# vai
## Translingual
### Symbol

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

### See also

* Wiktionary's coverage of Vai terms

## English
### Etymology 1
#### Alternative forms

* VAI

#### Noun

vai
* (grammar) Initialism of verb animate intransitive: an intransitive verb that agrees with an animate subject.

##### Coordinate terms

* vii
* vta
* vti

### Etymology 2

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

#### Noun

vai (plural vais) (Bangladesh, West Bengal, chiefly Benglish)
* Alternative spelling of bhai.

### Anagrams

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

## Anuta
### 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
* 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)

## Dalmatian
### Alternative forms

* vuai

### Etymology

From Latin hodie. Compare Friulian vuê.

### Adverb

vai
* today

## East Futuna
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Emae
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Fijian
### 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
* ray (marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail)

## Finnish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈʋɑi̯/, [ˈʋɑ̝i̯]
* Rhymes: -ɑi
* Hyphenation: vai

### Conjunction

vai
* (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?

#### Usage notes

* While it is often said that tai is to be used in affirmative clauses and vai is to be used in question clauses, a more precise difference is that while both can be used in question clauses, tai is an inclusive or, while vai is an exclusive or. For instance, while Söitkö sinä leivän tai hedelmät? and Söitkö sinä leivän vai hedelmät? are both correct, the former asks in a yes or no question, whether you ate either bread or fruit or not, while the latter asks which you ate, the bread or the fruit.

#### Derived terms

* vaiko

#### See also

* tai

### Adverb

vai (colloquial)
* (interrogative adverb) is that so?
    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

## Futuna-Aniwa
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Galician
### Etymology

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

### Verb

vai
* inflection of ir:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative
    É a rapaza a que vai ao monte con ovellas e cabrasIt is the girl who goes to the mountain with sheep and goats
* inflection of ir:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

### Further reading

* 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

## Guaraní
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /va.ˈi/

### Adjective

vai
* ugly, unsightly
* bad, evil, unpleasant

#### Inflection

* (che) chevai
* (nde) ndevai
* (ha'e) ivai
* (ñande) ñandevai
* (ore) orevai
* (peẽ) pendevai
* (ha'ekuéra) ivai

## Ingrian
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

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

### Conjunction

vai
* 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?
* 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?“

#### Synonyms

* (or): ehki, tali, (folk poetic) eli

#### Related terms

* vaa (“only; but”)

### 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

## Italian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈvaj/
* Rhymes: -aj
* Hyphenation: vài

### Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Alternative forms

* va' (imperative)

#### Verb

vai
* inflection of andare:
** second-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Verb

vai
* inflection of vaiare:
** second-person singular present indicative
** first/second/third-person singular present subjunctive
** third-person plural imperative

### Anagrams

* -avi, -iva, IVA, Iva, avi, via

## Latvian
### Etymology 1

Borrowed from Livonian vȯi or dialectal Estonian vai; compare other Finnic languages (Finnish vai, Standard Estonian või). First found occasionally in Latvian writings in the 17th century, initially as a conjunction, then as a particle, it became more frequent in the 18th century; but only in the 19th century did it really strike root in the language. Likely unrelated to Sanskrit वा (vā).

#### Pronunciation

IPA: [vài]
* This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

#### Conjunction

vai
* used to indicate a disjunction between two elements; or (in the either-or sense, not in the sense of a.k.a., which is jeb).
    atbildi: jā vai nē! ― answer: yes or no!
    viņa nezināja, ko pirkt: rozes vai neļķes ― she didn't know what to buy: roses or carnations
* used to suggest vagueness, uncertainty, or a veiled threat; usually followed by ellipsis (...); or, or else...
    ja labi grib, to darbu var veikt parasts dežurants, vai brigadieris, vai (...) ― if (he) really wants, an ordinary man on duty can do this job, or a brigadier, or... (= or someone like that)
    vai tas kāds noziegums, kauns, vai? — is this a crime, a shame, or what?
    jums tas jādara, vai... ― you all have to do this, or else...
* used to introduce conditional subordinate clauses; whether, if
    nav zināms, vai to darījis viņš ― it is not known whether he did it
    es nezinu, vai to spēšu ― I don't know if I will be able to
    pasaki, vai es esmu nodevējs ― tell me if I am a traitor

##### See also

* jeb

#### Particle

vai
* interrogative particle, used in either-or questions
    vai tu runā latviski? ― do you speak Latvian?
    vai tu dzirdi? ― do you hear? are you listening?

