ايا

South Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• يا (alternative spelling, especially after a vowel)

Etymology

From Arabic إِيَّا (ʔiyyā).

Particle

ايّا • (iyyā-, yyā-)

1. object particle with an attached suffix pronoun

   كانت بدّها ايّانا نروح معها على محلّ ما بعرفه.

   kānat biddha yyāna nrūḥ maʕha ʕala maḥall mā baʕrifo

   She wanted us to go with her to a place I don't know.

   رح أشوف إذا فيه أكم شغلة بالبيت ما بدّنا ايّاهم بجيبلك ايّاهم.

   raḥ ʔašūf ʔiza fīh ʔakam šaḡle bil-bēt ma biddna yyāhom bajīblak iyyāhom

   I'm going to see if there are any things in the house we don't need (them) to bring them to you.

Usage notes

• The object particle is required in the following cases:
  1. An indirect object is attached to the verb, as a verb can't take two pronoun suffixes.

     ابعتلي ايّاه ― ibʕat-li yyā ― send it to me

     Audio (Birzeit)

     (file)

  2. A pseudo verb is used, as the suffix pronoun is indicating the subject.

     بدّي ايّاه ― biddi yyāh ― I want it

     Audio (Birzeit)

     (file)

• The object particle can be used to connect two pronouns.

  أنا ويّاك ― ʔana w-iyyāk ― you and I

  This means the same as أنا وانت (ʔana w-inta).

• The initial "i" is not pronounced after a vowel.

Inflection

Western Cham

Noun

ايا (transliteration needed)

1. Jawi spelling of aia