: -aj
• Hyphenation: vài

Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Anagrams

• -avi, -iva, IVA, Iva, avi, via