#### Noun

vai m (invariable)
* the word vai itself; also, implicitly, a question
    cits pēc cita nāca tik daudzi vai, ka viņa nevarēja ilgāk izturēt ― so many vai's (= questions) came one after the other that she couldn't stand it any longer

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *way- (“oh!, ah!; woe!, alas!”). Cognates include Lithuanian vái, vaĩ, Old High German wē, Old English wā, Latin vae, German weh, English woe.

#### Pronunciation

IPA: [vāī], IPA: [vài], IPA: [vaî] (depending on situational intonation)

#### Interjection

vai
* used to express emotional responses: excitement, surprise, pain, fear, sorrow, irritation, etc.
    vai, ko es daru! ― oh! what am I doing!
    vai, kāds jūs līks izskatāties! ― boy, look at you! what a sight!
    vai, vai, Ilma, vai, tev tikai nauda prātā! ― oh come on, Ilma, you only think about money!

### References

* 1 2 Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “vai”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

## Livvi
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈʋɑi̯/
* Hyphenation: va‧i

### Conjunction

vai
* or
** 2018, Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118:Kuulet vai et kuule?Can you hear or not?
** 2018, Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118:lähtet vai et lähte?Will you go or not?
* if
** 2019, Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2rd edition, →ISBN, page 311:Et vai tulle, suutun.If you don't come, i'll get angry.

### Adverb

vai
* only
** 2019, Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2rd edition, →ISBN, page 311:Nenga tansie voijah vai harvat.Only a few can dance like this.

### Synonyms

* (or): libo
* (if): gu, ku
* (only): vaiku

### References

* Tatjana Boiko (2019) Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 311
* Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova (2018) Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118

## Ludian
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

### Conjunction

vai
* or

## Macanese
### Etymology

From Portuguese vai, from Old Galician-Portuguese vai, and also the third-person singular present indicative inflection of ir. Sense 2 is a semantic loan from Cantonese 去.

### Verb

vai
* to go
    Êle nádi vai ― He will not go
    Já vai sim falâ co iou ― He left without talking to me
* (before a verb) to go in order to do something
    Iou vai olâ si têmI'll see if there is any(literally, “I go to see if there is”)
    Chomâ iou vai tambâ tacho? Nádi!Invite me to fill in for somebody who can't go? No way!(literally, “Call me to go repair pan? No way!”)
    Beto logo buscâ iou vai tifinâBeto will find me to go have lunch

#### Usage notes

* Sense 2 is especially common when Macanese write using Cantonese-influenced syntax.

#### Derived terms

* … vai … vêm

### References

* https://www.macaneselibrary.org/pub/english/uipatua.htm

## Mangarevan
### Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

* Edward Tregear, A Dictionary of Mangareva (or Gambier Islands) (1899)
* William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

## Niuafo'ou
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

* ABVD

## Niuean
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

* Niue Language Dictionary (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1997, →ISBN)

## North Efate
### Etymology

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

### Noun

vai
* water

### References

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

## North Marquesan
### Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Northern Sami
### Etymology

Borrowed from Finnish vai.

### Pronunciation

* (Kautokeino) IPA: /ˈvaj/

### Conjunction

vai
* or (in questions, for mutually exclusive possibilities)
* so that

#### Further reading

* Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎, Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Verb

vai
* imperative of vaie

## Nuguria
### Noun

vai
* water

### References

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

## Nukuoro
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

* Vern Carroll, An outline of the structure of the language of Nukuoro (1965)
* William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

## Ontong Java
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

## Penrhyn
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Pileni
### Noun

vai
* water

### References

* A Grammar of Vaeakau-Taumako (2011, →ISBN

## Portuguese
### Alternative forms

* vae (pre-reform spelling)
* vay (obsolete)

### Etymology

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese vai, from vādit (present indicative), Latin vāde (imperative). Cognate with Galician vai and Spanish va.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ˈvaj/ [ˈvaɪ̯]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈvaj/
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈvaj/
** (Northern Portugal) IPA: /ˈbaj/
* (Northern Portugal) IPA: [ˈbaj]
* Rhymes: -aj
* Hyphenation: vai

### Verb

vai
* inflection of ir:
** third-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

## Pukapukan
### Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### Further reading

* Te Pukamuna | Pukapuka Dictionary

## Rapa Nui
### Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Rarotongan
### Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Romanian
### Etymology

Probably an expressive creation. Similar words are found in many other languages, especially Indo-European. Compare Latin vae, Albanian vaj, Italian guai, Sicilian vai, Spanish ay, Ancient Greek οὐαί (ouaí), English woe.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /vaj/
* Audio:(file)

### Interjection

vai
* alas, woe

#### Derived terms

* văita

## Samoan
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)
* crake

### References

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

## Sicilian
### Etymology 1

Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *wai (“expression of grief”). Alternatively from Ancient Greek οὐαί (ouaí), from the verse in Revelation 8:13. Compare English woe, German Weh, Latin vae, Italian guai.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈva.i/
* Hyphenation: và‧i

#### Noun

vai (only plural)
* troubles, problems, hardship, misfortune
* (interjection) trouble, difficulty, mess, pickle, fix, woe, jam
    Minchia di vai! ― That's a fucking trouble!

### Etymology 2

Derived from Latin vādō. More at Sicilian jiri.

#### Alternative forms

* va', vâ, vô, 'o

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈva.i/
* Hyphenation: và‧i

#### Verb

vai
* inflection of jiri:
** second-person singular present indicative
** second-person singular imperative

### References

* ↑ vai in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

## South Efate
### Noun

vai
* water

### References

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

## South Marquesan
### Noun

vai
* water

### References

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

## Tahitian
### Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, 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. Mostly displaced by pape because of tapu by association with names of certain royalty.

#### Noun

vai
* water (clear liquid H₂O)
    Synonym: pape

#### References

* William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
* ↑ White, Ralph Gardner (1968) “Borrowing and Taboo in Eastern Polynesia”, in The Journal of the Polynesian Society‎, volume 77, number 1, →ISSN, pages 64-5

### Etymology 2

Compare Maori wai.

#### Pronoun

vai
* who

## Takuu
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

## Tikopia
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

* Raymond Firth, Mervyn McLean, Tikopia Songs: Poetic and Musical Art of a Polynesian People (1990)

## Tokelauan
### Etymology

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai. Cognates include Hawaiian wai and Samoan vai.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈva.i]
* Hyphenation: va‧i

### Noun

vai
* water
* vessel for water
* medicine

### References

* R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎, Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 417

## Tongan
### 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.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /va.i/

### Noun

vai
* water (clear liquid H₂O)

### References

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

## Tuvaluan
### 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
* water (clear liquid H₂O)
* lake

#### Synonyms

* (lake): vaitūloto

### References

* An Introduction to Tuvaluan (1999, →ISBN

## Uneapa
### Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *pai.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /βai/

### Verb

vai
* to weave

### Further reading

* Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

## Veps
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

### Conjunction

vai
* or

### References

* Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “или, либо”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎, Petrozavodsk: Periodika

## Vietnamese
### Alternative forms

* (North Central Vietnam) ban

### Etymology

Attested as Northern Middle Vietnamese ꞗĕai, ꞗai in Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651), a dictionary based chiefly on the Northern dialects.
Attested in Phật thuyết đại báo phụ mẫu ân trọng kinh (佛說大報父母恩重經) as 多埋 (MC ta meaj) (modern SV: đa mai).
Compare Proto-Katuic *ʔapaal (“shoulder”) (whence Pacoh apal).
Some North Central dialects have the form ban with unlenited ‹b› (vs. mainstream form with lenited ‹v›) and ‹-n› reflex of earlier *-l.

### Pronunciation

* (Hà Nội) IPA: [vaːj˧˧]
* (Huế) IPA: [vaːj˧˧]
* (Saigon) IPA: [vaːj˧˧] ~ [jaːj˧˧]
* Audio (Saigon):(file)

### Noun

vai • (𣘾, 𦠘, 𦢳)
* (anatomy) shoulder
* (television, film, theater) role; part
    vai chính ― a main/lead role
    vai phụ ― a supporting role

#### Derived terms

* bả vai
* kề vai sát cánh
* phân vai
* sánh vai
* vai trò
* vai vế

## Votic
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

### Pronunciation

* (Luutsa, Liivtšülä) IPA: /ˈvɑi̯/, [ˈvɑi̯]
* Rhymes: -ɑi̯
* Hyphenation: vai

### Conjunction

vai
* or

### Interjection

vai
* oh, (so)... (mainly to start interrogative clauses)

### References

* Hallap, V., Adler, E., Grünberg, S., Leppik, M. (2012) “vai”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language], 2nd edition, Tallinn